The Early-Career Artist Research + Development Grant Program supports early-career artists in public art-related research and development, or with the planning phase of a freely accessible public art installation or activity in Minnesota.
Donor Name: Forecast Public Art
State: Minnesota
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/15/2025
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
Funding Information
Four grants, $2,500 each.
Grant Period
January 1 – November 30, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
- Forecast’s grants support public art and public art-related activities. Forecast defines public art broadly to support a range of processes, formats, and contexts.
- Applicants must be in the appropriate career stage for the opportunity for which they apply – either mid-career or early-career.
- Applicants for the McKnight-funded Mid-Career Project Professional Development Grants must be mid-career artists. Applicants for the Jerome-funded Early Career Artist Research + Development and Early-Career Artist Project grants must be emerging artists.
- An artist may only apply for one grant from Forecast during an annual grant cycle.
- Applicant must be based in Minnesota, having physically lived in the state for 12 of the past 24 months, and remain a resident throughout the project period.
- Applicant’s project must be original and not duplicate previous work. Forecast grants do not support remounts or reinstallations, projects that begin prior to the start of the grant year, or projects that are ongoing.
- No ticket sales or fees may be charged; all events and installations must be freely accessible.
- Organizations and Forecast Public Art staff, Board, Consulting Partners and Jury members are not eligible.
- Students in K-12 educational programs or enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are not eligible.
- Projects may be additionally supported by public or nonprofit agencies, or through in-kind sources, however, private commissions are not eligible.
- Former grantees with outstanding final reports cannot be considered for additional Forecast grant funding until all final reports have been submitted and approved.
- An artist is not eligible to receive a project grant from Forecast in two consecutive years. An artist can receive a Research & Development grant in consecutive years, or a Research + Development or Professional Development grant followed by a Project Grant.
Selection Criteria
- Quality & Clarity of Proposal:
- The strength of the proposed idea, clear consideration of of the scope of work proposed and the applicant’s ability to see it through to completion.
- Value of Project to Artist’s Development:
- Applicants for this opportunity must be early-career artists and show potential for development, innovation, deepened practice, or new growth.
- Benefit to the Community:
- This criterion can take many forms from enjoyment to beautification, civic engagement, filling a need or meaningful collaboration. Community can be defined in a variety of ways and applicants should speak to how their work will benefit their defined community.
- Quality of Work Samples:
- This criterion relates both the quality of the work shared as well as the degree to which the work samples support the artist’s ability to complete the proposed work.
For more information, visit Forecast Public Art.
