The 2025 Early Career Artist Exhibition will highlight the work of three or more emerging artists from Minnesota, Iowa or Wisconsin. The show will run from February 8 through March 30, 2025. Applications are due December 9, 2024 at 12 pm noon. Accepted artists will be contacted by December 20.

The Early Career Artist Exhibition will be curated by an advisory committee made up of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disabled artists involved in the Equitable Systems Change Program. Lanesboro Arts has launched the Equitable Systems Change Program for the Lanesboro Arts Gallery as a commitment to a thorough review and change of current systems and processes, based on detailed recommendations to align practices with equity values and more deeply serve BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and disabled artists.

Lanesboro Arts defines an “early career artist,” or emerging artist, as an individual who has great potential in their artistic practice but has not yet received major recognition, has not yet been substantially celebrated for their work and / or has not yet established significant “footing” within their field. This particular show will prioritize early career artists who also identify as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or disabled; however all early career artists are welcome to apply. All visual arts media are eligible. Artists may be any age, but Lanesboro Arts specifically invites those artists with limited exhibition experience to apply.

To apply, artists may complete the online application available below. It is also accessible from the homepage of lanesboroarts.org: click on ‘Artist Opportunities’ on the sidebar, and then on ‘Early Career Artist Application’. To complete the application, artists are asked to submit images via Google Drive or Dropbox. All visual arts media are eligible – both 2-D and 3-D. For those who prefer, you may submit a video application to gallery@lanesboroarts.org, with the subject line “Early Career Artist application”.

Wall pieces chosen will need to be framed and include a hanging wire in the back; all work in the Early Career Artist Exhibition will be for sale as per consignment agreement (40% gallery, 60% artist). Each accepted artist will receive a $500 stipend for exhibition costs, and will have the option of assisting with installation. Transporting the work to and from Lanesboro will be the responsibility of the artist; however, for this show, we are able to offer a mileage stipend for those who request it up to $250. The deadline for work delivery will be January 31, 2025.

The Early Career Artist Exhibition will open on Saturday, February 8, 2025, with an artist reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Lanesboro Arts Gallery.

The Lanesboro Arts Gallery is located at 103 Parkway Ave. N. in Lanesboro, Minnesota. The organization provides year-round arts programming and serves as a regional catalyst for artistic excellence and educational development, by providing diverse art experiences for people of all ages. Contact Lanesboro Arts with questions or for more information, 507-467-2446 / gallery@lanesboroarts.org.