Artist Equity Grants
Artist Equity Grants support historically marginalized artists’ creative work, research, mentoring, and professional development to build skills, advance careers, and expand audiences in southwest Minnesota.
Funder: Southwest Minnesota Arts Council
Due Dates: September 2, 2026 (Round 1 draft review) | September 16, 2026 (Round 1 application) | March 3, 2027 (Round 2 draft review) | March 17, 2027 (Round 2 application)
Funding Amounts: Up to $4,000 per artist; projects must conclude by June 30, 2028
Summary: Supports eligible individual artists’ projects that develop artistic skills and careers, expand audiences, and strengthen their ability to work in southwest Minnesota.
Key Information: Applicants must have lived in the SMAC service region for at least six months and remain residents throughout the contract.
Description
The Southwest Minnesota Arts Council (SMAC) offers Artist Equity Grants to artists at any career stage who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color; LGBTQIA2S+; people with disabilities; or veterans. All arts disciplines are accepted. The program seeks to close access gaps for historically marginalized and underserved artists, support artists in writing their own narratives, and increase their ability to live and work in southwest Minnesota.
Supported activities include creating work, research, mentoring, professional-development workshops or conferences, and audience development. Eligible costs can include supplies and project-related equipment, compensated working time or childcare, studio or presentation-space rental, websites and portfolios, framing, recording, and publishing-related editing. One recipient, Daniel Jimenez of Madison, Minnesota, received support to create “Raíces y Ritmos: A Cross-Cultural Jazz Album.”
