McKnight Artists & Justice Research Project
Research in Action worked with the McKnight Foundation to explore how artists define, advance, and practice justice in their work and what supports artists need to continue that justice-oriented work. This project used the experiences shared by artists who are seeking, attaining, and participating in McKnight’s artists' programming to help shape programmatic change, create new supports, and assist the foundation and broader philanthropy in redefining measures of success and impact.
Partners
McKnight Foundation
The McKnight Foundation is a Minnesota-based family foundation that aims to advance a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and the planet thrive. McKnight has a legacy of leadership in the arts in Minnesota, and support for working artists and culture bearers has always been a mainstay of their arts grantmaking.
Minnesota Artists
For this project, we interviewed 25 artists — predominantly Black, Indigenous and people of color — from across the state of Minnesota about how they define and enact justice, and what supports they need to advance their critical work.
Problem
To ensure its Arts & Culture program is effectively funding Minnesota’s creative ecosystem, the McKnight Foundation needed to understand how artists define, and practice justice — and what supports they need to continue and grow their work.
Process
Research in Action conducted qualitative interviews with artists and culture bearers across the state of Minnesota, identifying key themes and shared experiences around funding and support. Those same artists participated in shared meaning making sessions to collectively process and co-create solutions for real change.
Solutions
Based on these in-depth discussions, RIA shared recommendations for McKnight and foundations more broadly, including, but not limited to:
specific changes to the application and review processes
shifts to funding priorities, commitments to long-term relationships
and increasing flexibility and embracing artistic partnerships.
Reports
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Executive Summary
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Full Report