Mid-Career Grants - McKnight Foundation
Mid-Career Grants support Minnesota artists with new public artwork and professional development activities that advance their public art careers and bring meaningful benefits to communities.
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Funder: McKnight Foundation
Due Dates: August 13, 2026 (Applications open) | October 18, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. CDT (Application deadline) | November 30, 2027 (Final reports)
Funding Amounts: Project Grants: five $10,000 awards; Professional Development Grants: two $5,000 awards; January 1–November 30, 2027
Summary: Supports Minnesota-based mid-career artists creating new public artwork or pursuing activities that advance their public art careers.
Key Information: Applicants must have at least ten years of creating and exhibiting their own work and meet Minnesota residency requirements.
Description
Funded by the McKnight Foundation and administered by Forecast Public Art, Mid-Career Grants support artist-initiated public art and related activities that may be difficult to fund through other means. Artists bring their own ideas rather than responding to a predetermined site, theme, or commission. Project Grants fund new, publicly accessible temporary or permanent artwork in Minnesota, while Professional Development Grants support project ideas and activities that advance an artist’s public art career.
The program encourages innovation, expanded skills and recognition, leadership, risk-taking, multidisciplinary approaches, and collaborative problem-solving. Artists and culture bearers across disciplines and media are encouraged to apply. Public art can include installations, performances, murals, sculpture, sound works, storytelling, gatherings, and social practice. Community benefit is central, including civic engagement, meaningful collaboration, enjoyment, beautification, or meeting a community need.
