Call For Indigenous Artists
Call for Artists: Our Helpers, a Woodland Anishinaabe/Dakota Art Exhibition
ποΈ Apply now through Friday, November 13, 2026, 11:59pm
π₯ Open to all Dakota, Ojibwe, and Ho-Chunk tribal citizens and descendants
π Accepting any visual art medium that can be physically displayed
β Questions? Accommodation needs? Email art.moira@gmail.com
ποΈ Application: View, fill out, and submit here
Calling all Dakota, Ojibwe, and Ho-Chunk artists! MDC is excited to host Our Helpers, a Woodland Anishinaabe/Dakota Art Exhibition in partnership with local Indigenous artists Moira Villiard, Alexis Martinez, and Avery Makes Room For Them.
Themed Our Helpers, the exhibit is an invitation to remember that we are never separate from the world around us. It honors the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the living world: animals, plants, water, sky, stars, and spirit. Artists and viewers alike are asked to consider not only who helps us humans, but also how we humans can become better helpers within the ecosystem of this evolving world in which we are all related and interconnected.
Interested? Apply online! Applications are open now and close on November 13 at 11:59pm. Artists from Ojibwe, Dakota, and/or Ho-Chunk heritage may apply. Up to 20 artists will be selected to participate in this project.
β In the application form, please submit the following items:
- Up to two (2) pieces of visual art that fit the theme
- A 1-2 sentence description of each work
- The dimensions of work in inches
- A brief artist biography and photo
πΌοΈ Artwork will be curated based on the following criteria:
- Overall artistic quality
- Connection to the exhibitβs theme
- Diverse representation of artists from different backgrounds (age, tribal affiliation, career journey status, etc.)
Artwork may be any visual art medium that can be physically displayed (2-D, sculptural, textile, beadwork, photography, mixed media, etc.). No performances, printed poetry, or spoken word poetry, please.
After you are notified of your selection, you will have eight weeks to complete your piece and drop it off or mail it to the Minnesota Discovery Center (1005 Discover Drive, Chisholm, MN, 55719). Your artwork must be ready to hang or otherwise display. Selected artists will receive a $500 honorarium.
β This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Thank you, MSAB!