FEE: Free to apply

Artist Resources & Relief: Minnesota

In response to ongoing community disruption and its impacts on artists and creative workers across Minnesota, this evolving resource list brings together emergency relief funds, creative business recovery support, calls for artist-led community projects, mutual aid networks, toolkits, and legal resources.

Compiled by Springboard for the Arts in collaboration with arts organizations and community partners statewide, these resources are intended to support artists through immediate challenges and longer-term healing, recovery, and connection. Offerings include emergency and small business relief, opportunities for community-based creative action, mutual aid and solidarity networks, training resources, and practical toolkits.

This list will continue to be updated as new resources become available.

FEE: Free

Creative Community Coffee Club at Springboard for the Arts

Third Friday of Every Month
10:00 AM–12:00 PM

Connect with fellow creatives during Creative Community Coffee Club at Springboard for the Arts in downtown Fergus Falls. Held on the third Friday of each month, this informal gathering offers a welcoming space for artists, makers, writers, and creative entrepreneurs to work alongside one another, share ideas, and build community.

Bring your laptop, busy work, sketchbook, craft project—or simply stop by for conversation. Coffee, light refreshments, and good company are provided.

No registration is required.

Location:
Springboard for the Arts
201 West Lincoln Avenue
Fergus Falls, MN 56537

Coffee & Light Refreshments:
Provided by Stumbeanos Coffee Roasters

FEE: Free | Call for Artists

Emerging Artist Exhibition Opportunity

Submissions Accepted Now

The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center and Continental Divide Brew Pub invite emerging artists from rural Minnesota to submit artwork for exhibition and sale at the Continental Divide.

This opportunity is designed to help artists expand their audience, build their exhibition experience, connect with fellow creatives, and become part of a growing regional arts community. Artists are encouraged to submit samples of original artwork along with a brief exhibition proposal for consideration.

To Apply:
Submit artwork samples and a brief exhibition proposal to:

• Megan Shirley-Ross, Artistic Director: megan@kulcher.org

• Cyrus Bickell, General Manager: cyrus@cdbpnym.com

Continental Divide Brew Pub
32 N Main Ave, New York Mills, MN 56567

FEE: Free

Life Drawing – Open Studio

Fridays | 10:00–11:30 AM

Artists of all experience levels are invited to Life Drawing – Open Studio at the Historic Holmes Theatre in Detroit Lakes.

Life drawing, also known as figure or gesture drawing, focuses on drawing the human form in a variety of poses and levels of detail. These informal Friday morning sessions offer an opportunity to practice your skills, connect with other artists, and learn alongside Artist Facilitators from the Holmes Artist Collective.

Bring your own art supplies. All mediums and experience levels are welcome. No registration is required.

When: Fridays, 10:00–11:30 AM
Location: Holmes Art Cellar, located in the basement of the Historic Holmes Theatre
806 Summit Ave., Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

Free and open to all. No registration required.

FEE: FREE

Call for Artists: Lanesboro Arts Sales & Exhibition Galleries

Application Deadline: December 31, 2026

Lanesboro Arts is accepting applications from visual artists in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin for two upcoming gallery opportunities: the 2027 Juried Sales Gallery and 2028 Exhibition Gallery. Artists working in all visual arts media, including both 2-D and 3-D work, are encouraged to apply.

The Juried Sales Gallery currently represents more than 80 artists, with a select number of new artists added each year to exhibit and sell their work. The Exhibition Gallery typically presents five solo or group exhibitions annually, with each exhibition running approximately eight weeks.

Artists are selected based on artistic vision, quality craftsmanship, thought-provoking qualities, diverse representation, and alignment with Lanesboro Arts’ organizational values. A regional artist jury will review applications in January, with applicants notified of decisions in March.

Deadline: December 31, 2026
Eligibility: Visual artists from Minnesota, Iowa & Wisconsin
Location: Lanesboro Arts, 103 Parkway Ave. N., Lanesboro, MN

FEE: Free to Apply

Call for Art: The M Triennial: Held Here

Application Deadline: Sunday, November 15, 2026 | 11:59 PM CST

The Minnesota Museum of American Art (the M) invites Minnesota artists to apply for the inaugural 2027–28 M Triennial: Held Here, a major exhibition bringing together contemporary visual art reflecting the vitality, diversity, complexity, and cultural landscape of Minnesota.

Centered on the theme Held Here, the triennial asks artists to consider connection and belonging at this moment in our shared history: What do we hold onto to heal, endure, thrive, and cultivate a hopeful future? What do we hold in our hands, bodies, histories, hearts, and imaginations—and how do we tend to one another?

Artists working across all media are encouraged to apply, including painting, drawing, printmaking, book arts, sculpture, photography, video, film, installation, performance, sound, textiles, ceramics, and interdisciplinary forms. Approximately 30–40 artists will be selected.

The call is open to visual artists at any career stage who currently reside in Minnesota or have lived in Minnesota during the past year. Artists with significant ancestral, familial, or cultural connections to Minnesota are also invited to apply and describe those connections. Artist teams are welcome.

Applicants may submit up to three completed works, works in progress, and/or proposed artworks. There is no application fee.

Selected artists will receive a $750 honorarium, professional documentation of their exhibited work, inclusion in the exhibition publication, transportation assistance as applicable, professional installation support, and opportunities to participate in related programming.

