Emerging Artist Fellowship

2026 Midcareer &

Emerging Artist Fellowships Application Background Founded in 1996, Franconia Sculpture Park is the Midwest's pre‐eminent, artist-centered sculpture park. Franconia's mission is to foster an inclusive community to create and contemplate contemporary art inspired by nature and our ever‐evolving world. Located in the scenic St. Croix River Valley of Minnesota, Franconia operates a 50‐acre outdoor museum, an active artist residency program, and more than 60 public programs each year. The park is open daily, welcoming over 180,000 visitors each year. We cultivate critical dialogue between artists and audiences; support artists through producing and presenting new, experimental work; and educate artists and audiences of tomorrow.

We create programming that is responsive to the wants and needs of artists and our rural community. ALL sculptures created through this program are supposed to last at least 2 years outside, on‐site, exposed to harsh Minnesota seasons and thousands of visitors. The artwork remains property of the artist and after two years may continue on exhibition, be sold, or deinstalled in coordination with Franconia. 2026: Freedom and Revolution Each year, the park's curatorial theme draws attention to contemporary forces.

In the Freedom and Revolution announcement marking the country's semiquincentennial, Executive Director and Army Veteran Alex Legeros said, "Being creative means being free. Artists have long been the ones who get us to see the world differently, and at Franconia we have over 100 examples of what happens when an artist is given the freedom to pursue their dreams. When I think of the logic behind what Franconia does, it's this: we invite artists to catch your eye, make connections, and you leave seeing your world—your home, your choices, your future—differently.

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