Art Faculty Member Named 2024 McKnight Visual Artist Fellow

August 14, 2024

Anoka-Ramsey Community College art faculty member Rachel Breen has been named a recipient of the 2024 McKnight Fellowship for Visual Artists.

Breen is one of six recipients, selected from 141 applicant by a national panel of arts professionals. Her works tend to be in the medium of clothing, typically used, creating pieces to spark conversations about topics including labor rights and climate change.

“I'm so honored by the recognition of this fellowship,” Breen says. “The opportunity to be a part of an amazing cohort of local artists, engage with national curators and have support for my studio practice is unparalleled. I'm excited to be able to share my experiences and accomplishments with students and faculty at Anoka Ramsey.”

About the McKnight Artist Fellowships Program

Designed to support mid-career Minnesota artists, the McKnight Visual Artist Fellowships provide each recipient with a $25,000 stipend, public recognition, professional encouragement from national curators, an opportunity to participate in a discussion series, and a residency facilitated by the Artist Communities Alliance (ACA). The fellowships are funded by a grant from the McKnight Foundation and administered by Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

Founded on the belief that Minnesota thrives when its artists thrive, the McKnight Foundation’s arts program is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the country. Support for individual working Minnesota artists has been a cornerstone of the program since it began in 1982. The McKnight Artist Fellowships Program provides annual, unrestricted cash awards to outstanding mid-career Minnesota artists in fourteen different creative disciplines. Program partner organizations administer the fellowships and structure them to respond to the unique challenges of different disciplines. Currently the foundation contributes about $2.8 million per year to its statewide fellowships. For more information, visit McKnight Artist Fellowships.

About the McKnight Foundation

The McKnight Foundation is a Minnesota-based family foundation that advances a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and the planet thrive. Established in 1953, the McKnight Foundation is deeply committed to advancing climate solutions in the Midwest; building an equitable and inclusive Minnesota; and supporting the arts in Minnesota, neuroscience, and international crop research.