Folk and Traditional Arts (Discontinued)

Folk and Traditional Arts (Minnesota State Arts Board) is sponsored by Minnesota State Arts Board. This program offers project grants to support artistic traditions and customs practiced within community and/or cultural groups by identifying, documenting, preserving, presenting, and honoring Minnesota's folk arts and traditions. It supports projects that express culture through traditional art forms that have been passed down within a community, and contemporary art forms rooted in cultural traditions.

Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund Grant for Artists is a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and regional arts councils, funded through a voter-approved constitutional amendment that dedicates a portion of Minnesota's sales tax to arts, arts education, arts access, and cultural heritage preservation. Individual Minnesota artists partnering with one of the state's eleven regional arts councils are eligible to apply for awards typically ranging from $2,000 to $8,000. The fund supports projects that make high-quality arts experiences more accessible to Minnesotans throughout the state, with priorities aligned to the fund's 25-year vision and guiding principles.

Creative Individuals Grant is a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board that funds individual artists and culture bearers to develop or sustain their creative practices and engage meaningfully with Minnesota communities. The program supports work across dance, media arts, music, photography, poetry, prose, theater, and visual arts, as well as practitioners trained by traditional elders whose work reflects the cultural life of a community. Eligible applicants must be Minnesota residents aged 18 or older. Applicants may only apply to one Minnesota State Arts Board individual artist program per cycle, and prior-year recipients are ineligible to reapply. Awards range from $2,000 to $10,000. The FY 2027 application deadline was March 6, 2026.

The Artist Initiative Grant is the Minnesota State Arts Board's primary funding program for individual artists, providing grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000 to support the creation of new artistic work and the development of artistic careers. This program is a vital resource for Minnesota's creative community, offering direct financial support to artists across all disciplines including visual arts, literary arts, music, dance, theater, media arts, interdisciplinary work, and traditional and folk arts. Funded through Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund — established by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, which was approved by Minnesota voters in 2008 — the Artist Initiative Grant program represents the state's investment in individual artistic excellence and innovation. The Legacy Amendment dedicates a portion of state sales tax revenue specifically to arts and cultural heritage, providing a stable and dedicated funding stream that has allowed the Minnesota State Arts Board to significantly expand its grant programs. Artist Initiative Grants support two types of activities: the creation of new work, where artists use the funding to develop and produce original artistic projects; and artistic development, where artists invest in their professional growth through mentorships, residencies, advanced study, or other skill-building activities. Applicants submit work samples, a project narrative describing the proposed activity and its significance to their artistic practice, and a budget detailing how the funds will be used. Applications are reviewed by panels of artists and arts professionals who evaluate proposals based on artistic quality, the merit of the proposed project, and the artist's ability to carry out the work. The program has an annual application cycle with deadlines typically falling in October, with funding decisions announced in the following spring. The Minnesota State Arts Board administers several other grant programs alongside Artist Initiative, including the Creative Support for Individuals program and various organizational grants. Together, these programs make Minnesota one of the most robust state-level supporters of individual artists in the country. Applicants must be legal residents of Minnesota at the time of application and throughout the grant period. Students enrolled full-time in degree-granting programs are not eligible, ensuring that funding is directed toward practicing artists rather than academic work.