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The McKnight Media Artist Fellowships

FilmNorth is excited to collaborate with the McKnight Foundation to offer four $25,000 fellowships and public recognition of media artists beyond the stage of emerging who reside and work within the state of Minnesota. This is not a project-specific grant.

Founded on the belief that Minnesota thrives when its artists and culture bearers thrive, the McKnight Foundation’s arts and culture program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. Support for individual working Minnesota artists and culture bearers has been a cornerstone of the program since it began in 1982. The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in 15 different creative disciplines. Program partner organizations administer the fellowships and structure them to respond to the unique challenges of different disciplines. Currently, the foundation contributes about $2.8 million per year to its statewide fellowships (for more information, visit mcknight.org/artistfellowships).

These fellowships are designed for individuals with a demonstrated and sustained commitment to media arts (see eligibility below for qualifying mediums), showcasing artistic excellence and exhibiting a high level of proficiency in their craft. In addition to the $25,000 unrestricted award in support of their creative work and practice, McKnight Media Artist Fellows will receive:

  • Public acknowledgment of their award and career accomplishments through the website, email, and various social media platforms
  • Opportunities to meet with local and national art professionals
  • Organization and promotion of a year-end public discussion panel and celebration featuring the fellows
  • Financial assistance toward attending professional conferences and events
  • Professional headshot services
  • Tailored professional support consultations tendered by Springboard For The Arts
  • Invitation to the annual McKnight Fellows Event held at the Foundation
  • One-year FilmNorth membership offered at no cost
  • Four complimentary classes through FilmNorth during the fellowship year

Aligned with our 2024 Theory Of Change, FilmNorth warmly invites artists from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply, recognizing and celebrating the wealth of perspectives and experiences they bring to our programs.

ELIGIBILITY
THE APPLICATION
SUPPORT RESOURCES
FAQ
MCKNIGHT MEDIA ARTISTS

Timeline & Procedure

Important Dates

1/30/24  Applications Open
2/7/24  How-to-Apply Workshop (In-Person at FilmNorth 6:00pm - 7:30pm CST)
3/11/24  QTIBIPOC Artist Panel Event
3/18/24  Application Deadline (5:00pm CST)
Mid-June 2024  Fellowships Announced

Selection Process

The screenwriting fellowship will be selected by a single juror, while the three non-screenwriting fellowships will be jointly selected by a panel of three jurors.

The specific criteria that the jurors use to select the fellows are consistent artistic excellence and merit, clarity and uniqueness of vision, professional accomplishment, and commitment.

Awardment

Recipients of the McKnight Media Arts Fellowship are granted the flexibility to determine the disbursement schedule for $24,000 of the award. The initial disbursement can be received in full or split over two calendar years, with some fellows opting for the latter to manage tax considerations. The remaining $1,000 will be awarded in June of the following year, contingent upon the submission of a final report capturing their fellowship experience. It is essential to note that all awards are subject to adherence to state and federal income tax guidelines.