MCBA/CBAA Early Career Collective Scholarship

The MCBA/CBAA Collective Scholarship is a studio access program that provides early-career book artists a 12-month Artist Collective membership.

This program is for artists who are either recent graduates of a degree-granting program (graduation date within the past 12 months from October 2024) OR have completed an MCBA Jerome Program in 2024 or 2025.

If you are not a member of CBAA and your application is accepted, you must register before December 1st, 2025. You can register here: https://www.collegebookart.org/join-now. Sliding scale options are available.

Scholarship Benefits

  • 24/7 studio and equipment access at MCBA

  • On-site storage

  • The opportunity to participate in Art-Share sessions with MCBA Staff and Artist Collective members

  • The opportunity to show work in the biannual Artist Collective exhibition in MCBA’s Main Gallery (August 2027)

  • 70/30 consignment split on accepted work in The Shop at MCBA

  • 50% discount on tuition for MCBA workshops (there are no discounts on materials fees) when registering three weeks or less in advance of a workshop’s start date.

  • 10% discount on retail purchases in the Shop

  • 10% discount on workshops (without registration timeline restrictions)

  • Exclusive notice of new workshops as soon as they go live

Application Requirements

Applicants must have graduated from a degree-granting program in the past 12 months or completed an MCBA/Jerome program in the past 12 months. Applicants must have sufficient experience to work in at least one of MCBA’s studio areas independently. This is not a program for those seeking to learn skills in book arts studio areas. 

Applicants must submit the following:

  1. Artist Resume (three-page maximum)

  2. Artist Bio (300-word maximum)

  3. Statement of Intent (500-word maximum): Applicants are required to submit a statement clearly explaining how they will utilize MCBA’s studios and equipment. Strong statements make a clear connection between work samples and the intended use of the studios as well as address why access to MCBA studios is important to your practice. 

  4. Ten Image Samples: Applicants are required to submit ten image samples. Images can be detailed and/or full-scale. Upload images in the order you would like them to be viewed. Images should demonstrate the artist's experience in the intended studio areas of use.

Timeline

Applications are open October 1, 2025–October 31, 2025, 11:59 CST.

Program runs December 1, 2025–November 30, 2026.

Apply here

Selection Process

A jury composed of MCBA staff with artistic experience will select the artist.  Applicants are evaluated and selected based on the quality of their work and their demonstrated need for studio access. Artists with diverse perspectives and lived experiences are strongly encouraged to apply.

MCBA Studios and Equipment

MCBA is the largest book arts center in the United States. It houses eight Vandercook proof presses, a large collection of metal and wood type, including type in languages other than English, guillotine cutters, board shears, two hydraulic presses, Valley and Reina paper beaters, an etching press, screenprinting equipment, and much more. For a complete list of our studio equipment, click here:  https://mnbookarts.org/studios-and-equipment