Statewide Annual Grant Program

Application forms will be available in September (for a November 15, 2010 deadline).

Please email Melinda if you have questions about the application procedure.

What is an Emerging Artist?
Emerging artists show significant potential, yet are under recognized by their peers and arts professionals. Evidence of some professional achievement is expected but artists with an extensive record of accomplishment are not eligible. The term emerging refers to artistic development, professional accomplishment and recognition, not to stylistic evolution within an artists work. In some cases the definition of emerging is tied to career progression, as it has been commonly understood; in other cases, it follows a more community-based individually determined progression in an artist’s development.

Eligibility Guidelines

• Artists may submit for Category 1 or 2 (not both).
• You must be a resident of Minnesota, having physically lived in the state for 12 of the past 24 months, and remain a resident throughout the project period.
• You must be an emerging artist. (See definition above.)
• Your project must be original, and not duplicate previous work.
• As the applicant artist, you must be a visual artist and/or involve a visual artist. Interdisciplinary proposals must address the visual elements of the project in their application narrative.
• No ticket sales or fees may be charged; all events and installations must be freely accessible.
• Organizations, full-time students, and Forecast Public Art staff, Board, and Committee members are not eligible.

Grant Terms

• Each artist selected to participate in the program will have a contract that indicates timeline, budget and services provided. Selected artists will receive, as needed, a limited number of hours of free consulting and/or facilitation time from Forecast Public Art staff, including assistance with site negotiation, liability insurance, community & media relations, and marketing.
• You may involve other artists or design professionals, community members or groups, or hire established professionals to assist with your project. Applicant must lead and manage the team’s interaction with the project.
• All artists receiving funding from Forecast Public Art agree that their projects will be developed and implemented to encourage universal accessibility in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A universal environment or space is usable by everyone, people with and without disabilities, and of all ages.
• All projects must be completed and final reports submitted to Forecast Public Art no later than November 30, 2010. Participants are responsible for providing visual and written documentation to Forecast Public Art as part of their final report. In addition, Forecast Public Art will produce documentation of projects funded.
• Selected artists may be asked to participate in next year’s Grant Workshops, held in the fall of 2010.

Any variation from these terms, without prior written approval from Forecast Public Art, will result in withdrawal of the grant.

Application Process and Materials

All applications will be submitted online through Forecast’s website.

• Project Narrative
  One page for Category 1 — Two pages for Category 2
  Narrative should include a brief description of project, site information (optional for Cat. 1; required for Cat. 2), value of project to applicant and perceived benefits to community. Include statement of how you meet the criteria for an emerging artist .
• Project Budget
  One page for Category 2 only
  Budget should include written documentation of any additional support, cash or in-kind, which is received or committed to (not pending/applied for) upon application. A detailed budget is not required for Cat. 1 although please mention in your narrative how you plan to use the funds.
• Work Samples
  5 images for Category 1 — 10 images for Category 2
  Video clips under 5 mins are also admissible for either category.
  Digital work samples are preferred and encouraged, files must be Macintosh compatible. Images must be in jpeg format. Videos must be in Quicktime format with chapters. Each file should be named with artist surname and a number that corresponds to an identification sheet (example: Smith_01). Images should be at least 72 dpi in resolution and not larger than 3 MB per image. If digital work samples are unavailable please email Melinda to make arrangements for alternative media.
• Work Samples Listing
  Please order in numbered sequence, with descriptive information for each sample.
• Full Resume
  For primary applicant and project partners if applicable.
• Written documentation of site approval (Category 2 only).

Selection Criteria

• Quality and Clarity of Proposal
• Value of Project to Artists Development
• Benefit of Project to the Community (artistic quality, civic engagement, beautification, etc.)
• Quality of Work Samples