Welcome to the 2026 McKnight Visual Artist Fellowships application.     

Deadline: Friday, March 20 at noon (CT) 

PLEASE READ the Application Guidelines (download here) prior to starting your application. 

The MCAD-administered fellowship program uses an independent jury of three arts professionals to competitively award six fellowships. The fellowship runs for two years, June 1, 2026–May 31, 2028, and includes:   

• $25,000 unrestricted fellowship funding may be used to enhance any aspect of the artist’s life, such as overhead costs, the purchase of materials, travel, and other living expenses. (2026 payment in June, 2027 payment in January)
• $3,500 professional development funds may be used for publications, equipment/material purchases, travel expenses, workshops, etc. You can request it at any time during your fellowship. Send fellowship staff your receipts, and we will reimburse you.
• $500 of professional documentation of artwork.
• Access to MCAD’s facilities, library, and ½ off tuition for Continuing Education courses (one per semester). 
• 5 studio visits total. 4 from national critics/curators/arts professionals that will meet with the entire cohort (2 in 2027 and 2 in 2028) and 1 individualized visit from either a local curator or virtual visit.
• Participation in a 1–2 week artist residency at one of twenty partnering residency programs with the Artists Communities Alliance (ACA). 
• Eight hours of consulting time, support, and resources from Springboard for the Arts. 

INFORMATION SESSIONS AND ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS 

Check out the info sessions to learn more about the application process.   

• Application Overview (with Program Director, Keisha Williams) 

• Work Samples, Statements, and Application Strategies (with 2025 McKnight fellow Laura Wennstrom) 

•  Learn more about the cohort experience with the 2022 McKnight Fellows:

Applicants are also welcome to schedule one-on-one meetings (via phone or Zoom) with the program director or fellowship coordinator before submitting their applications online. To schedule a meeting please email gallery@mcad.edu. In order to provide cohesive feedback, applicants must email the fellowship staff their application materials (ten work samples, resume, artist statement) one day prior to their scheduled meeting. Please note we will not be able to schedule one-on-one meetings the week prior to the deadline (March 16–20). 

For further information, contact:                   

Keisha Williams, Program Director                    

612.874.3667                    

gallery@mcad.edu                       

Melanie Pankau, Fellowship Coordinator                   

612.874.3803                    

gallery@mcad.edu       

Welcome to the 2026 Made at MCAD application site!  

Deadline: Sunday, February 15 at 11:59 PM (CT)

This exhibition is open to all current MCAD students (all degrees and all divisions). Work submitted must have been made while the applicant was enrolled as a student at MCAD. All media are accepted.

This year the jurying process will be done online, but the exhibition will take place as usual in MCAD’s Main Gallery.

Juror:

Francesca Bernardi (they/them) is a Minneapolis-based curator, gallery director, visual and performance artist, and licensed mental health therapist whose work centers community engagement and contemporary visual culture. They served as Gallery Director and co-owner at Gamut Gallery for two years, acting as lead curator for eight exhibitions and supporting five additional shows.

Across their curatorial practice, Bernardi has worked with nearly 300 artists across solo and group exhibitions, as well as with performers and event-based creatives. Their curatorial approach is guided by strong visual intuition and an interest in work that feels timely, emotionally compelling, and thoughtfully executed, with particular attention to how artwork communicates with its audience.

Process:

• Each student can submit up to three individual/collaborative works in the form of images, videos, URLS, one large series, or a combination to equal 3 total submissions.
• Each submission must include: Title, year date, medium, dimensions (h x w x d) in inches or feet, or duration.
• There is no size limit, but students are advised to contact the Gallery in advance if submitting excessively large or difficult to install work. Artwork must be exhibition ready - in good condition, ready to be handled, and with necessary hardware - but does not need to be framed.
• Accepted students must drop their work off in the Main Gallery Wednesday, March 11 or Thursday, March 12. 
• Student must provide installation details/instructions. For example: 2D works: hang with magnets, behind glass, with bull clips, nails, map pins, etc. 3D/Installation: how to install, from the ceiling, on a pedestal, vitrine, etc. Film/Animation: what size monitor, screen, projected, ipad, etc. Series: indicate the order, etc.
• If artwork is accepted, once it is installed for Made at MCAD it cannot be removed from the exhibition.

Exhibition Details:

• March 20–April 11, 2026 in the Main Gallery
• Announcement of jury results: Wednesday, March 4
• Art drop off: March 11–12
• Reception and Awards Ceremony: Friday, March 27, 6:00-8:00 p.m. (awards presented at 7:00 p.m.)

During the awards ceremony on Friday, March 27, the juror will announce the winners of the five $250 cash prizes for Juror's Choice. You do not need to be present at the reception to win.

Questions? For further information, contact:  

Keisha Williams, Gallery Director   

612.874.3667   

gallery@mcad.edu     

Melanie Pankau, Gallery Coordinator  

612.874.3803   

gallery@mcad.edu