Call for Artists: New Wave and The Bunker Artspace Curatorial Residency

New Wave

New Wave and The Bunker Artspace launch curatorial residency offering unique access to the collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody.

The nonprofit New Wave Art Residency has formally partnered with The Bunker Artspace to offer a yearlong program, both virtual and in person, for emerging and independent curators. Applications opened August 12, 2026. The selected curator will be announced in fall 2026.

Applications open August 12, 2026, and close September 30, 2026. The selected curator will be announced publicly in December 2026, with their exhibition opening at The Bunker Artspace in December 2027.

The residency was conceived to provide access, open new pathways, and offer meaningful professional development to aspiring curators who might not otherwise have the opportunity to work with a dynamic contemporary art collection of this nature. Structured across remote and in-person phases, the program pairs sustained engagement with Beth Rudin DeWoody’s collection and curatorial team with mentorship from leading figures in the field, a $5,000 stipend, and housing during the on-site residency period in West Palm Beach.

“We’ve always valued supporting emerging artists and galleries and extending that support to emerging and independent curators felt like a natural next step. I love seeing different perspectives on my collection. I’m excited to give the resident the chance to spend time with the work and make their own discoveries. Who knows what will inspire them,” said Beth Rudin DeWoody.

“The idea for a curatorial residency at The Bunker Artspace came from wanting to create an opportunity that is still relatively rare in the field. There are few curatorial residencies, and even fewer that give curators the chance to spend real time with a private collection of this size and breadth. The Bunker is an incredible environment and resource for research and discovery, and I’ve always felt compelled to share it,” said Laura Dvorkin, co-curator of The Bunker Artspace.

“We are all quite excited to open the collection and welcome a young independent budding curator into the DeWoody collection archives to freely imagine and curatorially create an exhibition of their conceptual desire,” said Maynard Monrow, artist and co-curator of The Bunker Artspace.

“Since New Wave’s founding in 2017, we’ve taken care to align opportunity and resource for artists who may not have been exposed to the dynamic community here in Palm Beach County. The curatorial residency is a natural outgrowth of this continued commitment to opening doors for the next generation of artistic voices,” said Sarah Gavlak, founder of New Wave.

Eligibility and How to Apply

The residency is open to independent and emerging curators based in the United States with 2–7 years of curatorial experience, working without full-time employment or an exclusive contract with a gallery or museum. Applicants must demonstrate a record of at least two curated exhibitions. Co-curated projects are welcome, with the applicant’s role specified.

Applicants must also be available for the full in-person residency period in West Palm Beach in September 2027, as well as the December 2027 exhibition opening.

Applications opened August 12, 2026, and close September 30, 2026.

View the application >

About The Bunker Artspace: Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody

The Bunker Artspace opened in December 2017 as a private art space in West Palm Beach, Florida, presenting rotating exhibitions drawn from the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection. Housed in a 1920s Art Deco building once used as a toy factory and, during World War II, a munitions armory, The Bunker showcases a vast range of contemporary art, iconic furniture, and other curiosities and is open to the public by online reservation as well as by invitation and private tour.

Through DeWoody’s passion, vision, and continued support of emerging artists and galleries, she has redefined the boundaries of collecting, championing overlooked and early-career artists alongside leading contemporary figures. DeWoody and co-curators Laura Dvorkin and Maynard Monrow assemble the collection’s exhibitions with an eye toward a fuller view of contemporary art beyond “the greatest hits.”

About New Wave

Founded in 2018 by gallerist Sarah Gavlak, New Wave engages and inspires the Palm Beach communities and the world through thought-provoking programming and an art residency that supports emerging and underrepresented artists.

New Wave champions diversity and aims to provide opportunities for marginalized communities to have a strong voice and representation in the art world. In its eight-year history, New Wave has provided more than $115,000 in stipends to 23 artists through its residency program, offering an apartment and studio space in West Palm Beach for six weeks alongside an unrestricted grant of $5,000 per artist.

This year, the organization will expand its program to include a Curatorial Residency in partnership with The Bunker Artspace and solidify the prominence of its premier New Wave Art Wknd program on the spring season calendar, allowing for deeper, more dedicated engagement with the local community.

Media Contact

Ellie Hayworth Murray
Director, New Wave
[email protected]