McKnight Media Artist Fellowships

McKnight Media Artist Fellowships is sponsored by McKnight Foundation (administered by FilmNorth). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

FilmNorth is excited to collaborate with the McKnight Foundation to offer four $25,000 fellowships and public recognition of media artists beyond the stage of emerging who reside and work within the state of Minnesota. This is not a project-specific grant.

Founded on the belief that Minnesota thrives when its artists and culture bearers thrive, the McKnight Foundation’s arts and culture program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. Support for individual working Minnesota artists and culture bearers has been a cornerstone of the program since it began in 1982.

The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in 15 different creative disciplines. Program partner organizations administer the fellowships and structure them to respond to the unique challenges of different disciplines. Currently, the foundation contributes about $2.

8 million per year to its statewide fellowships (for more information, visit mcknight. org/artistfellowships). These fellowships are designed for individuals with a demonstrated and sustained commitment to media arts (see eligibility below for qualifying mediums), showcasing artistic excellence and exhibiting a high level of proficiency in their craft.

In addition to the $25,000 unrestricted award in support of their creative work and practice, McKnight Media Artist Fellows will receive: * Opportunities to meet with local and national art professionals * Organization and promotion of a year-end public discussion panel and celebration featuring the fellows * Financial assistance toward attending professional conferences and events * Professional headshot services * Tailored professional support consultations tendered by Springboard For The Arts * Invitation to the annual McKnight Fellows Event held at the Foundation * One-year FilmNorth membership offered at no cost * Four complimentary classes through FilmNorth during the fellowship year Aligned with our Theory Of Change, FilmNorth warmly invites artists from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply, recognizing and celebrating the wealth of perspectives and experiences they bring to our programs.

**Applications Open:**February 2nd, 2026 **Free Virtual Artist Statement Workshop:**February 11th, 2026 (12:00pm CT)**Application Submission Deadline:**March 23rd, 2026 (5:00pm CT) **Fellowship Recipients Notified:** June 29th, 2026 **Application Feedback Deadline:** July 10th, 2026 _Applications for the 2026 McKnight Media Artist Fellowships are currently closed.

_ The screenwriting fellowship will be selected by a single juror, while the three non-screenwriting fellowships will be jointly selected by a panel of three jurors. The specific criteria that the jurors use to select the fellows are **consistent artistic excellence and merit, clarity and uniqueness of vision, professional accomplishment, and commitment**.

Recipients of the McKnight Media Arts Fellowship are granted the flexibility to determine the disbursement schedule for $24,000 of the award. The initial disbursement can be received in full or split over two calendar years, with some fellows opting for the latter to manage tax considerations.

The remaining $1,000 will be awarded in June of the following year, contingent upon the submission of a final report capturing their fellowship experience. It is essential to note that all awards are subject to adherence to state and federal income tax guidelines.