The DC NTX Graduate Student Program facilitates connections between an internationally renowned curator and North Texas MFA students in their final year of graduate work, resulting in an exhibition at Dallas Contemporary. It aims to advance the early careers of emerging regional artists and foster healthy interactions and connections between students, institutions, and art professionals.

The inauguration of the NTX Graduate Student Program is facilitated by Matthew Higgs, Director and Chief Curator of White Columns in New York. Higgs named "Open University" after the innovative British educational institution, The Open University, which was founded in the late 1960s to create wider access to higher education.

Exhibiting artists include: Courtney Broussard (UNT), Christina Childress (UTA), Lisa Clayton (UTA), Taylor Cleveland (SMU), Pablo Cruz (UNT), Veronica Ibargüengoitia Tena (UTA), Austin Lewis (TCU), Katherine Pinkham (TWU), Abigail Rainey (TWU), Elijah Ruhala (TCU), Narong Tintamusik (UNT), Sharmeen Uqaili (SMU), and Vajihe Zamaniderkani (UTD).