The East Central Regional Arts Council (ECRAC) Essential Artist Award program is designed with McKnight Foundation funding to recognize, reward, and encourage outstanding professional artists. The Council will fund artists at various stages in their professional careers. These Awards will allow artists to set aside time to work, purchase supplies and materials, undertake advanced study (not related to a degree), or to pursue other artistic career goals. The Essential Artist Award program is open to artists in all artistic mediums.
An applicant must also be a creator in the visual, literary, or performing arts (including painters; print makers; sculptors; design, craft, film/video, interdisciplinary, and performance artists; playwrights, actors, directors, composers, musicians, singers, poets, fiction and creative nonfiction writers); applying in a single discipline; and applying as an individual.