Individual Artist Grants for Advancing Artists

The Advancing Artist category provides $5,000 in financial support to enable artists to further their work. It is intended to recognize, reward, and encourage outstanding individual artists in the region. An artist at this stage has created an independent body of work over a number of years and has received regional or statewide recognition of their work. Artists at this stage are often, but not always, committed to making a living as an artist, whether or not they are doing so. They may struggle with the balance of producing art and marketing their art. They usually have a well-defined audience and show their art locally, regionally, and perhaps nationally.

Artists from all disciplines are welcome to apply for a broad range of study or activities, including exploration of new directions or expansion of previous work.

• You must be at least 18 years of age on the grant deadline.
• You must be a full-time resident of the SEMAC Region and reside in Minnesota for the duration of the grant project.
• You may not be enrolled full or part time in a degree granting program when you apply or for the duration of the project.
• You are not eligible if you received a grant directly from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Minnesota State Arts Board, or a major Foundation (i.e., Bush, Jerome, McKnight, etc.) within the past two fiscal years (since July 1, 2016).
• Grant funds may not be used to pay for supplies purchased or expenses incurred before the start date.
• Recipients of previous SEMAC grants are not eligible to apply for funds over the next two consecutive fiscal years (i.e., application may only be made as often as every three years).
• Further, recipients who have overdue final or interim reports from a previous SEMAC grant are not eligible.