Dani Prados

2022 Mid-Career Project Grantee | $10,000

A Walking Art & History Map of Granite Falls, MN

This project will engage various community members of diverse backgrounds in the creation and distribution of a sustainably produced public walking map of the area, including local lore, art, history from equitable perspectives, walking routes and music for those walks generated from local field recordings.

Born in Washington DC and originally destined to be a marine biologist, Dani instead fell enthralled to the power of story and has designed, directed, devised, constructed, and produced theatre, narrative and experimental film, short form content, themed festivals, visual exhibits, multi-sensory art installations, immersive performances and interactive transmedia for over fifteen years in locations across the USA and around the globe. In October 2020 she was named the inaugural City Artist in Residence of Granite Falls, MN (pop 2579); a pilot program funded by the NEA exploring the power of art and creative practice to increase civic engagement and demographic equity in rural communities. Always at the heart of her work is an evolving quest to harness art for community empathy and action, and she is often haunted by fish.

The McKnight Foundation generously enables Forecast to provide Professional Development Grants for mid-career artists seeking to expand their work in the field of public art. Forecast mid- and early-career grants are designed to support independent projects, leadership development, professional development, risk-taking, multidisciplinary approaches, and collaborative problem-solving in the field of public art.