Native American Artist-in-Residence Application

Overview

The Collections at the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS)include thousands of works of art, historical artifacts, and millions of photographs and historical documents. The Native American Initiatives (NAI) Department at MNHS works to strengthen our relationships with Native communities. The Native American Artist-in-Residence (NAAIR) program was created for the purpose of exposing Native American artists who are currently working with traditional art forms to these collections, in order to

   1) advance their understanding of the traditional forms of art and

   2) bring this advanced understanding to their home communities in a way designed by the artist. "Community" is not limited to federally recognized tribal reservation communities, but also includes urban communities. 

The MNHS collections and NAI will also benefit tremendously from knowledge shared by the artists regarding what they have learned about the construction, style and knowledge of various collections items. More importantly, these historic resources can serve as platforms for cultural learning and sharing. 

The NAAIR program is open to artists practicing all forms of traditions art, including utilitarian forms such as bow-making and canoe-making. Special consideration will be given to regional traditional media that is seen as endangered within the artists community, such as pottery or birch bark biting. 

Applying artists will submit a proposal that encompasses both a research and output component and that outlines their plan of study into the Native American collections at MNHS, as well as a plan for developing the community-based output project. Each residency will be between six to twelve months in length, and the actual time spent 'in residence" at MNHS will vary per artist, based on each artist's research design. 

Participating artists will be responsible for their own equipment, materials, banking options to receive payments, and travel and lodging while in the Twin Cities. And additional travel budget for research visits is allotted for each artist. Additionally, the MNHS collections department will have an acquisitions budget devoted to purchasing at least one piece of work form each artist-in-residence.

Over the course of the eight to twelve month paid residency, each selected artist will:

• Receive a $25,000 stipend for collections study and development of community programs, to be paid in installments, the last installment paid after completion of the program. Applicants should understand that this is taxable income. 
• Receive support from MNHS staff and interns in regards to collections study, program development and logistical support regarding travel.
• Receive support from MNHS staff and consultants to evaluate the outputs and outcomes of the community programs using culturally appropriate evaluation methods. 
• Receive training in both museum collection and archival collection research, including how to access historic manuscript, photograph and library collections through the MNHS research library. 
• Spend the majority of residency devoted to artistic study of the MNHS collections, but also receive an additional travel stipend to be used for visits to other local, regional and national museums, including the Mille Lacs Indian Museum, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the National Museum of the American Indian, if desired. The travel stipend may also be used for visits with knowledgeable elders or artists practicing the art form and/or for bringing these knowledgeable elders/artists to view the MNHS collections for joint study. 
• Develop a community-based project inspired by this research, in order to share new knowledge of the art form in the artist's home community. Special considerations will be given to projects incorporating a deep transfer of cultural knowledge, such as building curricula and organizing community-based youth classes, or the development of a relationship with an apprentice artist. This project it to be completed within 3 months of the end of the residency.
• Participate in and assist in evaluating three public programs, thereby exposing the MNHS (generally non-native) museum audience to traditional Native American art forms. Programs will be designed by the artist with assistance from MMHS staff and may include demonstrations of the art form, gallery talks or public lectures. 

• Check in with the Program Coordinator by phone or in person on a biweekly basis. This includes providing an email address and telephone number that is checked regularly and responding to all communications within a reasonable time. 
• Work with MNHS media specialists to create one video podcast documenting their experience during the residency. 
• Make available at least one work of art for purchase by the MNHS permanent collection (additional funds designated for this purchase). 
• Successfully pass a security background check, if artist is working with youth. 
• Agree to abide by MNHS' Statement of Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and Culturally Sensitive Objects Policy and be aware that any culturally sensitive objects requested to be accessed during residency will require special procedures and permissions.