Exhibition Proposal Open Call 2026
Location: Singapore
Organisation: Objectifs
Application Deadline: 16 June 2026, 23:59 SGT
Exhibition Dates: January 2027 (up to 6 weeks)
Curator Honorarium: $1,000 SGD
Production Budget: Up to $8,000 SGD
Eligibility: Singaporean and Singapore Permanent Resident curators
Mentorship: Dr Adele Tan
Venue: Chapel Gallery, Objectifs
Curator Open Call invites Singapore-based curators to submit proposals for an exhibition to be realised at the Chapel Gallery, Objectifs. This is part of Objectifs’ ongoing effort to broaden perspectives by supporting curatorial research and innovative ways of presenting image-based work.
Successful Proposal Will Receive
- Curator honorarium: $1,000
- Production budget of up to $8,000
- Mentorship from programme mentor Dr Adele Tan
- Production guidance, administrative and marketing support from Objectifs
The exhibition will be presented in January 2027 at the Chapel Gallery for a period of up to six weeks. The show will coincide with Singapore Art Week 2027.
Who Can Apply?
- The main applicant must be a curator who is either a Singaporean or a Singapore Permanent Resident.
- Curators must be based in Singapore up to three months before the opening of the show and must be present for its installation and de-installation.
- Proposals from curatorial teams or collaborations with curators of other nationalities or based overseas are welcome.
- Artists may apply as curators only as part of a group show or as a curator for another artist’s work.
Selection Process
Selection will be based on the artistic and intellectual merit of each applicant’s project, and its attentiveness to Objectifs’ priorities of ensuring accessibility through clear communication and strong visual storytelling. Feasibility of presenting the exhibition in January 2027 will also be considered.
Shortlisted applicants may be contacted to refine their proposals or answer specific questions from the selection panel about their project. Successful recipients will be contacted by July 2026.
The applications will be reviewed by:
- Dr Adele Tan, Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore (Programme Mentor)
- Siddharta Perez, curator and educator, and programme mentor for 2025
- The Objectifs team
What To Consider In Your Proposal?
The proposal should feature a creative approach to curatorial research and/or respond to contemporary issues or concerns. Additional consideration will be given to proposals that engage with the exhibition history of the space, the priorities and concerns of Objectifs as reflected in its programming and mission statement, and the architecture and heritage of the site.
Priority will be given to proposals that have an audience-centric approach in their communication and programming.
Applicants should also note that:
- At least 50% of the artwork selection must be photo or film-based.
- At least 50% of proposed artists must be either Singaporean or Singapore Permanent Residents. Objectifs understands that the line-up may change during planning, but encourages curators to submit their most realistic list.
- The proposed exhibition must not have been presented before.
- The proposal must include plans for at least two public programmes. These may include artist or curator talks, panel discussions, workshops, screenings, and performances.
- Apart from the Chapel Gallery, applicants may also consider utilising outdoor spaces such as the Objectifs courtyard.
Submission Requirements
Applicants must submit the following documents in PDF format:
- A 100-word summary of the proposed project
- A detailed statement about the concept of the exhibition (maximum 500 words)
- A list of proposed artists and short bios for each
- CV of the curator or curating team
- A completed budget worksheet (download template available via the organiser)
- Work samples
Work Samples
- At least four images per artist must be submitted.
- Where the work is yet to be created, applicants should submit a short statement outlining the concept, alongside images of past work and sample images for context.
- For video or sound work, applicants should provide URL links and passwords where required.
Read about previous Curator Open Call projects via Objectifs.
About the Programme Mentor
Dr Adele Tan received her PhD in Art History from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, and is Senior Curator and Assistant Director of Curatorial Programmes at National Gallery Singapore. Her research focuses on modern and contemporary art in Southeast Asia and China. She also lectures in Art History at the National University of Singapore.
Her exhibitions include the 2023 Ng Teng Fong Roof Garden commission by Mumbai-based artist Shilpa Gupta, the solo retrospective Kim Lim: The Space Between in 2024, the revamped DBS Singapore Gallery Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art in 2025, and most recently the 2026 exhibition Passion is Volcanic: Desire in Southeast Asian Art.
She is currently preparing a major monographic survey of Thai artist Montien Boonma, opening in 2027.
