Submissions

Locust Projects provides numerous opportunities to receive support through Locust Projects. On our Submissions page, you'll find a number of opportunities for artists to submit proposals for commissions, grants, studio visits, residencies and more. All of our open calls are available online and upcoming deadlines will be announced on our website, social media and through our mailing list. Below is a list of opportunities available to artists through our Submissions process. 

Commissioned Exhibitions and Projects

We create opportunities for visual artists at all career stages by commissioning local, national and international artists to create new work through an open call process juried by artist board members and local curators. Locust Projects gives artists the time, space, and resources to create new work on a large scale without commercial pressures or limitations of traditional arts institutions. Selected artists are in-residence for two to six weeks producing work and projects will be on view for at minimum one month. All selected artists receive production support (up to an agreed-upon limit) and W.A.G.E. fees for artistic time and labor. Out-of-town artists will receive access to our residence, support for travel and a per diem. For out-of-town artists, our residency affords artists the opportunity to work on-site within walking distance of the gallery as well as be centrally located to Miami's artistic communities. All artists are able to access the space 24/7 to work on their own schedules and terms. Powered by open-minded curators, artists, staff and housed in a flexible, industrial storefront space, we have the capability to support ambitious ideas, inviting experimentation and risk taking as part of a vital process for pushing one’s practice. 

Selected applicants will be notified directly if they are chosen. Due to the number of applications we receive, we cannot always provide direct feedback on your proposal if we choose not to move forward. 

WaveMaker Grants

WaveMaker at Locust Projects supports Miami’s visionary artists with incubator grants for innovative projects that are shared with the public. Please visit www.wavemakergrants.org for more info.

Since 2015, WaveMaker has awarded $570,000 in funding to 116 of Miami’s visionary artists, curators, and collectives. Grantees receive up to $6,000 each in three categories: New Work / Projects, Long-Haul Projects, and Research & Development + Implementation. In the spirit of Locust Projects’ artist-driven mission, WaveMakers take risks outside of art museums and commercial galleries, creating innovative work that is shared with the public via process, presentation, production, or publication.

WaveMaker is made possible by the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts and is part of its Regional Regranting Program, a national network of 32 regranting partners. Founded in 2015 by the former nonprofit Cannonball, WaveMaker--along with LegalARTLink--has been administered by Locust Projects, Miami’s longest-running nonprofit alternative art space, since 2017.

Locust Art Builders (LAB): Summer Art Intensive for Teens

Now in its 14th year, LAB is a unique experience for high school students with an interest in art, design, and exploring creative careers. Only 30 students will be selected from across Miami-Dade County to learn from professional artists in a dynamic, fast-paced virtual program this summer.  They will dive right into the creative, and practical, aspects of completing a major, collaborative art project.  

Stay tuned for info about LAB 2025!

LAB:MFA 

Currently enrolled MFA students are invited to submit proposals for our Project Room as part of our LAB: MFA program. The selected artist or two-person collaborative will be provided production support, a W.A.G.E. fee for their artistic labor and be asked to host a public program related to their project. Submissions for these programs open are due in the first half of each year and no later than May. 

Talks Curator Studio Visits

Studio Visits are a unique component of the Talks series presented in partnership with Oolite Arts, offering South Florida-based artists professional development opportunities and visibility with leading national and international curators with whom you can talk about your practice and gain valuable insights. Historically, there is one deadline in the spring and a second deadline in the fall. 

Locust Projects is a W.A.G.E. (Working Artists and the Greater Economy) certified organization.