Early-Career Artist Project Grant
Supports early-career Minnesota artists to create new, original, and accessible public artworks that reflect and celebrate the state's diversity.
Funder: McKnight Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2026 (Full application deadline, Early-Career Artist Project Grant)
Funding Amounts: 2 grants of $8,000 each; supports projects completed January–November; funding covers artist payment and project costs.
Summary: Supports early-career Minnesota artists to create new, original public artworks that are free and accessible to the community and reflect the diversity of the state.
Key Information: Site permission must be secured before applying; project must be artist-initiated and not a commission.
Description
This opportunity funds early-career artists based in Minnesota to create temporary or permanent public artworks in any medium—including murals, sculpture, performance, storytelling, sound, or light projects. The grant prioritizes projects that are free and accessible to all, amplify underrepresented voices, and reflect Minnesota’s racial, cultural, and geographic diversity. Projects must be artist-initiated (not commissions), benefit a defined community, and support the artist’s professional development and public art practice.
