Artists in our region
Meet our local Northwest Minnesota artists!
Every 3 years we publish a booklet — Artists of NW Minnesota — that features area artists and arts organizations that sell or provide arts-related services or entertainment.
We also offer an Enhanced Artist listing.
In addition, we facilitate a Teaching Artist Roster Program (TARP) to train teaching artists and promote their services throughout our region.
Every year we honor 3 artists with Of the Year Awards. These 3 awards are given to recognize artists and arts advocates within our seven-county region who stand out in terms of artistry or volunteerism in the arts. Of the Year Award winners are nominated by area residents.
There are plenty of other artists who exhibit work in our annual art exhibit, our traveling art exhibit or at the NWMAC Gallery at Northland Community and Technical College.
Artists of Northwest Minnesota Booklet
The 5th edition of our publication Artists of Northwest Minnesota was released in June of 2021and is available in print and as a pdf. You can find a free print edition at your local library, from featured artists, or in other public spaces throughout our region. The directory lists fine craft and visual artists, photographers, writers, and performing artists who answered our call for entries, as well as arts organizations. It's an invaluable resource when you are looking for art and artists in our region.
Enhanced Artist Listing
Would you like to purchase a painting, illustration, artistic cards, jewelry or other works by area artists? Looking for a band or musicians for an event? These are just a few of the services or products available from the artists in our enhanced artist listing. These artists have a piece of art exhibited at our office in Warren.
These artists either sell merchandise, create public art, write, or perform (music, theater, and more). They may be dancers, performers, media or visual artists, filmmakers, photographers, writers, mosaic artists…
The current artists in our enhanced artist listing are below. Click on their name to learn more about what they offer and how to reach them.
Andy Hall, Photographer
Therese Jacobson, Watercolor, pen and ink on fine paper and acrylics on canvas. Commissions accepted.
Janet Johnson, Ceramics
Cindy Kolling/Kolling Cards, Card Artist. Card/Coloring parties.
C.L. Nelson, Painter. Murals and commissions accepted.
Jodi Peterson, Glass Artist
Elizabeth Rockstad, Mosaic Artist
Betsy Saurdiff, Pottery and Sewing (wool mittens)
Alicia Spilde, Illustrator and Mixed Media Artist
Photo credit: Andy Hall
Want to be added to our Enhanced Artist Listing?
For a printable Enhanced Artist Listing click here.
Teaching Artist Roster
Artists trained in our teaching artist roster program (TARP) listed in alphabetical order by last name. They are available for residencies in our area. Please click their names to read about what they are currently offering. Schools can use our Arts Legacy: Artist Residency grant application to easily sponsor one of these local artists into your school! 100% of the costs might be covered by the grant. First come, first served with one per district offered per school year. Artists in our program have create a mock up grant on themselves and a press release that takes most of the work out of applying.
For a printable list of artists on our roster, click here.
Honoring artists.
Of the Year Awards
Three awards are given each year to recognize artists and arts advocates within our region who stand out in terms of artistry or volunteerism in the arts. Often people serve in both roles. Nominations are due on the last day of February each year.
Please consider nominating someone who you view as a deserving candidate from our seven-county service area in northwestern Minnesota. Questions? Contact our office at (218) 745-8886 or email director@NWArtsCouncil.org for more information. The nomination form is here. Curious who has received these awards in the past? Find out here.
Awards are presented at the Northwest Minnesota Arts Exhibit reception. Funding for Northwest Star and Northwest Artist of the Year comes from The McKnight Foundation. Funding for Northwest Arts Advocate of the Year comes from the Minnesota State Legislature.
Northwest Star Award
The Northwest Star Award is a lifetime achievement award. This award is for $5,000.00 and can be a wonderful gift to those who have chosen a hard career path related to artistic expression. Artists can only receive this award once.
Artist of the Year
Artist of the Year award can be given to any discipline artist including visual, performing, or creative writing who are emerging or at a mid-way point in their artistic endeavors. It is a cash award of $500 to use however they see fit.
Arts Advocate of the Year
Our Arts Advocate of the Year award honors someone who is a voice and advocate for arts within the community, local school, or our region. It comes with $500. Arts includes all disciplines.
An ELIGIBLE NOMINATION must include one completed nomination form, narrative on merit, letters supporting the nomination, a copy of the nominee’s resume or detailed qualifications, five work samples if artist, and be received by the last day of February. Only residents of the Minnesota counties Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau are eligible for these $500.00 awards. We also now give a large Northwest Star Artist award. The first step is to nominate the person for Northwest Artist. One person will be selected to receive a $5,000.00 cash award from the pool of candidates and receive our Northwest Star recognition. This person must be beyond an emerging or student status to be considered. This truly is a once in a lifetime award. Additional criteria apply so please contact our office for more information if you feel your nominee will be considered 218-745-8886.
RESTRICTIONS: Each award can be received only once in a lifetime. Nominations will not be carried over from year to year. Previous nominees must be re-nominated each year. It is the policy of NWMAC that nominees will not be notified of their nomination unless they are chosen to receive an Award.
* * * * * * * *
Nominate for Of the Year Awards via a Printable PDF form or fill out the form below!