Fellowship for outstanding professional artists awarded to Nikki Schneider

June 12, 2017

Anoka-Ramsey Community College Art Instructor Nikki Schneider was recently selected to receive a $7,000 Fellowship Grant from the East Central Regional Arts Council (ECRAC).

The fellowship, awarded to up to three artists each year, recognizes outstanding professional artists and funds their work at various stages in their professional careers. Designed in partnership with the McKnight Foundation, the fellowships allow artists to set aside time to work, purchase supplies and materials, undertake advanced study not related to a degree, or pursue other career goals.

“For me, receiving this fellowship is a huge honor,” said Schneider. “It is very hard to put into words what it all means to me.”

Schneider said artists often second guess themselves and their work, because art is so subjective. She is constantly evaluating the quality of her work, her artistic choices, and whether she is working in the best medium at any given time. She said the recognition from being chosen to receive the fellowship helps quite those concerns.

“The art project that I get to do now is to set up my own print shop at home,” said Schneider. “One of my purchases will be a Takach Press, a piece of equipment I would not have been able to afford without this fellowship. Having my own print shop will allow me to work on my prints whenever I want. It will also be nice to leave everything sitting out, and live with my research to help germinate new ideas!”

The East Central Regional Arts Council is a nonprofit organization that promotes and encourages the arts in East Central Minnesota. The organization offers grant funding for art projects by individuals and groups in the region, as well as providing technical assistance to those interested in the arts. ECRAC programs are funded in part by the McKnight Foundation, and they are also funded in part by appropriations from the Minnesota State Legislature, through the Clean Water, Land & Legacy Amendment.

For the ECRAC Fellowship Grant, the grant period opened in May, and Schneider will have a full year to complete her grant activities. She plans to use this opportunity to build upon her artistic career, with the goal of sharing her art prints more broadly and seeking gallery representation.

“Professionally, I will be able to make more and bigger editions of my prints to send out, with the goal of getting gallery representation,” said Schneider.

For more information about ECRAC, visit http://www.ecrac.org/.