The Artadia Awards only happen biannually and have grown into an important national arts organization that gives visual artists not only cash rewards for their artistic endeavors, but the opportunity to work side by side with renowned curators. This year's winners will exhibit at Texas Contemporary Art Fair.

The Artadia Award application deadlines have been announced as September 24 at 11:59 p.m. (CST).

Artadia has a residency program in New York and will send the awardees from Houston to New York for a three-month residency at the International Studio and Curatorial Program in Brooklyn. This is an incredible opportunity for the chosen artists to have their work seen in one of the hottest arts cities in the world. The National Endowment for the Arts sponsors this program.

There's also an Exhibitions Exchange program that allows awardees to hold exhibitions in another state currently receiving Artadia awards. Participating cities include San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Boston and Houston.

2010 Houston awardees J. Hill and Jeff Shore and Jon Fisher were part of the third installment of the Exhibitions Exchange program and brought some Texas spice to Chicago's South Side with Messin' with Texas.

Artadia is now accepting applications online from all visual artists living and working in Harris County. Individual artists and collaboratives working in all media and at any point in their career are invited to apply.

The winners of the Artadia Award will be split into two categories; two artists will receive $15,000 and five artists receive $3,000. Awardees will work side by side with curators at each of the exhibitions.

Direct any questions to [email protected]. They will answer questions as soon as possible. Or visit the website www.artadia.org Click here for the online application.