The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council will offer several grants again in 2020. Deadlines for the different grants range from October 1 through November 15.
Individual Artist Grants of $5,000 have an October 1 deadline and grants of $1,500 have a November 15 deadline! Arts Project grants of up to $3,000.00, Arts Equipment for Schools Grants for $3,000, and Arts Legacy Grants for up to $10,000 have a November 1 deadline!
Grant money is available from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council. Grants are awarded to nonprofit arts organizations, communities, schools, individuals, and other nonprofit organizations. Applications are being accepted from the seven-county Minnesota service area including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau counties.
Individual adult artists can apply for an Individual Artist Grant of up to $5,000. The deadline to apply this year is October 1. There is also a November 15 deadline for individual artist grants up to $1,500.
The Arts Legacy Grants are the main category for funding artistic activity within the seven-county service region. Funding for the grants comes from the Minnesota State Legislature through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. These grants are a maximum of $10,000 with a required cash match.
Arts Project Grants are used primarily for small budget arts projects and the sponsorship of performances of touring companies and artists. These grants are a maximum of $3,000.00 with a required cash match. These grants have substantially fewer reporting requirements than Legacy grants.
Applications funded through these two very important grant opportunities include public art, festivals, community theatre projects, folk music entertainment, sponsorship of visual demonstrations, creative writing workshops, and many other activities that improve the quality of life of people in our communities.
Arts Equipment for Schools Grants is considered a special category of the Arts Project Grant Program. This grant allows schools to purchase artistic equipment for their art room, theater, band room, etc. Equipment that is used solely for the pursuit of arts like a kiln or theater lights, or a band instrument has a better chance of being funded. There is one annual deadline for this grant on November 1. Grants of up to $3,000.00 include a 25% cash match requirement.
Schools in the seven-county region can also apply now for an Artist Residency grant of $2,100 plus an additional $400 if the residency needs supplies. The teaching artist roster online is a great resource to view artists available to teach in our area. Go to www.NorthwestMinnesotaArtsCouncil.org website and click Teaching Artist Roster on the left navigation bar. Another resource to view artists available to enhance the curriculum is COMPAS.
Also available on a first come-first served basis are Quick Turn Around Grants for $500. The NWMAC is currently awarding Quick Turn Around grants for COVID-19-related relief for artists in northwest Minnesota. These grants are for missed gigs and income due to the pandemic. Use the Quick Turn Around application in the Individual Artist grants. Who is eligible? Performing artists, writers, media artists, fine craft artists, and visual artists can apply if they are a permanent resident of the seven-county service area of Northwest Minnesota.
The Art Council is offering grant writing workshops online to assist you with your application. You are also welcome to visit the office in Warren to work on your grants in the Arts Council’s new setting, as there are social distance protocols in place. RSVPs are required for grant writing sessions to receive a link and/or talk about protocols for visiting the office in person email director@nwartscouncil.org.
Thurs, Sept 17 Grant writing for individuals at 3:30 pm
Tues, Sept 29 Grant writing for anyone at 3:30 pm
Wed, Oct 14 Grant writing for schools at 3:30 pm and organizations at 5:00 pm
Wed, Oct 28 Grant writing for individuals at 3:30 pm and organizations at 5:00 pm
To learn more about these grant programs and start an application visit www.NorthwestMinnesotaArtsCouncil.org. The grant application process is completely online and NWMAC’s Executive Director Mara Hanel can help walk you through the process of using the grants portal to get accustomed to it. For more information, email director@nwartscouncil.org or call 218-745-8886.
