Midwest Memory Grant for Rural Midwest Communities
Forecast Public Art
Forecast Public Art today proudly announces the launch of Midwest Memory, an initiative to fund new monuments that celebrate and preserve diverse stories and prioritize the inclusion of voices and experiences of BIPOC communities in the rural Midwest. The program will select eight communities with monument or memorial projects needing support, providing them with funding and a collaborative cohort experience.
With generous support from the Mellon Foundation, Midwest Memory will grant $100,000 to each of the eight selected communities. These projects will prioritize public memory through research and storytelling, addressing systemic inequities and advancing racial justice and Indigenous visibility.
In partnership with Justice + Joy and The Outside, Forecast Public Art will offer one-on-one coaching, technical assistance, documentation support, and networking opportunities to ensure the success of these projects. The initiative also aims to highlight the importance of cross-sector collaboration and contribute rural and Midwestern BIPOC perspectives to the national conversation on monuments and memorials. Additionally, an online toolkit of resources will be created for other interested communities across the country.
The Mellon Foundation’s the Monuments Project supports efforts to express, elevate, and preserve the stories of those who have often been denied historical recognition, and explores how we might foster a more complete telling of who we are as a nation. The Foundation’s commitment to the Monuments Project reflects both the urgency and the gravity of fostering more complete and inclusive storytelling of who we are as Americans.
Grant Highlights
- $75,000 grant to realize a unique monument project
- $25,000 for capacity building
- plus an additional $10,000 to pay cultural advisors
Plus
- 80 hours of technical support from Forecast’s team of BIPOC technical assistants (TAs) consultants
- Six quarterly, virtual cohort gatherings
- 2 in-person retreats
Application + Timeline
- August 20, 2024: Application open
- September 5, 2024: Application Info session (this session will be recorded and available on Forecast’s website)
- October 1, 2024: Written/video applications due on Submittable
- October 28 – 31, 2024: Virtual interviews
- November 4, 2024: 8 teams selected and applicants notified
- January, 2025: 1st virtual Cohort gathering
- Projects will close October 2026
Participants will be selected by Forecast and a panel of Advisors who are familiar with rural community dynamics in the Midwest.
The application process has 2 phases:
- Written or video application
- Virtual interview (select teams will be invited to interview)
Info session
All teams considering applying are encouraged to watch an informational webinar about the application process. The webinar will take place live on Thursday, September 5, 2024 from 5:00 – 6:00pm CDT.
It will be recorded and posted on Forecast’s website for additional viewing.