Open Call: Nguyen Wahed Gallery Residency (Winter/Spring 2026)

1 January - 31 August 2026 
Overview
Open a larger version of the following image in a popup: Open Call: Nguyen Wahed Gallery Residency (Winter/Spring 2026)

Nguyen Wahed Gallery is thrilled to announce our inaugural Artist Residency Program, offering a free studio space with 24/7 access in our gallery’s lower ground space (details and images attached). This initiative invites artists, cultural practitioners, and educators across all disciplines to develop new projects that engage thoughtfully with the space and contribute to the artistic and intellectual vitality of New York City’s creative community.

 

The residency period spans 1 month and concludes with either a solo presentation, pop-up exhibition, or open studio event hosted in the gallery’s main exhibition space or in the lower ground studio itself.

 

We encourage proposals that explore experimental, site-responsive, or process-based practices — works that may not fit easily within traditional commercial frameworks but expand the field of artistic inquiry.

Studio & Support

 

  • Studio: 24/7 access to a dedicated studio space in the lower ground gallery (approximately 390 sq ft). No guests are allowed after 9 PM.

  • Duration: 1 month.

  • Presentation: Solo or group presentation / open studio event at the end of the residency in 2026.

  • Community: Opportunities to connect with local artists, curators, art critics and audiences through gallery events and public programs.

 

Eligibility

 

  • Open to professional working artists, educators, and cultural practitioners of all disciplines.

  • Applicants may be based in New York City or internationally, but please note that housing is not provided.

  • Residents may not live or stay overnight in the studio.

We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented artists, and from those whose practices engage with experimental, interdisciplinary, or socially engaged approaches.

 

Selection Process

 

  • 15 semi-finalists will be shortlisted based on artistic merit and proposal strength.

  • From these, 8 finalists will be invited for Zoom studio visits.

  • 4 resident artist will be selected for the Winter/Spring 2026 cycle.

 

Submission Details

 

  • Application fee: $35 (non-refundable, supports the gallery’s artist-run programming).

  • Portfolio: Up to 5 works (JPGs or combination of JPGs and MP4s).

  • JPGs: minimum 2000 pixels on the longest side.

  • Video: MP4 format (max 3 minutes per clip). You may also include embedded YouTube or Vimeo links with timestamps.

  • Websites

  • Include title, medium, dimensions, and year for each work.

  • Submit proposals by 11:59 PM EST, December 31, 2025.

  • Finalists will be notified in January 2026. Residency will begin in mid-January.

 

Evaluation Criteria

 

  • Artistic merit and conceptual clarity.

  • How the proposed project engages with the unique qualities of the basement studio or the broader NYC context.

  • Feasibility of the proposal within the residency timeframe and space.

  • Potential to contribute to community dialogue and artistic discourse.

 

To Apply

 

Submit your materials and proposal via https://pj4hau53wpl.typeform.com/to/zOCB3YVS


For questions or fee waiver requests, contact hello@nguyenwahedgallery.com or linh@nguyenwahedgallery.com