The Art Project Grant for Individuals is offered by the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (ARAC), one of Minnesota’s eleven regional arts councils. ARAC’s funding comes from appropriations by the Minnesota State Legislature using money from the State’s General Fund and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF), made possible by the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. Additionally, ARAC receives support from The McKnight Foundation. The council’s mission is to support and encourage the development of artists and arts organizations in the Arrowhead Region, ensuring that all residents have access to the arts.

This grant provides up to $4,000 in funding to adult artists working in any artistic discipline at any stage of their career. Eligible expenses include exhibition, performance, or production costs, purchase of materials or equipment for creating art, educational opportunities in the arts (excluding academic credit), barriers to long-term success, outreach to new communities or markets within Minnesota, professional development opportunities, mentorships, residencies, conferences, self-promotion, and marketing. Equipment purchases are capped at 50% of the grant amount. The goal of the grant is to foster the development and advancement of artists in the region.

Eligibility is restricted to individual artists who are at least 18 years old and have resided for at least six months within Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, or St. Louis counties, or within the Fond du Lac, Grand Portage, Bois Forte, or Leech Lake (Itasca County) tribal nations. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must remain residents of these areas for the duration of the grant period. Individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, individuals with disabilities, or members of the LGBTQIA2+ community are strongly encouraged to apply.

The application opens on February 3, 2025, and the deadline to apply is March 16, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. The earliest project start date is June 1, 2025. Grant review by a peer panel is scheduled for the week of April 28 – May 2, 2025, and applicants will be notified of award decisions between May 23 – 28, 2025. Applications must be submitted online using ARAC’s grant management system (Foundant), and late applications will not be accepted.

Applicants are encouraged to contact ARAC staff for advisement, application review, and technical assistance. Requests for feedback must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the deadline. Staff support is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Questions can be directed to info@aracouncil.org or grants@aracouncil.org. Applications will be reviewed for completeness before advancing to a peer review panel composed of regional artists, arts professionals, and local experts. Final approval is made by the ARAC Board.

Applications are evaluated on three main criteria: Artistic Vision, Impact, and Ability. Applicants must describe their past work and future artistic vision, including how the project fits into their artistic trajectory. Impact is assessed based on how the project supports the applicant’s long-term artistic development. Ability is evaluated based on the applicant’s work plan, budget, and capacity to complete the project. All awarded projects must comply with civil rights and accessibility laws, properly credit ARAC in all public materials, and submit complete final reports.