Call for Art

The Great State of Minnesota exhibit

What Minnesota means to me…

Minnesota has been getting a lot of attention lately because of the ICE surge of 3,000 officers in January, large civil protests in freezing winter weather, and famous musicians like Bruce Springsteen writing songs about this historical moment in Minnesota. Because of this, the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council would like to highlight our state in this exhibit and ask artists what does Minnesota mean to you?

We encourage artists to reflect on Minnesota as the Northstar State, our Minnesota State Flag, our Great Seal of Minnesota, and our state symbols.  

Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is accepting entries in all mediums including paintings, drawings, sculpture, fine craft, photography, poetry, book art, original sheet music, and hopefully seed art. Submit (what, photos, size) by Monday, April 27 to Trey at treyeverettcreates@gmail.com. Please note this deadline has been extended from the earlier deadline of April 17. Drop off art at the NWMAC Gallery all day Monday, May 4 and the morning of Tuesday, May 5. The exhibit will open May 6 through the end of August at our NWMAC gallery at Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. This exhibit will mainly feature the artists and art of our service area in Northwest Minnesota.   

Minnesota is the Northstar State. Our motto is L'Etoile du Nord = Star of the North, which refers to Polaris, the North Star, that remains in the same spot in the night sky, representing stability and direction.

Our flag symbolizes the state's natural resources, identity, and future. It features a light blue field (water/sky), a dark blue shape (state outline/night sky), and a white 8-point "North Star" representing our motto and the state's northern location. The 8-point star also represents guidance, hope, and its northern position, while also honoring diverse cultural heritage, including Native American designs, Nordic patterns, and barn quilts, and echoing the star on the Capitol’s rotunda. It’s a multicultural symbol, often appearing like four “M”s for Minnesota and resembling a snowflake, connecting to the state’s climate and indigenous artistry.

The Great Seal of Minnesota is a circular design featuring a common loon (state bird), the North Star, wild rice, Norway pines (state tree), and stylized water, with the Dakota phrase "Mni Sóta Makoce" -- "Land where the waters reflect the skies."

Minnesota evokes many feelings and meanings to different people. Maybe it's blueberry picking, cabin life, morel or deer hunting, walleye fishing, or the land of 10,000 lakes; the power of community, snowflakes and cold, or pine trees; terms like Minnesota Nice, You betcha or Uff da; foods like wild rice, hot dishes, or lefse. Our sports teams including the Vikings, Twins, Timberwolves, The Wild, Loons, and Lynx; Icons such as Mary Tyler Moore, Prince, and Bob Dylan; Or our state symbols like the Rusty Patched Bumblebee(state bee), Monarch (state butterfly), Lady’s Slipper (state flower) or the Honeycrisp Apple (state fruit), or Agate (the state gemstone).

As our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary this summer, join us in creating art about Minnesota that reflects our pride in our state. Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is excited to see what Minnesota means to you. Why not create some seed art for our showcase and then enter it into the Minnesota State Fair? Deadline to enter our showcase is April 27.  

 Reach out to Trey at treyeverettcreates@gmail.com with questions and your submissions.