Call for Artists: Minnesota State Capitol 3rd Floor Gallery Art Exhibitions
The Capitol Art Exhibit Advisory Committee (CAEAC)
The Capitol Art Exhibit Advisory Committee (CAEAC) is issuing a Call for Proposals for art exhibitions in the 3rd Floor Exhibit Gallery of the Minnesota State Capitol. This Call for Proposals applies to the 2028 calendar year; three exhibitions will be selected. See CAEAC Call for Proposals Notice of 2028 Call for Proposals Series for more information.
Application Overview: Applicants who apply for the 2028 Call for Proposal series will follow a 2-Step process:
- Step 1: Applicants respond to preliminary questions regarding their exhibit proposal; they are asked to provide sample images of their work. The CAEAC will review all Step 1 applications and narrow the selection (based on the provided scoring criteria); applicants who move forward will be invited to participate in Step 2.
- Step 2: Invited applicants are asked to provide additional details regarding their exhibit proposal, as well as images of all exhibit didactics. Additional exhibit details may be requested by the CAEAC, or by administrative support as a part of the review process. The Minnesota Capitol Preservation Commission (CPC) will have final determination of recommended exhibitions; the final selection will be announced by January 2027.
Timeline:
- May 1 – June 15, 2026: Applications accepted for the 2028 Call for Proposal series
- By Aug. 10, 2026: Select applicants are invited to apply for Step 2 in the 2028 Call for Proposal series
- Sept. 14, 2026: Step 2 applications are due for the 2028 Call for Proposal series
- By January 2027: Finalists are announced for the 2028 Call for Proposal series
Q&A Sessions: Please join a question and answer session to hear more about the opportunity to exhibit your art at the Capitol. There will be two identical information sessions facilitated by the committee’s chair and vice chair, held virtually via Zoom. Bring your questions, or join to listen.
Requirements for Proposed Exhibitions:
- Exhibits must comply with (at least) one of the criteria outlined in Minnesota Statues 15B.36―that art exhibits should tell Minnesota stories and engage people to:
- reflect on Minnesota history;
- understand Minnesota government;
- recognize the contributions of Minnesota’s diverse peoples;
- inspire citizen engagement; and
- appreciate the varied landscapes of Minnesota.
- Proposals will be evaluated based on the depth by which the art addresses these requirements and the provided scoring criteria.
Who May Apply:
- Applications may be accepted from individuals, organizations, or culture bearers. The applicants, or person coordinating the exhibit for an organization, must be 18 years of age (or older) to apply.
Scope:
- Proposed exhibitions may present in a variety of visual art mediums, primarily 2-dimensional with a limited capability for 3-dimensional works (or other forms) that can be reasonably and appropriately accommodated in the available spaces and are consistent with artistic themes laid out in Minnesota Statutes 15B.36.
- Exhibitions will be installed on the walls of the 3rd Floor Exhibit Gallery (predominantly by picture rail); a limited number of display cases are available for accompanying 3-dimensional work. Gallery dimensions and elevations are published on the Capitol Art Exhibit Advisory Committee’s website.
- All selected exhibitions will include a catered reception, marketing materials (including labels), and promotion through event listings and social media.
Other Considerations:
- Exhibitions must be available, as proposed and installation-ready, during the 2028 calendar year for this Call for Proposal series.
- The 3rd Floor Exhibit Gallery falls within the Minnesota State Capitol’s policy on solicitation whereas your art may not be for sale in the gallery. While you may not offer art for sale or solicit donations, you may leave a guest book or your contact information (business cards, “contact the artist” list, etc.).
- Exhibitors will bear the cost of transporting their work and will not be compensated for the use of the work; neither transportation or installation should cause harm or damage to the property. Department of Administration staff will install all artwork. The artist or curator can provide input in collaboration with the Minnesota Historical Society, which supports the CAEAC.
- The exhibition should be sufficiently sized to fit the 3rd Floor Exhibit Gallery space. As an example for scale of the gallery dimensions, for an exhibition that consists of framed works 24-inch in width, approximately 30 framed works can be comfortably accommodated. Various sizes and installation designs may be considered.
How to Apply:
- Complete the 2028 Call for Proposal Application form (username: capitol.art@mnhs.org, password: Minn?sota2028?). Within the application form, you will be asked to submit 5-10 representative images of the artwork that you propose to exhibit (.jpg format up to 10 MB in size). Each image should be labeled with your name (Last_First), and the image number. Example: Frida Kahlo’s images would be labeled: Kahlo_Frida_01, Kahlo_Frida_02, and so on. Hard copy forms and electronic (or hard copy) images may be submitted via mail, or delivered in-person to:
- Minnesota History Center, attn: Lindsey Rulon-Miller, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55102
Evaluation of Proposed Exhibitions
- Submissions will be reviewed by the Minnesota Capitol Art Exhibit Advisory Committee in an open, public meeting and evaluated based on the 2028 Call for Proposals Scoring Guide. Artists/organizations that have submitted proposals will be able to observe, but not participate, in the review meeting. Based on the review, the committee will develop a list of exhibitions to recommend to the Minnesota Capitol Preservation Commission. The committee will work to develop a balanced list that addresses the five themes for artwork that are outlined in Minnesota Statutes; includes work from different disciplines, mediums, or genres; and includes a variety of artistic voices. The Minnesota Capitol Preservation Commission has the final say on which exhibitions are displayed in the Minnesota State Capitol.
To be considered for the 2028 Call for Proposal series, completed submissions (form and images) must be received by midnight on Monday, June 15, 2026. Questions about the application process can be directed to Lindsey Rulon-Miller (Capitol & MNHS Sites Art Program Specialist, Minnesota Historical Society) at lindsey.rulon-miller@mnhs.org
