McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists
Textile Center
Fiber art is thriving in Minnesota, and the field’s growth as a creative discipline is generously supported by the McKnight Foundation’s McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists, as part of McKnight’s Arts & Culture Program.
This program provides two $25,000 unrestricted fellowships to be awarded each year to individual midcareer (and beyond!) fiber artists living and working in Minnesota. These are not project grants, but unrestricted fellowships awarded to artists who are at a career stage/creative practice that is beyond emerging.
The intent of the McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists is to recognize and support talented Minnesota fiber and textile artists whose work is of exceptional artistic and cultural merit, and who have created a significant body of work over a period of at least 8 years–a body of work that represents a sustained investigation and maturation of personal creativity and accomplishment in, and commitment to the field of fiber art and Minnesota’s arts ecosystem.
Detailed program guidelines from the 2025 Fellowship application are HERE.
The 2025 Fellowship period will run from March 1, 2025 to February 28, 2026.
In addition to the $25,000 unrestricted award in support of their creative work and practice, McKnight Fiber Artist Fellows are offered:
- Critiques/studio visits with experts from the creative field, to support the creative work of the fellows.
- Exhibition at the end of the fellowship period (January – March) in the Joan Mondale and Mary Giles Galleries at Textile Center.
- Participation in a public discussion that features fellows and their work during the fellowship.
- Professional development support, such as attending conferences, workshops, marketing, or assistance for an exhibit during the fellowship period.
- Professional photography of work and the installation at Textile Center.
- Presence on Textile Center’s website, including a virtual exhibition to accompany the onsite exhibit.
- Access to Textile Center’s resources, including library, dye lab, and artisan shop opportunities.
- Professional support sessions from consultants at Springboard for the Arts.
- Opportunity to apply to McKnight Foundation’s new residency partnership with the Artist Communities Alliance, following the fellowship year.
The intent of the McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists is to recognize and support talented Minnesota fiber and textile artists whose work is of exceptional artistic and cultural merit, who have created a significant body of work over a period of at least 8 years, representing a sustained investigation and maturation of personal creativity and accomplishment in, and commitment to the field of fiber art and Minnesota’s arts ecosystem. These fellowships are in support of artists who are at a career stage beyond emerging.
Fiber Artists, as defined for the purposes of this fellowship, are artists who use textile and fiber arts materials, processes, histories, traditions, and/or sensibilities in their artistic and creative practice throughout the conception, execution, and resolution of their work.
“Textile Center is honored to serve as its administrative partner for the McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists,” says Textile Center Executive Director Karl Reichert. “This fellowship program is an exciting milestone for us, especially as we celebrate the role Textile Center has played in nurturing the field of fiber art in our region.”
“The expansion of the McKnight Artist Fellowships into the area of fiber arts is a tremendous opportunity and acknowledgement for our field,” says Textile Center’s Director for Artistic Advancement Tracy Krumm, who also serves as Textile Center’s program director for the McKnight Fellowships for Fiber Artists. “As a former Visual Arts Fellow, I know that the caliber of work being done in textile and fiber arts in Minnesota is outstanding. The ability for artists in Minnesota to be able to apply for this incredible funding support means the chance at game-changing opportunities for creative development.”
Requirements for Your Application:
All applications must include the following:
- 12 digital images of your work, or a combination of videos and images (see guidelines for instructions on accepted combinations).
- Image list (PDF)
- Statement of Work, describing and contextualizing current work and direction (PDF) or 2 minute video discussing your work (.mpg or .mp4 format)
- Brief Résumé or List of Accomplishments, documenting at least 8 years of creative practice, focused in Fiber Art (PDF)
- Proof of CURRENT legal Minnesota residency, dating back at least a year from the application deadline. This may mean you have to upload more than one document to cover the period of the entire year. (PDF, JPG, or JPEG)
- Demographic information is optional, and is used by McKnight Foundation and Textile Center to evaluate program outreach.