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 our 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 is October 15.
The Arts Legacy Grants is a 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. The Art Legacy Grant deadline is November 1.
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 grant programs have substantially less reporting requirements than Legacy grants.
Applications funded through these two very important grant opportunities include 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 our 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 are awarded, with a 25% cash match requirement.
Also available on a first come-first served basis are Quick Turn Around Grants for $500 and Artist Residency Grants for school districts. Grants of $2,100.00 are awarded to sponsor artists working with children usually in a traditional weeklong residency but it can also be a different format that serves your school or summer program. An extra $400.00 may be requested for art residencies that need supplies. Schools are strongly urged to use a TARP or COMPAS roster artist because they have been professionally trained in working in schools. The Teaching Artist Roster (TARP) is on the website which is the name www.northwestminnesotaartscouncil.org. Local artists who are sponsored need to provide lesson plans and show their professionalism in a classroom setting.
