Confluencias: Voices and Visions of the Arizona-Sonora Border
Call for Proposals
The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry at the University of Arizona invites community-based practitioners, artists, and creatives to submit innovative proposals aligning with Confluencenter Fronteridades’ goals. Fronteridades: Nurturing Collaborative Intersections in the U.S.-Mexico Border aims to deepen our understanding of the U.S.-Mexico border and elevate historically overlooked narratives to build a more inclusive, accurate, and just portrayal of the diverse communities living in the border.
Confluencias: Voices and Visions of the Arizona-Sonora Border is a new grant opportunity under Fronteridades inviting individuals, collectives and organizations conducting their work in the I-19 Corridor from Nogales, Sonora, and Nogales, Arizona, to Tucson, and Southern Arizona, including Douglas-Agua Prieta and tribal members from the Tohono O'odham Nation and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe to submit art and education-based projects to explore the shifting political, social, cultural, and personal landscapes of the moment. Proposals should lift the stories and amplify the voices of people living on the Arizona-Sonora border.
Examples of proposals include,
- Storytelling & Literature: Zines, poetry, or oral archives.
- Visual & Applied Arts: Murals, photo exhibits, paintings, or fashion shows.
- Digital & Printed Media: Documentaries, podcasts, or digital journalism.
- Community Engagement: Workshops, forums and artist roundtables.
Award Amount: $2,000
Project Completion Deadline: July 31, 2026.
Submission Requirements
All applicants must submit their proposal no later than March 27, 2026, at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. Your proposal must be uploaded as a PDF or Word document. Name your document using the naming convention “SubmitterLast Name_First Name_ProjectProposal2026”
The proposal should include,
- Project Title and Applicant Information
- The title of your project
- Applicant(s) full name. If the applicant is an organization or collective, please provide the name of the organization or collective and all involved in the project.
- Project Narrative (max 800 words):
- Goal(s): What are the main objectives of this project?
- Significance: Why is this project important to you and what is the intended impact on the community?
- Deliverables: Describe the final product (e.g. a mural, a series of workshops, etc.)
- Specify if this is a new project or part of an ongoing effort.
- Timeline and Budget (max 500 words):
- Provide a month-by-month list of activities between April 1 and July 31, 2026.
- Briefly explain how the $2,000 award will be used to make this project possible.
How to apply
Proposals must be submitted through the following link: https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9zDztrGjmq1vlH0
NEW DEADLINE to submit proposals is April 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM Mountain Time
Timeline
Notes
Eligibility: Individual artists and creatives, collectives and organizations whose work and practice are community-based and currently reside in and around the I-19 Corridor from Nogales, Sonora, and Nogales, Arizona, to Tucson, and Southern Arizona, including Douglas-Agua Prieta and tribal members from the Tohono O'odham Nation and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Qualified candidates in Arizona must be eligible to work in the United States. Successful candidates residing in Mexico may be required to submit and official INE ID, proof of address, and bank account to receive the award.
Selection Process: A review committee will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations to the Confluencenter Director. Applicants will be notified of the results beginning April 2026.
Award Distribution: Awards will be disbursed in TWO installments after the applicant has been notified and signed the award letter. The first installment will be disbursed upon receipt of the signed agreement, and the second installment will be deposited in May 2026. The second installment will be deposited contingent on presenting project advances to the Confluencenter.
Post-Award Commitments: Confluencenter staff will contact fund recipients on an ongoing basis for updates on outcomes. Projects may also be featured on Confluencenter communication platforms.
Acknowledgments: Award recipients should acknowledge Confluencenter’s support in any publications or presentations made possible by this award.
Important Dates
Application Due Date: April 10, 2026, at 11:59 PM Mountain Time | Award Notification Date: Beginning April 2026 |
Project Implementation Date: April through July 2026 | Final Product Due Date: July 31, 2026 |
Please contact Hiram Pena with any general application questions at hirampena@arizona.edu
ABOUT THE CONFLUENCENTER FOR CREATIVE INQUIRY
The Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry at the University of Arizona is a campus-wide research institute that unites three large and robust areas – arts, humanities, and social sciences – as a point of intersection for inquiry across all disciplines. CCI is a Consortium of Humanities Centers & Institutes member and has held a seat on its international board since 2014.
A PDF version of this call for proposals can be download here: