ESO is pleased to announce that it will issue a call for proposals for ALMA development studies for ALMA upgrades in the course of the month of May, with an expected deadline at the end of August. This call will only be open to ESO member state institutes. Full details of the call will be announced in the May ARC newsletter. ESO will organize an information day on Tuesday 27 May 2025 (in-person registration deadline: 15 May 2025). 

ALMA Cycle 12 Call for Proposals for scientific observations is now OPEN! 

ALMA Cycle 12 is currently scheduled for observations from October 2025 to September 2026. Users of any nationality or affiliation are invited to submit proposals before the deadline of 15:00 UT on Thursday 24 April 2025.

The European ALMA Regional Centre (ARC) network is organizing virtual and in-person proposal preparation events related to the Cycle 12 Call for Proposals across Europe.  A complete overview of the activities and information about participating can be found here. 

The Czech ALMA Regional Centre node is organising a workshop aimed to prepare the local communities for the upcoming ALMA Cycle 12. The focus will be on the preparation of observations, capabilities of ALMA in Cycle 12, important observation parameters, examples of observing proposals, work with the Observing Tool application for the preparation and submission of proposals, etc.

ALMA is exploring key upgrades to enhance its sensitivity, resolution, and imaging capabilities, focusing on transformative advancements that will unlock its full scientific potential. As part of an ongoing ESO ALMA development study aimed at advancing ALMA's capabilities, the community workshop "Unlocking ALMA's Potential with Focal Plane Arrays" will take place on September 2 - 4, 2025, at MPIfR, Bonn.This event will explore the scientific drivers and technological innovations behind focal plane arrays (FPAs) - a breakthrough that could significantly expand ALMA's field of view and mapping speed

In preparation for the ALMA Cycle 12 proposal deadline on 24th April 2025, the Italian node of the European ALMA Regional Centre (ARC) is organising a community meeting (in person and online) on Friday 4th April 2025. This meeting is to inform all potential users of new capabilities and the most important changes concerning the proposal preparation and the available tools.

Allegro offers support for ALMA users preparing proposals for Cycle 12. Users can request support via e-mail (alma@strw.leidenuniv.nl) at any time. Turn around time for answers will be especially fast during the Allegro proposal-preparation office hours, from 15:00-17:00 on April 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 and 24; outside these hours, we aim to answer your questions within 1 working day.

The next Call for Proposals for observing time with ALMA (Cycle 12) is anticipated to be issued on 20 March 2025, with a deadline on 25 April 2025. As a focal point during the proposal preparation period, the German ARC node cordially invites its community to gather for the German ALMA Community Day 2025 at the Argelander-Institut für Astronomie in Bonn on Friday, 4 April 2025.