McKnight Fellowships

McKnight Fellowships for Musicians

Working artists activate our communities and deepen the dimension and quality of our lives.

Support for individual artists has been a focus of the McKnight Foundation’s Arts program since its inception. McKnight Artist Fellowships increase the exploratory opportunity, economic stability, and productive capacity of artists by providing $25,000 in unrestricted support for midcareer artists and discipline-specific artistic and professional development opportunities.

Founded on the belief that Minnesota thrives when its artists thrive, the McKnight Foundation’s arts program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. Support for individual working Minnesota artists has been a cornerstone of the program since it began in 1981. The McKnight Artist Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in 10 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 $1.7 million per year to its statewide fellowships. More Information.

The McKnight Fellowships for Musicians are intended to recognize and support mid-career musicians living and working in Minnesota who demonstrate a sustained level of accomplishment, commitment, artistic excellence, a distinctive musical voice, and a significant performing career over a period of time. The McKnight Fellowships for Musicians are committed to honoring the breadth of Minnesota musicians of all genres; aesthetically, geographically, and culturally.

If you are a performing musician in any genre, MacPhail Center for Music invites you to apply for a McKnight Fellowship for Musicians.

Applications are now closed for the 2021-22 McKnight Fellowship for Musicians

View How to Apply Workshop from 2021

Downloadable slides from the How to Apply Workshop from 2021