VIDEO APPLICATION GUIDELINES:

We also gladly accept video submissions if that is your preference. Be sure to answer all the questions from the application in your video response or your submission will be marked as incomplete!

• Make sure you answer the questions in order and say which question you are answering.

• Please limit your response to 3-4 minutes for each question.

• Feel free to make the video on your cell phone, tablet, etc. We will be making decisions based on your answers, not the quality of the video.

• You'll need to upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and then share that with us. Make sure we have access to the video. (You can find instructions for creating a YouTube channel here. You can create a Vimeo account here.)

• You will still need to fill out the form below with your information but can put "Video Response" to any narrative focused questions.

• After submitting your form, please email the video link to Holly at holly@publictransformation.org with the subject line "Ignite Rural 2024 - [YOUR NAME]"

Space and time for artists to explore and create new work, learn new skills, or expand their practice. Commonly artists will travel away from their home place to attend an artist residency elsewhere. This residency is unique as it does not require travel to a new location, but rather supports artists working within their home communities.

We recognize not everyone can, nor wants to, travel outside of their home communities to do their practice, so this opportunity supports artists wanting to expand and increase their skills at home. Artists know the issues and challenges of their own communities best, and this residency provides an opportunity to utilize artistic practice to address those opportunities.

Artists will be expected to participate in 2-3 hours per month for the six months of the residency. This includes workshops, cohort learning exchanges, and communication/connecting with DoPT staff. Additional time to complete work related to the self-defined residency goals will be up to the artist.

This is a flexible stipend for you to use how you see fit. It is general compensation for your commitment to and participation in the Ignite Rural program. DoPT does not need to know how you decide to spend this money; it can be spent or saved as you see fit!

The $8,000 living stipend is considered taxable income and you will want to be sure to reserve a portion for taxes. (We can explain some basic best practices around preparing for taxes, but we recommend you reach out to a tax professional for official advice.)

The $4,000 creative fund can be used for anything to support your creative practice including, but not limited to, art supplies, marketing materials, equipment, hiring other artist collaborators, producing and promoting events, website creation or overhaul, community partner stipends, etc. We encourage artists to use these creative funds to advance their practice and engage deeper with their community. Selected artists will be required to submit a simple financial report at the end of the residency.

The $4,000 creative fund is considered taxable income and you will want to be sure to reserve a portion for taxes. (We can explain some basic best practices around preparing for taxes, but we recommend you reach out to a tax professional for official advice.)

Artists are required to submit documentation (such as receipts or invoices) for expenses related to artistic development and wellness to be reimbursed. Expenses reimbursed to artists with proper documentation do not qualify as taxable income.

DoPT has a broad definition of “artistic development” and “wellness” as nearly anything that supports your artistic growth and well-being as a person. This might mean artistic or business training, child care, mental health services, yoga or fitness classes, and more. Alcohol, medication, and illegal substances are not eligible for reimbursement. If you have any questions about eligible reimbursable expenses, reach out to Ignite Rural Program Director Holly Doll at holly@publictransformation.org.

Ignite Rural artists will be set up in DoPT’s payment processing system, and payments will be made as Direct Deposit unless agreed upon otherwise. All artists will be required to complete a Form W-9 and will receive a Form 1099-NEC for tax purposes.

The $4,000 creative fund will be dispersed upon submitting a spending plan; the $8,000 living stipend will be dispersed as $1,000 per month processed at the end of each month and payable by the 15th of the following month: October 15, November 15, December 15, January 15, February 15, March 15, April 15, May 15). The artistic development/wellness fund will be reimbursed (up to $800 total during the 8-month residency) within 30 days of submitting an invoice with receipts.

Yes, the $12,000 is taxable income and you will want to be sure to reserve a portion for taxes. All artists will be required to complete a Form W-9 and will receive a Form 1099-NEC for tax purposes. (We can explain some basic best practices around preparing for taxes, but we recommend you reach out to a tax professional for official advice.)

The $800 artistic development/wellness fund is not taxable if receipts are submitted for reimbursement.

Artists will be asked to attend eight virtual meetings (approximately one per month) and two in-person gatherings—the cohort retreat (September 20-21, 2024; Granite Falls, MN) and the showcase (April 26, 2025; Granite Falls, MN). Travel expenses and lodging for the in-person gatherings will be provided.

BIPOC stands for Black, Indigenous, and people of color. It is pronounced “bye-pock,” and is a term specific to the United States, intended to center the experiences of Black and Indigenous groups and demonstrate solidarity between communities of color. This term is also complicated because it may incorrectly imply that the experiences of all non-white people are the same. It can be a useful term when specificity is not available; however, using precise and appropriate cultural identity terminology whenever possible is preferred.

A core value for the work we do is intentionally providing intergenerational opportunities for women, non-binary people, LGBTQ2IA+, New American, and BIPOC and Native community members to work towards equal representation in artistic and civic leadership. Through the Ignite Rural Program, we are working to support the leadership and artistic growth of artists who have historically been marginalized, underrepresented, and/or under resourced.

This program is designed to support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and Native artists living in rural communities of 20,000 or fewer. Priority will be given to BIPOC and Native artists, but anyone can apply.

Travel expenses and lodging will be provided by DoPT for the two in-person gatherings—the retreat on September 20-21, 2024, and the final showcase on April 26, 2025. All other travel the artist chooses to do as a part of their residency will need to be covered by the artist’s $4,000 creative fund or their own funds.

We will not provide additional travel expenses for family members; however, if family members come WITH artists to the in-person gatherings (share a car, share a hotel room, etc.) that works for us!

Yes! This program is designed for anyone 18 years of age or older regardless of past, present, or future educational experience.

No! This residency can support the exploration of new ideas, project development, artistic development, increased community engagement, learning, and research, or the development of a project! It is up to you. If you have questions about this, please reach out to holly@publictransformation.org.

We will work with each artist to design their participation in the showcase in a way that makes sense for their residency. Artists can do a video about how they’ve grown, participate in a Q&A artist panel, share a 5-10 minute presentation about their residency, talk about their learnings, share a work of art, etc. The showcase is meant to be beneficial for the artist as an opportunity to share and reflect on the six months of the residency.

We ask artists to self-define. If you consider yourself an artist/culture bearer in the early stages of your artistic practice, this program is for you! If you want a more concrete definition, maybe you have been practicing your art consistently for less than 7 years. Or, perhaps you have been doing your artwork for much longer, but have never identified as an artist. Are you looking to expand your community-engaged practice or change mediums? That also qualifies.

Yes! Conceptual, behavioral, performance, social, civic, traditional, cultural, way-of-life, etc. All art forms are considered.

DoPT intentionally defines the term “artist” broadly. An artist is anyone who is creative, resourceful, inspired, and driven to collaborate across all sectors of public, private, and civic life. This includes mediums such as visual, performance, multimedia, literary, social/ civic, culinary, land, traditional, folk, textile, and more. We mean culture bearers, craftspeople, artisans, hobbyists, contractors, and handypeople.

Yes! But, not before the program begins, and we will provide support for how to create a budget (for this and other opportunities) during the residency.

There will be no required final written report; however, Ignite Rural artists will be required to complete a brief feedback/reflection form, as well as submit a simple financial report for how they used their creative fund at the end of the residency.