Call Opens: September 15, 2026
Application Deadline: November 15, 2026 | 11:59 PM CST
Artist Notifications: By February 1, 2027
Exhibition: September 16, 2027–July 30, 2028
Public Reception: September 23, 2027 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Application Fee: None
Questions: info@mmaa.org | 651-797-2571

FEE: Free to Submit

Call for Art: Small Works, Big Impact: An 8 x 8 Fundraising Show

Artwork Drop-Off Deadline: Thursday, November 12, 2026

The New York Mills Regional Cultural Center invites artists of all ages to participate in Small Works, Big Impact: An 8 x 8 Fundraising Show, a special exhibition celebrating creativity in a compact format while raising funds to support the Cultural Center.

Artists working in all media are welcome. Each artwork must measure exactly 8 x 8 inches in height and width, though depth may vary. All work must be original, suitable for public exhibition, ready to hang on a wall, and available for sale.

The exhibition will run concurrently with the Cultural Center’s Annual Artist’s Bazaar, offering participating artists additional visibility during the holiday season. As a fundraising exhibition, artists may choose to donate 50%, 75%, or 100% of the sale price of their work to the Cultural Center.

Artwork Deadline: November 12, 2026
Exhibition: November 14–28, 2026
Closing Reception: Saturday, November 28 | 1:00–3:00 PM
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Eligibility: Artists of all ages | All media welcome
Questions: Megan Shirley-Ross | megan@kulcher.org | 218-385-3339

FEE: Free to apply

Call for Applications: 2027 McKnight Printmaking Fellowship

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Sunday, November 15, 2026 | 11:59 PM CST
INFORMATION SESSION: Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 8:00 PM (Virtual)
FELLOWSHIP BEGINS: February 1, 2027
AWARD: $25,000 per artist | Two fellowships available
ELIGIBILITY: Mid-career Minnesota printmaking artists

Highpoint Center for Printmaking is accepting applications for the 2027 McKnight Printmaking Fellowship, recognizing outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists who demonstrate sustained accomplishment, commitment, and artistic excellence in printmaking.

Two selected artists will each receive an unrestricted $25,000 award, along with one year of access to Highpoint’s professional printmaking facilities, technical support, professional development opportunities, a $500 class credit, and participation in a fellowship exhibition, artist talk, and reception.

The fellowship is open to Minnesota artists working in traditional printmaking techniques, including intaglio, lithography, screenprinting, monoprinting, and relief. Artists throughout Minnesota, including rural communities and those outside the Twin Cities metro area, are encouraged to apply. Proximity to Highpoint is not required.

Applicants must be beyond emerging status and demonstrate a sustained commitment to printmaking. Application materials include artwork samples, an artist résumé, and a statement of artistic practice. No project proposal or budget is required.

Learn more and apply:
2027 McKnight Printmaking Fellowship Application

Questions: Josh Bindewald, Director of Artist Programs
josh@highpointprintmaking.org | 612-871-1326

FEE: Free to apply

Grant Opportunity: Leslye Orr Fund for Artists with Disabilities

APPLICATION PERIOD: October 7, 2026–April 6, 2027
DEADLINE: Tuesday, April 6, 2027 | 11:59 PM
AWARD: $2,000 per artist | Five grants per funding cycle
ELIGIBILITY: Minnesota artists with disabilities
SELECTION PROCESS: Randomized drawing of eligible applicants

Springboard for the Arts is accepting applications for Cycle II of the Leslye Orr Fund for Artists with Disabilities, providing direct financial support to Minnesota artists with disabilities to create new work, develop their artistic practices, and invest in their careers.

The fund awards five $2,000 grants per funding cycle, with recipients selected through a randomized drawing rather than a competitive review process. Cycle II applications are open through April 6, 2027, with recipients notified by April 30, 2027.

Established in honor of Leslye Orr (1955–2025), a Minnesota playwright, performer, educator, and disability advocate, the fund celebrates her belief in “the possibilities of disabilities.” Throughout her career, Orr championed inclusion, creativity, and opportunities for artists of all abilities to share their stories.

The fund continues her legacy by supporting artistic expression, accessibility, and community connection among Minnesota artists with disabilities.

Call for Artists: Cora McQuestion Memorial Sculpture – Prior Lake

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM

LOCATION: Prior Lake, MN

PROJECT BUDGET: $20,000 (All-Inclusive)

ELIGIBILITY: Minnesota Artists and Artist Teams, Ages 18+

The City of Prior Lake Arts and Culture Committee is seeking Minnesota artists or artist teams to design and create a permanent outdoor sculpture honoring Cora McQuestion, Prior Lake's first woman mayor.

The sculpture will be installed in downtown Prior Lake and will celebrate McQuestion's legacy of leadership, courage, and service to the community.

Artists are encouraged to explore themes from McQuestion's life, including courage, generosity, resilience, and civic responsibility. The artwork should create a meaningful connection between her story and the Prior Lake community today.

The project has an all-inclusive budget of $20,000. Eligible applicants must be Minnesota artists age 18 or older who have completed at least one commissioned outdoor public artwork.

Interested artists should review the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for complete project details, questions and answers, and submission requirements.

DEADLINE: November 17, 2026, at 4:00 PM.

RFQ & SUBMISSION INFORMATION: City of Prior Lake – Arts & Culture