Grant Funding Available for Schools for

Artist Residencies & Arts Equipment

Looking for funding for Artist Residencies and Arts Equipment?

NW Minnesota area schools can apply for up to $12,000 of grant funding from the Northwest Minnesota Arts Council for this next school year into next summer. Funding can be used to bring in professional artists to work with students and/or to purchase arts equipment that is used by your community and your school; and stored/used primarily in the school building. To apply, schools fill out an application showing interest in funding, then requests are made with add-on forms within our online grant software for specific project funding requests. The program accepts funding requests from July 1 until April 30 each year, but remember that it is first come, first served so applying early is best. Each add-on funding request can be for up to $3,000 in grant funds.

Artist Residency Grants

Schools can apply for an Artist Residency grant of $3,000. Schools can initially apply for 2 residencies. Then, based on remaining funding, can request up to 4 residencies total. Each residency requires a 10% cash match. Our teaching artist roster is a great resource to view artists available to teach in our area and is available on our website at www.NorthwestMinnesotaArtsCouncil.org under the artists tab. We have many new artists on our list. Another resource to find teaching artists is COMPAS. Ideas also include children's theater camp and/or arts camp during the summer at your school, and community education workshop series for adults on artistic techniques.

Arts Equipment Grants

Schools can apply to purchase artistic equipment for your visual art, performing art, media arts, or creative writing departments. Grants are for up to $3,000 with a 25% cash match. Equipment that is used by both the community and the school solely for the pursuit of arts like auditorium lights has a better chance of being funded. Please note that schools are only eligible for one grant for up to $3000 per fiscal year. Once your school has already applied and been approved for a grant for arts equipment, you cannot receive another one until next school year. All previous arts equipment grants for your school must be closed before you can apply again.

Tips for applying... ask for the Google slide deck that takes you through our grant process.  

• Remember that most schools are already in our system as organizations, so you probably only need to call our office to add yourself as a User.  

• The first thing to do is show interest in our funding by completing the very easy Arts Grant application and hit submit. Tutorial available.   

• Next our staff reviews your school's interest and then assigns add-ons to the teacher/coordinator/administrator listed in the app that would like add-on forms. 

• Teachers login, complete and submit their add-on follow up form with details related to their project and their $ request. This form is short and friendly to fill out.  

• Then as your school waits to hear back, someone needs to complete the required data collection app online and submit.  

Contact our office with questions or for help with your application. We are happy to help!

As with all of our grants, applications are only being accepted from our 7 county Minnesota service area including Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau counties.

Questions? Call our office at 218-745-8886, ext 1 or email nwartscouncil@gmail.com.