McKnight Choreographer Fellowships
The McKnight Fellowships for Choreographers annually awards three fellowships of $25,000 each to Minnesota choreographers. The awards are unrestricted and can help an artist set aside periods of time for study, reflection, experimentation, and exploration; take advantage of an opportunity, or work on a new project.
The intent of the McKnight Artist and Culture Bearers Fellowship is to recognize and support Minnesota artists and culture bearers who are beyond early practice, have sustained experience in their discipline, and demonstrate exceptional accomplishments. In addition to the cash award, fellows receive additional support for career development and are invited to attend a four-day retreat in rural Minnesota. Fellows are also offered funds for research and development that can be used to visit New York City during APAP and engage collaborators and spaces in their creative process.
Support for individual artists has been a focus of the McKnight Foundation's Arts and Culture program since its inception. The foundation recognizes that the arts cannot flourish or enhance community life without the ideas, energy, and drive of individual artists and culture bearers and that artists cannot make these contributions without unfettered creative time. Awards are made in 15 disciplines through 13 arts organizations.
APPLICATION DEADLINES:
1. Intent to Apply Deadline: Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at midnight CST
To submit an Intent to Apply, click on the “APPLY” button above. You will be asked to create an account, fill out a simple form, and submit information about any upcoming performances. This form will take less than 15 minutes to complete.
The Intent to Apply is an important step in the application process. Applicants who miss the Intent to Apply deadline may still submit a final application. However, they will not receive program updates and their live performances will not be viewed by panelists.
2. Final Application: Wednesday, March 14, 2027 at 3:00 pm CST
Our website will be open to accepting final applications after mid-January, 2027.
The final deadline is firm, the application site will close down at exactly 3 pm on the deadline date. There are no exceptions made for late submissions so plan to apply early. There is no fee to apply for a fellowship.
Applicants will be notified of the decisions in early June 2027.
Photo of 2025 McKnight Dancer Fellow Eva Mohn by Roosevelt Mansfield
Watch this video to hear an overview of the program. Closed captioning available.
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Hello, my name is Dana Kassel and I'm the program director for the McKnight Choreography Fellowships. I'd like to give you a brief overview of this program.
The program is funded by the McKnight Foundation, which funds artist and culture bearer fellowships in 15 artistic disciplines. Each year, the program awards three unrestricted $25,000 fellowships to Minnesota choreographers.
Unrestricted means that this is not a project-based grant. It is a true fellowship. The awardee can choose to use the funds in any way they like.
It's like general operating support for artists. To apply, you must be a legal Minnesota resident for at least one year at the time of application.
The awards go to choreographers who are clearly beyond the emerging stage of their careers. Choreographers who are considered established are also eligible. The panel looks for a body of work already accomplished, created over a period of time. Artists are asked to demonstrate a minimum of eight years of committed artistic work outside of any college program. Above all, the panel looks for work that demonstrates artistic excellence.
For complete details on the McKnight Choreographer Fellowships please read the guidelines on our website.