Call for Independent Curatorial Research Projects 2026

Jam Factory Art Center is accepting applications for the Independent Curatorial Research Competition, which aims to support original research projects in the field of contemporary Ukrainian art.

The competition aims to increase the visibility of non-institutional research initiatives, support independent curatorial and artistic practice, and promote the emergence of exhibition projects that critically rethink important issues of artistic and socio-political processes in Ukraine.

Based on the results of the competition, we will select one project, which will be presented in the form of an exhibition at the Jam Factory Art Center from June to September 2026.

The competition is focused on individual and collective non-institutional research projects that critically examine topics and issues important to the artistic, social, and political processes in Ukraine, in particular under-researched, marginalized, or forgotten phenomena, communities, names, and topics.

The call is open to:

• curators who pursue an independent practice;
• institutional curators working on an original independent research project;
• artists working on independent artistic research.

Both individual applications and proposals from collectives are accepted.

The applicant may be a person or a collective professionally connected to the Ukrainian art field, regardless of citizenship or place of residence.

The applicant and the project may not have professional contacts, cooperation, or ties with institutions, organisations, or individuals from RF.

The call is open to all candidates who meet these criteria.

Jam Factory Art Center provides financial, organizational, and communication support, which includes:

• payment of fees to curators, artists, and the core project team;
• production and technical implementation of the exhibition;
• organizational support for the exhibition and coordination by the Jam Factory Art Center team;
• communication support, including PR support and promotion of the project.

• Curatorial research projects in the field of contemporary Ukrainian art that include analytical, conceptual, and methodological work and culminate in a curatorial concept and exhibition project.
• Original research projects that critically reflect on topics, phenomena, communities, events, or processes in the field of art, including marginalised, under-researched, or forgotten themes and communities.
• Implementation of an exhibition project at the Jam Factory Art Center based on the completed research.

Key stages of the competition:

• December 8, 2025 – announcement of the competition.
• January 15, 2026 – deadline for applications.
• January 16–25, 2026 – technical selection.
• January 26 – February 8, 2026 – work of the competition commission, consultation meetings of the jury.
• February 9, 2026 – announcement of the competition results.
• February–May 2026 – preparation of the exhibition.
• May–August 2026 – opening and operation of the exhibition at the Jam Factory Art Center.
• June–September 2026 – presentation of the project in the form of an exhibition.

Prepare the application package:

• Completed application form (using the provided template).
• Completed project budget (using the provided form).
• CV of the main participants.
• Summary of the research project (up to 10,000 characters).
• Brief description of the exhibition based on the research (up to 5,000 characters), indicating its structure, concept, exhibition materials, and including links to relevant visual materials.
• Prepare all documents in PDF format in Ukrainian or English; provide visual materials as an open link to a folder in cloud storage.
• Send the complete application package by email to call@jamfactory.ua.
• The competition document templates are available at the link.

Applications are evaluated according to criteria, each with a specific weight:

1. Relevance of the topic and critical reflection (25 points):

• The extent to which the project explores issues, phenomena, and topics important to the contemporary artistic and sociopolitical context of Ukraine.
• Whether the project demonstrates a critical approach to the chosen topic.

2. Originality and innovativeness of the approach (15 points):

• Whether the project proposes new research methods, perspectives, or forms of presenting material; how it differs from existing research and practices.
• To what extent the project integrates different disciplines, methods, and practices in research and presentation of results.

3. Quality of the exhibition concept and logic of presenting research results (15 points):

• Clear exhibition structure, well-grounded concept, and thoughtful approach to presenting material.
• Whether the proposed visual materials and exhibition solutions correspond to the research topic.

4. Feasibility and financial soundness (20 points):

• Clear implementation plan for the exhibition and use of the budget.
• Whether the project can realistically be implemented within the available resources and timeframe.

5. Impact on the development of Ukrainian art and visibility of marginalised topics (10 points):

• Whether the project increases the visibility of communities, phenomena, or topics that remain under-researched.
• Whether it contributes to broadening the discussion about Ukrainian art.

6. Importance of the project for the professional development of the applicants’ curatorial practice (10 points):

• Whether the project contributes to the development of skills, competencies, and professional growth of the curators and teams implementing it.

• Completed application form.
• Completed project budget using the provided template.
• CVs of the main participants.
• Summary of the research project (up to 10,000 characters).
• Brief description of the exhibition based on the research (up to 5,000 characters) with links to relevant visual materials.
• All textual documents must be in PDF format and submitted in Ukrainian or English; visual materials are provided as an open link to a folder in cloud storage.

• All information submitted by applicants within the call is confidential.
• The organiser ensures protection of personal data in accordance with the Law of Ukraine “On Personal Data Protection” and other applicable regulations.
• The data are used solely for administering the call, evaluating applications, communicating with participants, and reporting to partners and donors.
• By submitting information, the applicant agrees to its processing for these purposes.

The decision of the selection committee regarding the results of the call is final and not subject to review, except in cases where significant procedural violations are identified that could have affected the objectivity of the evaluation.

In such cases, the applicant may submit a substantiated appeal specifying concrete facts and evidence; the appeal is considered by a separate commission appointed by the organiser, within the timeframe defined by its regulations.

All information provided by applicants is confidential; personal data are processed in accordance with Ukrainian law and are used solely for administering the call, evaluating applications, communicating with participants, and reporting to partners and donors.