Applications open for Flechada 2026 and FLAD Drawing Award 2026

agenda

DATE

20 Apr 2026

AUTHOR

Umbigo

Applications open for Flechada 2026 and FLAD Drawing Award 2026

AUTHOR

Umbigo

FLAD – Luso-American Foundation for Development reaffirms its commitment to supporting contemporary artistic creation in Portugal with the opening of two new calls for applications: the Flechada programme – Support for First Solo Exhibitions and the 2026 FLAD Drawing Award. Aimed at different stages of an artist’s career, these opportunities seek, on the one hand, to encourage emerging artists to enter the professional circuit and, on the other, to recognise and promote established work in the field of drawing.

The Flechada – Support for First Solo Exhibitions program returns with the aim of helping emerging artists to realise their first solo exhibition. Up to six grants, worth a maximum of €5,000, will be awarded to artists aged between 24 and 31 who have not yet held a solo exhibition. In addition to financial support, the initiative aims to facilitate entry into the professional contemporary art circuit by fostering contact with other cultural organisations. In partnership with ÁGORA – Culture and Sport of Porto, the programme guarantees that one of the selected exhibitions will be presented at the Porto Municipal Gallery in the first quarter of 2027.

Applications for Flechada are open until 30 April 2026 and must include a set of essential documents, namely a portfolio, a letter of motivation, an exhibition proposal, a curriculum vitae and a statement from an exhibition venue confirming its availability to host the project. In the case of the scholarship associated with the Galeria Municipal do Porto, candidates must also present documentation proving residence, work or study in the Municipality of Porto. Further information on the application process is available here.

In addition, the FLAD Drawing Prize 2026, for which applications are open until 14 May, is aimed at artists at a more advanced stage of their careers, recognising excellence in the field of contemporary drawing in Portugal. With a main prize of €20,000, this initiative has established itself as one of the most significant national awards in this field, having already recognised the work of artists such as Pedro Tropa, Maria Capelo, Carla Filipe, Rosa Baptista and Pedro Vaz. Artists aged 30 or over, whether of Portuguese nationality or foreigners resident in Portugal for more than five years, are eligible to apply for the prize.

The competition takes place in two distinct stages. In the first stage, a jury comprising figures of recognised merit in the art world will select up to five finalists, with the decision to be announced by 25 June 2026. These artists will have the opportunity to present their work in an exhibition as part of Drawing Room Lisboa 2026, each receiving a production grant worth 2,000 euros.

The second phase culminates in the selection of the winner, who will be announced on 24 October during the fair itself, which takes place between 22 and 25 October at the Sociedade Nacional de Belas-Artes in Lisbon. During this process, the jury may also request visits to the finalists’ studios to further assess their artistic practices. Further information is available on the FLAD website.

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