The Springboard is now accepting applications for the 2023-25 Rural Regenerator Fellowship that brings together individual artists, makers, and culture bearers, grassroots organizers, community development workers, public sector workers and other rural change makers who are committed to advancing the role of art, culture and creativity in rural development and community building.
Donor Name: Springboard for the Arts
State: Selected States
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 06/20/2023
Size of the Grant: $10,000
Grant Duration: 2 years
Details:
Rural places need leaders who know the importance of creativity and culture in cultivating human-centered systems for rural community health, economic vitality, and civic engagement. Springboard’s Rural Regenerator Fellowship, launched in 2021, supports these creative leaders in the Upper Midwest through unrestricted funding, and ongoing learning and exchange.
The Fellowship is a two-year commitment. The average monthly time commitment is roughly 4 hours, plus two 4-day retreats in year 1, and one 2-4 day site exchange with another Fellow (visiting each other’s community to learn more deeply about each other’s work) in year two.
- Year 1 activities (October 2023 – September 2024)
- Unrestricted $10,000 stipend
- Two required in-person retreats in the Fergus Falls region, October 10 – 13, 2023 and
- April 23 – 26, 2024 (full travel support provided)
- Monthly virtual meetups
- Free artist career consultations
- Opportunities for artist talks, thought partnership and engagement with Springboard programs.
- Year 2 activities (October 2024 – September 2025)
- $5,000 to support a site exchange or collaboration with at least one other Fellow
- Support to attend and present at the Rural Futures Summit (date and time TBD)
- Optional 1 – 2 week solo residency in Fergus Falls for time for reflection, research, creative work, and/or project prototyping.
Funding Information
Fellows participate in two years of peer learning and exchange, and receive an unrestricted $10,000 stipend.
Eligibility Criteria
- Only individuals may apply. Organizations, collectives or other entities are not eligible
- Applicants must be at least 21 years of age
- Applicants must live in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, or Nebraska and/or the Native Nations that share those geographies
- Applicants must live, work or have a strong connection to a rural community (50,000 people or fewer AND more than 40 miles from a metropolitan area)
- While they know that “rural” has a broad definition and that people have multi-centered relationships with place, they will only consider applicants that currently live or work or demonstrate a strong connection to communities of 50,000 people or fewer
- Not be a current or past Rural Regenerator Fellow. Participation in other Springboard programs, including CCLI, is ok
- Not be an employee or board member of Springboard for the Arts (independent contractors, including current Artist Career Consultants, are eligible to apply)
- Not be an immediate family member of Springboard staff or board members.
For more information, visit Springboard for the Arts.
