McKnight Fellowships for Culture Bearers Opens Nov 6

The McKnight Foundation and the Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center of St. Paul have partnered to launch the first-ever McKnight Artist Fellowship for culture bearers. The McKnight Culture Bearers Fellowship will support three culture bearers who practice sacred and healing lifeways and share cultural art practices across generations. Fellows will receive a $25,000 unrestricted award and public recognition in support of their cultural practice. Additionally, fellows receive:

• Professional development support, including a stipend to honor mentors/teachers

• Participate in a network of culture bearers in Minnesota

• Access to Indigenous Roots facilities and resources

• Honored and recognized at gathering ceremony

Selection Process. There will be three rounds of reviewing submissions before selecting the final three fellows.

First round. This initial round centers on a collective peer review process. In this round, every person who enters a submission will have the option to review another person’s submission along with the additional community members and Culture Bearers (local) who did not apply.

Second and Third Rounds. Following the peer review process, there will be two rounds of community reviews. In these rounds, additional community members and Culture Bearers (local and national) who did not apply will be reviewing submissions.

The submission review process will occur between January to March 2024.

What is a culture bearer?

Culture Bearers practice intergenerational lifeways and living, evolving cultural art practices that educate, exchange, and share in order to preserve ancestral knowledge. In this work, Culture Bearers hold a direct throughline from ancestors and teachers and center sharing their practice with youth. The role of culture bearer is particularly important within ancestral cultures undergoing transition or experiencing threat from outside and dominizing culture(s). 

Culture Bearers accept a responsibility to share ancestral and cultural knowledge. The practice of being a Culture Bearer is distinct from other individual art practices because the practice is a full life tradition (not separate) and includes intergenerational transmission of learning. While we honor the role of guests within lineages, the intent of this opportunity is to first resource individuals and cultures that are from the cultural and heritage lineage that they practice.

Fellowship Timeline

-November 6th Submissions open

-November 22nd & 24th Info Sessions

-Submission Support (Tuesday & Wednesdays from 5p to 7p/ Fridays 1p to 3p)

-January 1st, 2024 Submission are due by 11:59p

-January to March Review of submissions

-March 2024 Announcement of McKnight Culture Bearer Fellows

Visit their website to learn more at https://iroots-mcknight-culturebearers.org