The Weisman Art Museum (WAM) invites applications for its Native Artist-in-Residence (NA AiR) position. This two-year residency supports meaningful art-making, research, and interaction with University of Minnesota students, staff, faculty, and the MniSota Native community. The residency involves both remote and in-person engagement, culminating in the creation of a new work(s) of art which will be displayed at the Weisman and promoted on museum channels. Applications are welcome from artists working in any mediums. 

Residency Details

Stipends: Artist: $55,000 | Supply: $14,300 | Travel + Per Diem
Residency Period: January 2025 - December 2026

Application Timeline

Call for Artists Opens: August 1, 2024
Application Deadline: September 15, 2024
Interviews: late September—October 2024
Notification Date: early November, 2024
Residency begins: January 7, 2025

Info Session: Register to attend a virtual info session on Tuesday, August 7, 7 p.m. (CDT) 

Register for the Info Session

This project is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Terra Foundation for American Art. 

Questions? Reach out to wamnair@umn.edu if you have questions, concerns, or need assistance. 

Eligibility 

• Artists must be enrolled, have recognized descendancy, or have a proven cultural affiliation with the Hopi and 20 federally recognized Pueblo communities.
• Demonstrated interest in leading institutional and social transformation through creative practices.
• Ability to meet virtually and in person from Fall 2024 to Fall 2026.

Engagement Requirements 

• Lead focused activities and public programs.
• Participate in meetings and conduct location-based research.
• Work closely with curator, artist, and project lead Juan Lucero (Pueblo of Isleta).
   

Materials

• Artist Statement: Most recent artist statement.
• Resume/CV: Include a detailed listing of your artistic and professional accomplishments. Please include Community and family apprenticeships.
• Portfolio: A digital portfolio showcasing up to 5 images of recent work (must be from the last three years), and website link if available. 
• Project Proposal: Describe your interest in this residency and your approach to art-making. How do you envision your role as an artist in institutional and social transformation? Share your experience in fostering a cultural exchange and tribal allyship. How would this support your engagement with the MniSota Native community?
• Letters of Recommendation: Two letters from individuals familiar with your work and its impact. Non-family (Unless there is Professional Relationship)
• Photocopy of Tribal ID and/or Letter of Support for Descendancy

Application Form (link goes live Aug. 1)

In 2022, Weisman Art Museum received a generous "Museums for America" grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This grant provides vital funding for a multifaceted Truth and Repair initiative at WAM, including support for consultation with Indigenous communities to embark upon repair for harm done by the museum in the past, and to work toward decolonization of museum practice now and going forward. 

The Weisman's Truth and Repair work is informed by the materials inventory (which was completed in December 2022) and ongoing repatriation process of  Mimbres cultural belongings currently housed by WAM and the U of M. The Truth and Repair work at WAM involves close collaboration with an Indigenous-led advisory board, composed of local Indigenous artists and community members as well as members from Mimbres-descendent tribes from the American Southwest. WAM staff will also work with an Indigenous evaluators cohort, led by the arts-based evaluation firm Inspire to Change, who will help develop institution-wide evaluation practices built around Indigenous frameworks and culturally responsive methodologies.

This IMLS grant also helps support this new Native American Artist-in-Residence program at the Weisman, as well as a series of public conversations and topical programs exploring decolonization and Indigenization in museum practice. 

This project is part of WAM’s ongoing commitment to embed the principles of diversity, equity, access, and inclusion at the heart of its operations. WAM aims to shift the foundations of museum practice through power-sharing and reciprocal relationships, to provide a home for ongoing critical conversations and dialogue within the field, and develop a foundation for culturally responsive evaluation of WAM’s programs, exhibitions, operations, and educational offerings. 

Weisman Art Museum director Alejandra Peña Gutiérrez says, “University art museums like WAM occupy a unique space in the cultural landscape, situated simultaneously in the worlds of the arts and the academy. If we are to remain relevant as cultural institutions, we have a duty to develop practices that position museums as intentional actors in society, whose agency extends well beyond the museum walls, and even beyond the arts. We have a responsibility to leverage our position, as a bridge between the University and wider community, to work across social divisions and build connections that are essential for addressing social and historical injustices—including harms done in our own field, by our own institutions.” 

There are no openings currently. You can stay in touch via our e-newsletter, or follow us on Instagram and Facebook, to be notified when new positions are made available. 

The museum employs students in the WAM Shop and in visitor services, events, custodial, and other departments. In short, students really run the place. All open positions are listed on the University of Minnesota Office of Human Resources website.

Learn more about current student openings on the student page