Credit: Matthew Ball

⭐ 1. Innovate UK: Creative Catalyst 2026 🏛️ Programme Hub — The official Innovate UK Business Connect page where new 2026 round details will be posted: 🚀 https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/programme/creative-catalyst/ 📋 UKRI Creative Catalyst Overview — Background on the £30M programme, eligibility and scope: 🚀 https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/browse-our-areas-of-investment-and-support/creative-catalyst/ ⭐ 2. UKRI / AHRC: CoSTAR Labs Project Funding 🎬 CoSTAR Programme Overview — Full details on the £75.6M immersive and screen-tech R&D investment: 🚀 https://www.costarnetwork.co.uk/funding-and-support 🔍 UKRI Funding Finder — Live search tool where all new CoSTAR calls will appear; filter by CoSTAR or AHRC: 🚀 https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/ ⭐ 3. AHRC: Creative Economy Innovation Grants 🎭 AHRC Funding Overview — Full scope of AHRC's creative economy investment areas and priorities: 🚀 https://www.ukri.org/publications/ahrc-research-funding-guide/ahrc-research-funding-guide-for-applicants/ ⭐ 4. Innovate UK Innovation Loans – Round 25 💷 Innovation Loans Overview — Official UKRI page explaining loan structure, eligibility and how to apply: 🚀 https://www.ukri.org/councils/innovate-uk/guidance-for-applicants/guidance-for-specific-funds/innovation-loans/ 📄 Round 25 Details (Novigo Grants) — Third-party breakdown of Round 25 key dates, amounts (up to £5M) and criteria: 🚀 https://novigogrants.co.uk/innovate-uk-innovation-loan-round-25/

🏢 Organiser: AWE USA 2026 (Augmented World Expo) — in partnership with INVR.SPACE 🌍 Location: AWE Expo, Santa Clara, CA, USA — June 15–18, 2026 💻 Type: Art Festival Submission / Open Call 💸 Award: Complimentary 4-Day Artist Pass + Up to $500 Travel Stipend (if selected) — or discounted $199 Artist Pass (if not selected) 🚀 Apply: Submit at - awexr.com/art-festival 📅 Deadline: April 4, 2026 ⚠️ Work must have been completed between April 1, 2025 and April 1, 2026 — older work is ineligible 🛠️ Eligibility and Requirements: - Original narrative live action or animation XR content — with or without interactivity — mandatory - Work completed between April 1, 2025 and April 1, 2026 — mandatory date range - All XR immersive formats accepted: VR (autonomous headset or single-computer powered) and AR - Must be available to experience in person at AWE Expo June 15–18 — remote hosting of your work by AWE is possible if you cannot attend - Complex or expensive installations accepted if producers agree to cover and manage on-site setup costs - Narrative focus required — general tech demos or non-narrative interactive pieces are less likely to qualify 🏆 What Selected Artists Receive: Official Selection status and badge — featured across AWE global social channels Complimentary full 4-day all-access Artist Pass to AWE USA 2026 (June 15–18) Dedicated XR exhibition station in the AWE Expo hall — AWE loads and hosts your work Travel stipend eligibility: up to $500 USD Speaking slot on the AWE Expo stage to present your project and creative process Even if not selected — heavily discounted $199 Artist Pass available to all applicants 👩‍⚖️ Judges: Jacki Morie — Founder & Chief Scientist, All These Worlds Lori H. Schwartz — CEO, StoryTech Sönke Kirchhof — CEO, INVR.SPACE 💡 Stand Out By: AWE is the world's largest XR industry event — the Art Festival sits at the centre of the Expo floor with direct access to thousands of XR industry professionals, developers, and media over four days. Narrative-driven work with emotional or experiential depth consistently resonates with festival juries — lead with the human story inside your XR piece, not the technology stack. Even if your work is not selected, the $199 discounted Artist Pass is a significant networking opportunity given AWE's global industry footprint.

