Springboard for the Arts

05/28/2026

“It is not just what Minnesotans did in this crisis. It is what they had already built: a state that had spent decades recognizing artists not as a luxury or an afterthought, but as neighbors with something essential to contribute."

Today in Common Dreams, ahead of the people of Twin Cities receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in Boston this weekend, Springboard’s Laura Zabel shares how Minnesota artists showed up for their communities across the state during federal ICE occupation, not only in response to crisis, but as an essential part of who we are. 🦋Read the full essay at

​Minnesota's artists aren't that different from artists anywhere, but there are some unique parts of Minnesota's ecosystem that explain the breadth and depth of the creative response to the federal immigration enforcement surge.

05/28/2026

🦋Starting this weekend - We were glad to be on the organizing team for MN Resistance Story Project. In collaboration with Courageous Change Collective and the Collective Action Lab, and local artists, we invite community members who lived through the ICE occupation in Minnesota to participate in collective reflection and storytelling with the goal of creating space for shared wisdom and meaning-making regarding our experiences with violence, resilience, and collective action.

These gatherings will take place:
- May 30th Session: 9:30 am – 12:00 pm at HAP, 1075 Arcade St, Saint Paul, MN 55106.
- June 14th Session: 2:00 pm – 4:30 pm at Christ Church, 3244 34th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406.

Register today and help spread the word with community at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScl41qV6pqema6quwniOdpcn-IqFQ_OPtTQge_gHPyipwMwCw/viewform

05/21/2026

🍃Know an artist in your community who Springboard’s Rural Regenerator Fellowship may be the perfect fit? Nominate them to apply! https://springboardforthearts.org/programs/rural-regenerator/

We invite peers, collaborators, and supporters to nominate a rural artist they’d love to see apply to the Rural Regenerator Fellowship. While nomination is not at all required to apply for the fellowship, we hope the form helps our community spread the word, and reach people who may not know about the program already. Learn more and apply at the link in our Stories.

For our 2026-27 Fellowship, we will support 6 artists who are organizing their rural places for care, safety and solidarity. This includes, but is not limited to: artists who use creative processes to develop mutual aid networks, provide spaces for vulnerable communities to gather and connect, share stories to combat harmful narratives, and more.

Fellowship benefits:
🍃 An unrestricted award of $15,000
🍃 1 in-person retreat with fellows
🍃 $3,000 to support travel for Fellow Exchanges, and the opportunity to attend and present at Springboard’s Rural Futures Summit
🍃 Storytelling and documentation support

The 2026-28 Fellowship will take place over 18 months (September 2026 - March 2028).

Applications for the fellowship will remain open until midnight CT on June 18, 2026.

05/21/2026

Across Minneapolis, neighbors can find pairs of “Ghost Shoes” installed at sites where ICE detained people during Operation Metro Surge. Springboard is proud to support Minneapolis-based artist Laura Migliorino in installing the next set of Ghost Shoes across Minnesota this summer as part of Artists Respond: Rooted and Rising. Full story at:

Volunteers installed 50 pairs of shoes in locations across the Twin Cities. They’ll start on other locations in the state in July.

05/20/2026

This Thursday, May 21 at 6pm on Zoom, local artists Sarah Johnson and Sophie Wang will be joining us for a conversation about how to use art as a tool for community change. Sarah and Sophie will share how they balance their own creative vision with the needs and ideas of their neighbors, what they’ve learned through their projects, and how art can be a powerful tool for organizing, engagement, and addressing local challenges. Sign up to attend the conversation at https://springboardforthearts.org/event/ask-me-anything-art-as-a-tool-for-community-change/

05/19/2026

💻 Tonight at 6pm on Zoom, local expert Anniessa Antar will be leading a deep dive on website basics for artists! Whether you're considering creating a website for your artist practice or just exploring options, come with your questions and wanderings! Sign up to attend at

Get a big picture view of the components of your artist website, find clarity on whether you need a website for your artistic practice and learn the basics of creating a website. This workshop is a part of Work of Art+, a series of workshops that complement the 12-part Work of Art: Business Skills ...

05/11/2026

🌻 This Wednesday, May 13 at 5:30pm in Fergus Falls - come meet the three generations of women behind The Flower Mill & Stained – A Glass Art Studio ( & ) at our next Made Here gathering!

And if you need a spot of fresh springtime in your home, Brittanni, Courtney, Leanne, and Lennon will also be offering these gorgeous batches of flowers! Stop by to meet this family of makers and support locally made art!

05/09/2026

We’re excited to share that our Rural Director, Michele Anderson, will be speaking at Americans for the Arts in Albuquerque, NM this June!

She’ll be a panelist for "Empowering Rural Arts and Culture," part of AFTACON 2026’s “Pathways” incubator, discussing the importance of centering rural creativity as foundational to the national arts ecosystem.

Join us in Albuquerque, June 2–5, and be part of the conversation. Register today:

05/08/2026

📚 Writers, we've got a workshop for you! Author and educator Rachel Werner will be leading a deep dive on Thursday, May 28 from 6:00-8:00pm CT on Zoom all about making a living as a writer. We'll explore some of the niche markets that writers can break into, including children’s literature, comics, work-for-hire IP projects, and general interest nonfiction books. Participants will gain an overview of how these sectors operate, where opportunities exist, and how to position your work effectively with publishers. Register to attend at

There are many ways to make a living as a working writer! This virtual workshop explores some of the niche markets that writers can break into, including children’s literature, comics, work-for-hire IP projects, and general interest nonfiction books. Participants will gain an overview of how these...