The Lanesboro Early Career Artist Residency Program is a place-based program for early career artists where art and the artistic process instigates positive change, addresses or creates an opportunity to move the community forward or is otherwise be central to problem-solving. Supported by the Jerome Foundation, the program is an opportunity for early career artists from Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City to explore ways in which their work can be applied to the community and how Lanesboro’s rural community can inform their work.
Since 2001, the Lanesboro Artist Residency Program has welcomed early career artists of all disciplines to live, work and create in the rural context of the greater Lanesboro community. The program awards two to three residencies per year to early career artists with projects that activate the people and places of Lanesboro. This place-based and community-engaged residency program was designed to align with and amplify Lanesboro Arts’ vision for communities—especially rural communities—to embrace artists as economic drivers, culture bearers, community builders, and problem solvers. Lanesboro Arts is especially seeking residency projects where community engagement is integral to the art making or projects where public interaction with the work is at the core of an artist’s practice.
The Round One application deadline for the 2027 Lanesboro Early Career Artist Residency Program is Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 11:59pm CST. Round One of the application process asks for basic information about the artist, their demographics, and a bit about the proposed project. The application opened on March 23, 2026.
In 2024, Lanesboro Arts implemented a two-round application process for the Early Career Artist Residency Program, in response to feedback from artists. The two-step application process is meant to alleviate some of the time-consuming nature of applications.
Applications are then reviewed by Lanesboro Arts staff for alignment and best fit with program mission and goals. Following review, applicants will be notified of their application status by June 9. A smaller pool of selected applicants will then be invited to apply for Round Two, which includes more detail about the artist and their proposed community project. Round Two applications are due Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 11:59pm and are reviewed by a diverse jury of artists from around the state of Minnesota. Artist who complete Round Two applications will be sent an honorarium of $75 in recognition of the time and effort spent on the application process.
You can preview Round Two application questions here, but note: you cannot apply for Round Two unless your Round One application is accepted.