The McKnight Foundation’s Arts program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. Established in 1981, the McKnight Artist Fellowships provide annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in fourteen areas. Thirteen arts organizations oversee the administration of the fellowships and structure their own program to respond to the unique challenges of different creative disciplines: book artists, ceramic artists, choreographers, composers, community – engaged practice artists, culture bearers, dancers, fiber artists, media artists, performing musicians, playwrights, printmakers, theater arts, visual arts, and writers; administered respectively by the Minnesota Center for Books, Northern Clay Center, The Cowles Center, American Composers Forum, Pillsbury House Theatre, Indigenous Roots, Textile Center, FILMN°RTH, MacPhail Center for Music, The Playwrights’ Center, Highpoint Center for Printmaking, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and The Loft.

The American Composers Forum encourages applicants from the full range of musical approaches and perspectives, and is committed to supporting a diverse pool of artists who demonstrate compelling artistic work. Accordingly, awards for our programs will represent, as far as possible, artists and projects that are diverse in creative methodology, gender, race, ethnicity, and geography.

The intent of the McKnight Fellowship is to recognize and support Minnesota artists and culture bearers who are beyond early practice, have sustained experience in their discipline, and demonstrate exceptional accomplishment.

Awards
-Four fellowships of $25,000 in unrestricted funds will be awarded. Awards are subject to state and federal income tax guidelines.
-Fellows also have an opportunity to attend an artist residency program coordinated by the Artist Communities Alliance within two years of the fellowship program.
-Consultation, time, and resources from ACF.
-Consultation, time, and resources from Springboard for the Arts