Arts News
Nominations for Of the Year Awards Due Wednesday, January 15 — please note earlier deadline
Nominations for Of the Year Awards Due January 15 — please note earlier deadline!
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 Wednesday, January 15.
Northwest Star Award
The Northwest Star Award is a lifetime achievement award. This award is for $5,000 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 is $500 and honors someone who keeps being a voice and advocate for arts within the community or local school or the region. 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 January 15. Only residents of the Minnesota counties Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau are eligible for these $500 awards. We also 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 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.
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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.
Who will be the next McKnight Distinguished Artist?
Who will be the next McKnight Distinguished Artist?
Do you know an artist or culture bearer with an enduring and exceptional career in Minnesota? The McKnight Foundation invites nominations for its 27th Distinguished Artist Award. Nominations for the $100,000 award are due April 16, 2024.
The annual McKnight Distinguished Artist Award recognizes artists and culture bearers who have made a lifelong commitment to creating art that is locally, regionally, and/or nationally significant. These artists and culture bearers have chosen to make their lives and careers in Minnesota, thereby making our state a more culturally rich place. First and foremost, they have produced creatively incisive art reflecting their particular and extraordinary point of view.
McKnight Distinguished Artists have also inspired other artists and culture bearers, earned acclaim from audiences, patrons, critics, and other arts professionals, and some have founded and strengthened arts organizations.
Nominate for Of the Year Awards — Applications Open
Want to Honor a Deserving Arts Advocate or Artist?
Nominations are Open for Of the Year Awards
Northwest Artist of the Year $500
Northwest Arts Advocate of the Year $500
Northwest Star Award for $5,000
Applications are open for nominations for the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council Of the YearAwards. 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.
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. Arts includes all disciplines. It comes with $500 and often goes to a local leader who lives in the area where the artist reception will be held. However, anyone is eligible to be nominated.
Our 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.
Artists can only receive our Northwest Star Award once, as a lifetime achievement award. This award is for $5,000 and can be a wonderful gift to those who have chosen a hard career path related to artistic expression.
Our deadline for nominations is February 29. Please consider nominating someone who you view as a deserving candidate from our seven-county service area in northwestern Minnesota. Persons who believe their nominee would qualify for this award and have questions should contact the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council office at (218) 745-8886, ext 1 or email director@NWArtsCouncil.org for more information. The nomination form is on our website in the grant software. Login and click on Apply and follow the directions. For more information, visit this page on our website:
https://northwestminnesotaartscouncil.org/nominations-for-of-the-year-awards
Or download this document to learn about the information needed for the nomination. Awards will be presented at the NW Art Exhibit reception at the Kittson County History Museum in Lake Bronson on Sunday, April 21, 2024. 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.
Start your nomination here.