Artist Opportunities

Survivor Art Exhibition

Deadline to Apply: March 11, 2025

On Display March 21 - May 17, 2025

Healing is a journey and for some, that journey is taken through or with art. Where words may fail us, art has the magic of expressing even the most difficult topics. This exhibit is in partnership with Underground Railroad, Inc. and features artwork created by survivors of domestic abuse.

For more information and application, please visit undergroundrailroadinc.org/survivor-art-exhibit.

Michigan Sugar Farms Collaboration

Deadline to Apply: January 1, 2025

Studio 23 is collaborating with Michigan Sugar and their farmers to create an exhibition of artwork highlighting the histories and family legacies of their local farms. Artists will be paired with farmers and their families to learn more about these legacies and create artwork based on them.

Artist and farmer pairings will be assigned in early 2025, with the exhibition scheduled for summer of 2026 (exact dates TBD).

Artists interested in participating should submit an artist statement and a portfolio of relevant artworks including 6 or more images in PDF format. These portfolios will be reviewed by Studio 23 and Michigan Sugar representatives and shared with farm families to find the best matches. Matches will be made on a first-come first-serve basis as appointments are made to review portfolios.

Follow the link here for application and full details.

Studio 23 Plein Air Showcase

Deadline to Apply: January 30, 2025

On Display February 7 – March 22, 2025

Artists who have participated in Studio 23 Plein Air events in 2024 are invited to deliver 1 to 3 plein air artworks for a Plein Air Showcase. Let’s bring some warm weather and sunshine into the gallery during the cold weeks of winter!

Follow the link here for registration and full details.

Access•ABILITY

Deadline to Apply: January 12, 2025

Exhibition dates are April 3 - June 7, 2025

We are excited to be planning this inclusive exhibit experience for our 2025 exhibition season. This exhibit will support the goal of our mission statement to make art relevant and accessible to all by:

  • Creating artwork for an audience who may be overlooked in the visual and fine arts community due to limited sensory or physical abilities.

  • Highlighting artwork created by individuals with limited sensory or physical abilities.

  • Enlightening our audience to the limitations of creating or enjoying art while living with disabilities.

Follow the link here for application and full details.

Studio 23’s 100 Day Project

Studio 23 Artist Collective Activity
January 15 - April 24, 2025

We are in our seventh year of 100 days of art making! The ground rules are simple and the reward is developing a creative habit that will last the rest of the year.  

Here are the steps to make a commitment for 2025.

1. Create a project and dedicate 5-10 minutes a day to that project. This project can change as you navigate through the 100 days but it will be the guiding theme.

Our theme of the year for 2025 is "Invigorate". You are welcome to have that as a focus for your project but it is not required. 

2. Share your progress online in our private Facebook group that is being developed specifically for the 2025 group. 

3. Attend check-ins as a way to support, chat, and collaborate with the other 100 Dayers!

Follow the link here for registration and full details.

Artists registered for the 100 Day Project are eligible to submit artwork for our annual Painters & Potters student and faculty exhibition. Registration for Painters & Potters will be available again in 2025.

Ongoing Opportunities

Submit an application or contact our Curator of Exhibits for the following opportunities any time. Applications are reviewed throughout the year as needed.

  • Studio 23’s Collegiate Spotlight program features the work of area college students and recent graduates with a developed portfolio of artwork. Students selected for exhibit will install artwork under the guidance of Studio 23’s Curator of Exhibits, gaining valuable hands-on experience in a gallery setting.

    Applications are reviewed and selected by Studio 23 Curator of Exhibits throughout the year.

    The Collegiate Spotlight schedule is booked for 2024. Please check back again in 2025.

  • Studio 23 partners with local businesses to bring a rotating display of artwork to lobbies, conference rooms, seating areas, and more within our community. We currently partner with six area businesses with a variety of spaces and needs.

    For information on displaying your artwork with one of our partnering businesses, contact Curator of Exhibits & Membership Amy Gibas at agibas@studio23baycity.org.

    Click the link here to learn more about our partner’s spaces.

  • Studio 23 hosts six exhibits per year, including solo, group, and juried and student exhibitions. We are currently planning for the 2025 exhibition season. For information on how to submit an application for exhibition, follow the link below.

    Click here for Application for Exhibition at Studio 23/The Arts Center

  • Members of Studio 23 are eligible to display artwork for sale in the Studio 23 Off the Wall Member Gallery Boutique. Purchases made from the Off the Wall Gallery may be taken home the same day, or placed on layaway to be taken home once payment is complete. The Off the Wall Gallery is continuously updated as artwork is sold and new art is delivered.

    For information on becoming a member, visit our membership page.

    To schedule an appointment to discuss displaying your work, contact Curator of Exhibits & Membership Amy Gibas at agibas@studio23baycity.org.

Upcoming Opportunities

Check back for applications to these annual and biannual opportunities.

  • Students, Faculty, and The 100 Day Project members of Studio 23 are invited to submit up to five pieces of artwork for Painters and Potters 2025 exhibit. Must have been enrolled in a class between July 2023 - July 2024. All artwork must have been created during that time and not exhibited in Painters and Potters before.

    Registration for Painters & Potters will be available again in 2025.

  • 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region is a bi-annual juried exhibition which showcases the works of 50 artists who live and/or work in the Michigan counties of Saginaw, Bay, Midland, Isabella, Gratiot, Clare, Gladwin, and Arenac. Each of the 50 artists featured in this exhibit is also included in our Art Around the City project. Art Around the City is an outdoor exhibition that you can view in Downtown and Uptown Bay City, Veterans Park, and Bigelow Park around the Bay City Railtrail.

    Deadline for entry has passed. Application for 50 Artists of the Great Lakes Bay Region and Art Around the City will be available again in 2025.

  • The mission of the Studio 23 Visiting Artist Program, through selection of an annual visiting artist, is to enhance the experience of Art for our community via exposure to a greater diversity of artists, art media, and artistic styles.

    Application is open to artists of all media and styles, with preference for those that will meet the program’s mission of bringing more diversity to our community. Please see application below for application requirements, requirements of the selected artist, and details on funding.

    This opportunity is made possible by the C Joanne Grabinski Visiting Artist Fund.

    Deadline for entry has passed. Application to the Studio 23 Visiting Artist Program will be available again in 2025.