McKnight Fellowships for Book Artists

Minnesota Center for Book Arts is pleased to partner with the McKnight Foundation to offer two fellowships to beyond-emerging artists living and working in Minnesota who show sustained experience in the book arts.

They demonstrate achievement, commitment, and high level proficiency in their practice that contributes to the book arts field while impacting and benefiting people in Minnesota.

2025 Fellowship Benefits Include:

  • Unrestricted $25,000 award

  • Studio visits from a national critic/curator

  • $1,000 travel stipend to attend a conference

  • Opportunity to participate in public artist panel

  • $2,000 educational stipend

  • Two years of MCBA studio access

  • Opportunity to attend an artist residency with stipend

  • Group exhibition in MCBA’s Main Gallery

Minnesota Center for Book Arts values a culture of equity and inclusion and encourages artists with diverse cultural backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

How to Apply

Applications are open December 1, 2024–February 26, 2025. Contact Anika Schneider, Director of Exhibitions and Artist Programs, with additional questions at aschneider@mnbookarts.org.

Timeline

December 1, 2024
Application cycle opens

January 6, 2025 • 6–7pm CT
Virtual information session
Register

February 19, 2025 • 7–8pm CT
Virtual office hour with Anika Schneider
Register

February 26, 2025 • 11:59pm CT
Applications due

May 30, 2025
Fellows announced

August 1, 2025–July 31, 2026
2025 fellowship period

Meet our 2024 McKnight book artist fellows!

Past Fellows

2024
Wen-Li Chen
Karen Wirth

2023
Brien Beidler
Todd Thyberg

2022
CB Sherlock
Corinne Teed

2021
Mary Hark
Sonja Peterson

2020
Paula McCartney
Lisa Nebenzahl

About the McKnight Artist Fellowships Program

Founded on the belief that Minnesota thrives when its artists thrive, the McKnight Foundation’s arts program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country.

Support for individual working Minnesota artists has been a cornerstone of the program since it began in 1982. The McKnight Artist Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in 14 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.

About the McKnight Foundation

The McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation, advances a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and planet thrive.

Established in 1953, the McKnight Foundation is deeply committed to advancing climate solutions in the Midwest; building an equitable and inclusive Minnesota; and supporting the arts in Minnesota, neuroscience, and international crop research.