McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists
McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists support Minnesota midcareer and later fiber artists with unrestricted awards and professional development to strengthen creative practice and economic stability.
Funder: McKnight Foundation
Due Dates: December 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. CST (Application) | October 13, 2026 (Zoom information session) | October 29, 2026 (In-person information session) | November 11, 2026 (Zoom information session) | December 1, 2026 (Final Zoom Q&A) | December 3, 2026 (Last individual consultation appointments)
Funding Amounts: Two $25,000 unrestricted fellowships annually, plus $1,500 professional development support per fellow; March 1, 2027–February 28, 2028
Summary: Supports Minnesota midcareer and later fiber artists through unrestricted awards recognizing an exceptional, sustained body of work.
Key Information: Applicants may apply to only one McKnight Artist Fellowship across all disciplines for the 2027 fellowship year.
Description
Funded by the McKnight Foundation’s Arts & Culture Program and administered by Textile Center, these fellowships recognize Minnesota fiber and textile artists whose practices are clearly beyond emerging. Awards honor an existing body of work, rather than a proposed project, and support creative development, economic stability, and productive capacity. Artists must demonstrate exceptional artistic and cultural merit, sustained investigation, and long-term commitment to fiber art and Minnesota’s arts ecosystem.
The program embraces work grounded in textile and fiber materials, processes, histories, traditions, and sensibilities throughout its conception, execution, and resolution. Alongside unrestricted funding, fellows receive artistic and professional development opportunities and support to exhibit and share their work. Equity, diversity, and inclusion inform the program and jury process; artists with diverse cultural perspectives and lived experiences are encouraged to apply.
