Dancer
Fellowships
What
is the McKnight Artist Fellowships for Dancers Program?
This Southern Theater program awards three $25,000 fellowships to professional Minnesota dancers each year. The program is one of twelve Artist Fellowship programs funded by the McKnight Foundation of Minneapolis, Minnesota. McKnight Fellowships have been awarded to dancers since 1997. The Southern Theater has been the administrative host for this program since 2002.
How
do I apply for a Fellowship?
Specific directions on how to apply are available on this web site in the form of a pdf guideline brochure. If you prefer to receive a hard copy of the guidelines through the mail, please call 612-340-0155 ext. 213 and request a copy. Be sure to leave your mailing address and a phone number on the voice mail.
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What
is the deadline?
There are two application deadlines:
Intent to Apply deadline is: Tuesday, September 2, 2008. This is a postmark or email deadline.
Final Application deadline is: Monday, April 6, 2009. This is NOT a postmark deadline. Applications must be received in our office by 5pm.
I’ve
missed the Intent to Apply deadline. Can I still submit a final
application?
You must submit an Intent to Apply prior to submitting a final application. If you’ve missed the Intent to Apply deadline, you may still submit a late Intent to Apply. But keep two things in mind: (1) please know that it is to your advantage to submit an Intent to Apply on time and (2) if you do miss the “Intent” deadline, please submit it
as soon as possible afterward.
Do the guidelines change from year to year?
The guidelines have not changed significantly from last year, however the guidelines have been updated and it is very important that you read carefully all information in the brochure.
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What
are the eligibility requirements?
Applicants must be residents of Minnesota for at least one year prior to applying, Applicants may not be full-time students. Recipients of 2006, 2007, and 2008 McKnight Dancer Fellowships are not eligible. Applicants to this program may not apply to any other McKnight Fellowship program in the same year. Furthermore, fellows must remain in residence during the fellowship year or forfeit the award.
What
are the Fellowships for?
Fellowships are available to dancers to support their work and artistry. The Fellowships are not project grants, and applicants are not required to submit a project proposal for panel approval. Applicants cannot attend school full-time during the Fellowship year and the fellowships funds may not be used to support work associated with a degree program. However, fellowships may be used to support professional study.
If you have further questions about what the fellowship may support,
please contact us at
fellowships at southerntheater.org.
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Who
reviews the applications?
A panel of one out-of-state and four area arts professionals reviews applications and selects fellows. Panelists are highly knowledgeable about dance and the panel represents a range of backgrounds and areas of expertise. The panel makeup changes each year. The panel is confidential and names of panelists are not revealed until after the selection process is complete.
Will
panelists see my work live? How do I let the panel know about my
live performances? How will the panel be able to identify me in
live performance?
Yes, panelists attend live performances throughout the season. The
panel is available to see work prior to the Intent to Apply deadline
and continues to see work until the third week of May.
We will
inform the panel of all upcoming performances of which we are aware,
so please keep us informed. To do so, please submit a listing of
upcoming performances with your Intent to Apply. You may update
or add to this list at any time by contacting us at
fellowships at southerntheater.org.
Please give us as much advance
notice as possible and be sure to include the following information
with every listing:
- Your name
- The name of
the production and performing company
- Venue (with
an address, unless it is a well-known venue)
- Performance
dates and times
- Phone number
and/or website for tickets and reservations
- Information
on how you can be identified (costume color, hairstyle, where
you appear onstage, etc.)
To help the panel
identify you in live performance we ask that you submit a photo
with your Intent to Apply. Photos that clearly show what you look
like are most helpful. (See guidelines for more information on how
to submit Intent to Apply and how to submit a photo.) We also ask
that you submit identifying information for each performance listing
(i.e. “I am the one in the pink dress,” “I am the only
one with blonde hair,” “I perform the opening solo,”
etc.
What
should I say in my artist’s statement?
Since the fellowship is an award for an artist and a body of work (rather than a specific project), we suggest using the artist’s statement to help the panel get a better idea of who you are as an artist. The statement may take any one of several directions: you may choose to write about your background, the development of your work, your particular interests as an artist or your aesthetic position, your future direction or anything else pertinent to your art. Do keep in mind that the artist statement is not a project proposal. You may if you wish talk about your plans for the fellowship year, but it is not required.
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For
my work sample should I show only recent work or older work or both
It is best to submit work that covers a span of time, making sure to include a good dose of recent work. Applicants who do not submit recent work (last 1-2 years) will be at a disadvantage.
If you have previously received a dancer fellowship, your work sample
must focus on work since your last award. We suggest that you show a variety of excerpts, not to exceed 10 clips and not to exceed 15 minutes.
I’ve
received a fellowship in a previous year. Can I reapply?
You may reapply if you received a dancer fellowship in 2005 or earlier. You are not eligible to apply if you received a dancer fellowship in 2006, 2007 or 2008.
I
have questions about the fellowship that aren’t covered here.
Who can I contact?
Email
fellowships at southerntheater.org
or call Program Director Mary Ellen Childs at 612-340-0155 ext.
321.
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Can
I get assistance with my application?
Yes, email us at
fellowships at southerntheater.org
with your questions or to schedule a phone appointment. In the weeks
prior to the final deadline, Program Director Mary Ellen Childs
is available at specified times for individual in-person appointments
to review application materials and answer your questions.
Are
there any web sites offering more information about other grants
or services for dancers?
- For
more information about the McKnight Foundation Arts Program, including
data and perspective about the arts in Minnesota in a report titled
“State of the Arts,” go to
www.mcknight.org/arts.
-
www.mnartists.org
is a collaborative online project of the McKnight Foundation and
the Walker Art Center, with information about artists and topics
of interest to artists.
- Springboard
for the Arts (www.springboardforthearts.org)
is based in St. Paul, Minnesota and offers various services for
artists and non-profit arts organizations.
- Minnesota
State Arts Board (www.arts.state.mn.us/grants/artists.html)
Minnesota State Arts Board offers grants to Minnesota artists.
Also see their “Opportunities for Artists” page for information on other artist opportunities.
- Bush
Foundation Artist Fellows Program (www.bushfoundation.org)
Highly competitive and highly remunerative, these fellowships
are open to artists in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota.
- Dance/USA
(www.danceusa.org)
is a national service organization for professional dance.
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