The McKnight Artist Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding beyond emerging Minnesota artists in 15 different creative disciplines. The goal of the McKnight Fellowship for Book Artists program is to identify talented Minnesota based book artists whose work is of exceptional artistic merit and who are at a career stage that is beyond emerging. The fellowship program supports two established artists per year by providing significant financial assistance, creating opportunities to meet with local and national art professionals, organizing a panel featuring the fellows and invited critics, and working with the fellows to create an individualized professional development plan.
The MCBA-administered fellowship program utilizes an independent jury of three arts professionals to competitively award two fellowships. The fellowships run for one year, from August 2026–July 2027 and includes:
● $25,000 (unrestricted) Fellowship funding to allow artists to set aside time for study, reflection, opportunities, new projects, experimentation, and exploration.
● Two virtual and one in person studio visits with a selected art critic/curator/arts professional.
● $1,000 travel stipend to attend a book arts conference such as CODEX, College Book Art Association (CBAA), New York Art Book Fair, etc.
● Opportunity to participate in a public panel discussion with selected national artist or critic/curator in the field to develop a dialogue related to their art practice.
● $1,000 educational stipend for MCBA workshops or tutorials.
● Two years of 24/7 studio access to MCBA’s letterpress, screenprinting, papermaking, and bookbinding studios and equipment.
● Opportunity to attend an artist residency with stipend following the fellowship year.
● Group exhibition in MCBA’s Main Gallery.
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