🏢 Organiser: Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) 🌍 Eligibility: Open to individual artists and collectives located anywhere in the world 💻 Type: Project Grant — 2-year duration 💸 Award: Up to $50,000 USD per project (artist fees + direct costs including materials) + in-kind support 📅 Deadline: April 22, 2026 — 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time 🚀 Apply: https://lacma.submittable.com/submit/348727/2026-art-technology-lab-grants ⚠️ Prior technological expertise is NOT required — artistic vision and experimental approach are the primary criteria 🛠️ What the Grant Offers - Up to $50,000 USD per project — covers artist fees and direct production costs including materials - In-kind support: mentorship, coaching, advice, and access to technologies in development at partner organisations - Technology partners include: Hyundai Motor, Snap Inc., Anthropic, MIT Media Lab Space Exploration Initiative, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory - 3–5 artists or collectives selected per biennial cohort — plus up to 2 invitational projects - 2-year grant duration with a biennial Symposium progress event beginning 2027 — featuring artist demonstrations, performances, talks, and presentations 💡 Stand Out By: LACMA's Art + Technology Lab is a "safe-to-fail" rapid prototyping environment — the finished artwork is deliberately deemphasised in favour of bold experimental process. Since its 2013 relaunch, the Lab has supported 45 artist projects and 121+ public programs globally. Past grant recipients have explored AI, deep-sea mining, neutrino astronomy, mycelium networks, and Mars rover revival — the range is intentionally vast. Lead with the conceptual urgency and technological curiosity of your proposal, not just production credentials. Artists who have never worked with technology before are explicitly welcomed. 🚩 Watch For: Deadline is April 22, 2026 — less than 4 weeks away; begin your application immediately. Grant duration is 2 years with institutional engagement expected — confirm your availability and capacity for the full program timeline including the 2027 Symposium participation. Cohort size is small (3–5 recipients) from a historically competitive open call — over 600 proposals were received in the 2022 cycle alone.

🔴 Urgent — Closing Soon 📢 MIT Worlding 2026 📅 Deadline: Mar 18, 2026 (Extended) 📌 About: XR + climate storytelling + community design intensive — interdisciplinary teams welcome📍 Location: Virtual / MIT Media Lab 👉 cocreationstudio.mit.edu 📢 RAY Fellowship 2026–2028 📅 Deadline: Mar 27, 2026 📌 About: 2-year paid conservation & clean energy fellowship for recent US college grads 📍 Location: USA 👉 rayfellowship.org/apply 📢 ChangemakerXchange — Changemakers for Youth 2026 📅 Deadline: Mar 29, 2026 📌 About: Seed-funded social entrepreneurship programme for young changemakers aged 18–35 📍 Location: MENA + Europe (Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Switzerland, Tunisia) 👉 opportunitiesforafricans.com 🟠 April Deadlines 📢 AWE 2026 — Call for Research Posters 📅 Deadline: Mar 31, 2026 📌 About: XR/AI research showcase on the AWE expo floor — demos prioritised, lightning talks possible 📍 Location: Long Beach, CA, USA (Jun 15–18) 👉 awexr.com/call-for-posters 📢 HTW Berlin – IUNO AI + XR Artistic Fellowship 📅 Deadline: Mar 31, 2026 📌 About: EU-funded artistic fellowship for Berlin-based artists merging AI and XR (May 2026 – Jan 2027) 📍 Location: Berlin, Germany 👉 iuno.fki.htw-berlin.de 📢 Creative Capital Award 📅 Deadline: Apr 2, 2026 (3PM ET) 📌 About: Unrestricted grant of $15K–$50K for US-based artists with 5+ years of practice 📍 Location: USA only 👉 creative-capital.org 📢 AWE Art Festival 2026 — Call for XR Art 📅 Deadline: Apr 4, 2026 📌 About: Submit immersive/narrative XR art for exhibition at AWE USA — travel stipend possible 📍 Location: Long Beach, CA, USA (Global submissions welcome) 👉 awexr.com/art-festival 🟡 Mid-Year Deadlines 📢 ACM SIGGRAPH 2026 — Appy Hour 📅 Deadline: Apr 21, 2026 📌 About: Showcase experimental XR and creative tech apps pushing beyond the screen