Teaching Artist Learning Community

The 2023-2024 application cycle is currently closed.

We are excited to announce the 2023-24 artists: Lynda Acosta, Constanza Carballo, Zamara Cuyún, Boniat Ephrem, Meher Khan, and Whitney Terrill.

About the Program:

Highpoint’s Teaching Artist Learning Community is a paid program designed for early-career Minnesota-based BIPOC artists who are interested in growing their teaching practice in printmaking. The program aims to encourage teaching artists to develop an expansive and community-centered approach to printmaking instruction through a learning community model. A traditional learning community creates a space where members exchange ideas, build collaborative knowledge, and support each other on the learning journey. The Teaching Artist Learning Community promotes artistic growth and professional development through self-directed learning opportunities and peer instruction.

Through an application process, six participants will be selected and will meet in person for 9 weeks to gain skills in the technical, pedagogical, and professional aspects of being a teaching artist. The weekly meetings will support the participating teaching artists as they work towards a culminating project: developing and leading their own workshop at Highpoint. Participants should expect to lead their class in March/April 2024. Highpoint will promote the classes through social media and newsletters. 

Participants can also expect to gain basic knowledge of relief, drypoint, and monotype printmaking processes during the 9-week learning program and can expand their knowledge through self-design learning opportunities, including free tuition for Highpoint’s adult classes, a free 6-month membership to artist cooperative printshop, and private instruction from staff.

PARTICIPANT  BENEFITS:

• $2,500 stipend to be distributed in installments throughout the program for attending weekly learning meetings, class development, and teaching a workshop at Highpoint. 

• Up to $400 materials and resource stipend for workshop development. Material funds are available as requested. 

• 6 months of free access to the cooperative printshop at Highpoint (the shop is fully equipped to support intaglio, relief, lithography, screenprinting, monotype, and more). This benefit is immediately available to participants with demonstrated printmaking experience or after completing the technical aspects of the program. 

• Mentorship for teaching and artistic growth. 

• Technical support, including personal instruction.

• Access to Highpoint’s Sampler Session adult printmaking classes (tuition-free). Sampler Sessions are held on Thursdays from 6 - 9 p.m.

• Opportunity to show work in Highpoint’s Threshold Gallery. 

• And more!

Timeline:

• Monday, October 9: Applications due

• Wednesday, October 11: Selected applicants notified

• Sunday, October 15:    Weekly meetings begin — Sundays, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. with flexible studio access from 2 - 5 p.m. 

• Sunday, December 17: Weekly meetings conclude

• March/April 2024: Teach workshop at Highpoint

• April - June 2024: Group exhibition in Threshold Gallery

PARTICIPANT RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Attend nine meetings from October 15 to December 17 on Sundays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. with flexible studio access from 2 - 5 p.m. 

• Participants should expect to spend between 2-5 hours a week on outside work. 

• Develop and teach a workshop at Highpoint.

• Adhere to cooperative printshop policies (procedures, health, and safety)

• Participate in program evaluation.

Application Process:

To begin your application, click on the “Apply Now” button and you’ll be redirected to a Google Form. Applicants are welcome to write their responses or submit a video or audio recording of their verbal responses to the application questions. We also acknowledge that English is not everyone’s first language, so no pressure on grammar and spelling in the application process. Culturally and linguistically diverse artists with little to no teaching and/or printmaking experience are highly encouraged to apply. Applications will be evaluated by programming staff.

This program is led by Nancy Ariza, Highpoint’s Artist Education Programs Manager. Applicants may meet in person or virtually with Nancy during office hours (Monday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Tuesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to ask questions and receive feedback on their application materials through Friday, October 6. Contact Nancy at nancy@highpointprintmaking.org or 612.871.1326 to schedule a meeting.