Since 2013, Springboard for the Arts has hosted more than 1500 rural arts practitioners from across the country to share learning and build solidarity around artist-led rural community development.
Rural Futures Summit 2024
The 2024 Rural Futures Summit will take place in Fergus Falls from Wednesday, June 12 through Friday, June 14. Download the 2024 Rural Futures Summit Guidebook to view the full schedule of activities including action workshops, story circles, creative labs, and more!
This event is made possible with generous support from Good Chaos.
About the Summit
First hosted in June of 2023, the Rural Futures Summit brings together over 100 artists, creative organizers, culture bearers, and thought leaders for 3 days of connection and exchange, making art and music together, and building solidarity around the challenges and opportunities of rural creative leadership.
This new event is a companion to Springboard’s Rural Regenerator Fellowship. By hosting the Rural Futures Summit, we seek to celebrate the work of Springboard’s Rural Regenerator Fellows, while expanding an intentional peer network of learning and ideas to support the creative ecosystem of the rural Upper Midwest, fostering the solidarity and relationship building that is needed for broader social change. Each of our 20 Rural Regenerator Fellows were asked to invite 4 of their peers from the Upper Midwest to attend the event, as a way to support the networks and efforts they want to support and make more visible.
Springboard for the Arts’ Rural Programs, including the Rural Futures Summit, are made possible by Good Chaos, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Bush Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, and Lake Region Arts Council.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and culture heritage fund.
