Open Call: 2021 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards

May, 15, 2021

ArtArtistsNewsCommunity

Open Call: 2021 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards

Phoenix Art Museum has opened the annual call for submissions for the institution’s Sally and Richard Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards artists’ grants program (Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards). The newly branded and juried grant program provides recognition and financial support for emerging, professional, Arizona-based artists and is a continuation of a program begun by former Museum support group Contemporary Forum, which awarded more than 180 artists’ grants over more than 30 years. The Contemporary Forum Artists’ Grants concluded in 2017, at which time Phoenix Art Museum continued to subsidize an annual artists’ grants program to support the efforts and recognition of Arizona-based artists. In April 2021, the annual artists’ grants program was rebranded to acknowledge the support of local donors Sally and Richard Lehmann, who have committed to funding the Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards annually for a minimum of 10 years.

For the 2021 Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards open call, Phoenix Art Museum is partnering with Artlink, a Phoenix-based arts organization, who will host and help promote the call for artwork submissions. Up to three Lehmann Emerging Artist Awards recipients will be announced on September 30, 2021, with each receiving a $1,500 grant and the opportunity to participate in a group exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum in spring 2022.

Applications are accepted online only and are due on July 15, 2021. There is a $10 fee to submit to the open call, with proceeds supporting arts education and exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum.

Eligibility Requirements

• Artists must be considered emerging artists, meeting at least one of the following criteria:
  • Individuals who have completed degree programs in the last 5 years
  • Artists who exhibit their work in Arizona but may not have shown nationally or internationally
  • Artists with a website and a few different bodies of work that show development over time
• Artists must currently be working.
• Artists working in all media, including painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, new media, performance, photography, and video, may apply.
• Artists must be Arizona residents for a minimum of one year.
• Submitted artwork must have been produced within the past two years.
• Artists may not be enrolled in a college-degree program.
• Previous recipients of the Artists’ Grants are
• Artists must be registered as an Artlink Articipant. Register as an Articipant* with Artlink here:

Artist Articipant Registration

*Note: While Articipation with Artlink does not require payment, there are additional benefits to paid levels. Visit artlinkphx.org for details. Questions about Artlink? Please email info@artlinkphx.org. 

Submission Requirements

Applications must be submitted online USING THE FOLLOWING LINK: bit.ly/LehmannAwardsOpenCall

 Submissions MUST include:

• Artist name, street address, email address, and telephone number
• Resume/CV
• Artist statement (optional; 150 words or less)
• Description of each submitted work (title, date, medium, dimensions)
• Three (3) JPEGS or three (3) videos of different examples of work
  • Videos exceeding three minutes will not be accepted.

Submission Deadline

All materials must be submitted online by 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time on July 15, 2021. Submit applications to the following link: bit.ly/LehmannAwardsOpenCall. Please email curatorial@phxart.org with any questions.