Billboard Project Residency
Location: MN — East Central (Hinckley)
Type: Residency
Categories:
Design
Deadline: 06/08/2025
Competition / prize
No entry fee required
Open to artists nationally
Paid opportunity ($2,000)
Franconia’s Billboard Project returns in 2025! Now with a real billboard on the way to Franconia in addition to the Franconia site seen by 12,000 vehicles daily, this project continues elevating visibility for underrepresented voices in our rural communities.
Part of carrying forward this tradition, current billboard artist Thomasina Topbear will be engaged in awarding and mentoring the selected artist. Thomasina is a member of Few and Far, a national collective of women-identifying mural artists from Indigenous, Black, and other marginalized communities. Both Thomasina and Few and Far will be engaged in the 2025 project, helping support the artist and connect with communities across our rural region.
Because of the support for the 2025 Billboard Artist program, we are encouraging folks as young as 18 years old to apply, with no prior Billboard or significant graphic design experience necessary. Applicants should center an important message rooted in a unique personal perspective, appropriate to share with hundreds of thousands of people.
Applicants for the Billboard Project should expect to deliver a completed design by mid-August, so that it may be printed and installed in advance of the September 20 Symposium. While the residency period is ultimately flexible, we anticipate that the selected artist will live on-site for approximately two weeks during summer 2025, during which time they have access to Franconia’s technology, staff expertise, and artist support. The selected artist will receive a $2000 award stipend, with installation and production support covered by Franconia.