Anderson Center
/OVERVIEW: The Anderson Center is an artist community in rural Minnesota that provides opportunities for residencies and retreats. It supports film, dance, writing, music, visual arts and theater in the Upper Midwest region of the U.S.
IP TAKE: The center specializes in residencies and retreats to support individual artists in Minnesota. Its Anderson Award is nomination only and therefore difficult for grantseekers to receive without first getting on the center’s radar.
This is a grassroots, regional funder rather than a national one, so for those working nationally, look elsewhere unless you seek to support Minnesota.
PROFILE: Established in 1995, the Anderson Center is an artistic destination point in the Upper Mississippi River region and based in Red Wing, Minnesota. It is a national registered landmark that occupies the former estate of Alexander Pierce Anderson, famous for creating the “Quaker Puffed Wheat” and “Quaker Puffed Rice” breakfast cereals. The center seeks to “uphold the unique wealth of the arts in the region; to develop, foster, and promote the creation of works by artists of all kinds; and to provide leadership and services that help to insure a strong, healthy arts community and a greater recognition of the value of the arts in society.” The Anderson Center supports visual artists with a residency program and an achievement award. Specific artistic interests include film, dance, writing, music, visual arts and theater. Features of the center include 20 onsite artist studios, a dark room, kiln, glass-blowing studio, blacksmith shop and printmaking facilities.
Grants for Film, Dance, Writing, Music, Visual Arts, Theater
The residency program consists of two to four weeks retreats from May through October each year. It supports “artists, writers, musicians, and performers of exceptional promise and demonstrated accomplishment to create, advance, or complete work.” The center is able to support five artists at a time and typically hosts 35-40 residents annually. Applications should include a resume, work plan, and a work sample. Apply for the residency program here.
Adjacent to its regular residency program, Anderson also runs a Deaf Artists Residency Program, “the only residency opportunity in the world devoted exclusively to Deaf artists.” Currently, it supports five deaf artists per cycle. It is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Anderson Center also presents the A.P. Anderson Award for Outstanding Contributions to Literature and the Arts in Minnesota. Past recipients include examples from many different artistic disciples.
Important Grant Details:
The residency application processes are straightforward and transparent. Applications are typically due in January, and applicants should hear back around March. Artist residencies occur in May, September, and October. Deaf residencies begin in June.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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