Artists Engage Communities Grant

The Artists Engage Community Grant supports individual artists and culture bearers residing in one of the five counties within the Region 2 Arts Council's service area in Minnesota—Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, or Mahnomen. This grant is funded through an appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund by the Minnesota State Legislature, and it aims to integrate high-quality, artist-led arts experiences into the public life and communities within these counties. The grant fosters direct community engagement through participatory, accessible arts programming that can help remove barriers to arts access and strengthen cultural vitality. Eligible applicants must be at least 21 years old and residents of one of the five aforementioned counties for a minimum of six months before the application deadline. The grant encourages submissions across all artistic disciplines. Individuals must not be full- or part-time students in their artistic discipline, and cannot seek academic credit or fulfill teaching licensure requirements with the proposed activities. Artists may not apply if they are also receiving payment or tax documentation (W-2 or 1099) from a related employer hosting the project. The grant supports a broad range of eligible arts activities, including but not limited to: participatory art projects, arts classes and workshops, public art installations, performances, presentations, and arts festivals. The activities must be accessible to the public, led by the applicant artist, and take place in Minnesota. Activities must commence within 12 months of the earliest start date and be completed by June 30, 2026. Projects cannot begin before May 28, 2025, and any expenses incurred before this date will render the application ineligible. Applicants must submit their applications through the Region 2 Arts Council online portal. Required components include work samples, a résumé, a complete project budget, and demographic information for state reporting. Evaluation will focus on four criteria: the artist’s qualifications and vision, arts access, community impact and evaluation, and the feasibility of executing the proposed project. A clear outcome that reflects a change in the audience—such as awareness, behavior, or knowledge—must be defined and measured. The grant awards are taxable, and artists may not use business entities to mitigate tax liability. Fiscal sponsorship is permitted if handled under a formal agreement, with funds issued to the sponsor and disbursed to the artist. Contact for questions includes email (staff@r2arts.org), phone (218-751-5447 or 1-800-275-5447), and text (218-407-2507). Applications open March 15, 2025, and are due by April 15, 2025, with reviews on May 6, 2025. Grant decisions will be made by May 15, 2025, and the earliest start date for projects is May 28, 2025. The grant is offered annually.

Clearly define a measurable outcome for your community-focused project and show how you will evaluate its success.