Falls Community Arts Exchange: Connecting Place, People, and Possibility
By Springboard for the Arts
Fergus Falls is a regional hub of arts and culture in West Central Minnesota, with a variety of organizations and spaces dedicated to visual arts, dance, performance, and artistic development. For the last 15 years, Springboard for the Arts’ rural headquarters in Fergus Falls has supported local artists in developing their careers, while building a national network of relationships and advocacy about the importance of the arts and artists in rural places. Springboard has brought together over 1,500 rural artists to Fergus Falls through programs like the Rural Regenerator Fellowship, the Rural Futures Summit, and more.
In partnership with organizations and businesses, the Falls Community Arts Exchange invites artists to Fergus Falls who are interested in growing their own practice in a supportive environment or completing a collaborative local project. Visiting artists reside in a beautiful one-bedroom apartment in downtown Fergus Falls, and have access to support from Springboard staff, connections to local artists and leaders, and more.
A coalition of local host partners play a key role in the Falls Exchange by sharing their own place-based processes and strategies with visiting artists, connecting artists to local community goals, and providing a supportive network for the artists to engage with local residents.
Our Project Based Exchange invites artists to live and work in Fergus Falls for 4 weeks to complete a collaborative project with a local partner. Benefits for this Exchange include:
Our DIY Exchange invites artists to visit Fergus Falls on their own timeline. Artists are invited to apply for stays ranging from 2-14 days on a rolling basis. Benefits for the DIY Exchange include:
We’re delighted to partner with the Fergus Falls Public Library, Outstate Brewing, and Victor Lundeen Company for our 2026-27 Exchange. Past Exchange Partners include Kaddatz Galleries, The Creation Shop, Otter Cove Children’s Museum, SAGA Youth, the Fergus Falls School of Dance, and Stella’s Restaurant.
Currently accepting applications for stays between December 2026-March 2027.
Are you an artist interested in experiencing Fergus Falls, Minnesota on your own timeline? Springboard also offers a DIY Exchange! This opportunity is open year-round, on a rolling basis. Registration fees are on a sliding scale starting at $50 / night, with some financial assistance available.
The Falls Community Arts Exchange is made possible by the Floyd & Harriet Miller Endowment Fund established with West Central Initiative, and by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Help Artists Thrive Donate