RIVER VALLEY RIPPLE (RVR):

A SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) and The YES! House invite applications for the 2026 River Valley Ripple (RVR) Artist Residency. This program uplifts and supports rural artists from Southwest Minnesota (SWMN) by providing time, space, and resources to develop and/or expand their artistic practice. Artists can be at any stage—from emerging to established.

To be eligible, artists must reside in one of the 18 counties of Southwestern Minnesota (see map of the region here). Four artists will be selected for this unique, close-to-home opportunity to focus on creative work, connect with a regional network of artists and community partners, and share their practice with friends, family, and neighbors through a public “artist salon” showcase.

Each participating artist will spend two weeks at The YES! House in Granite Falls, MN. The residency includes:

  • A living space and small studio space

  • A welcome-to-town meal at a local establishment

  • A downtown walking tour

  • Introductions to fellow artists, community partners, and local residents

  • Support in promoting and hosting a public artist salon

Artists will also receive a $1,000 stipend to support living costs during the residency and up to $250 for supplies and materials. Selected RVR artists will schedule their residency dates in collaboration with DoPT staff between February–May 2026.

The RVR Artist Residency is open to all artists and all disciplines. DoPT intentionally defines “artist” broadly—anyone who is creative, resourceful, inspired, and driven to collaborate across all sectors of public, private, and civic life. Eligible practices include (but are not limited to): visual, performance, multimedia, literary, social/civic, culinary, land, traditional, folk, and textile. We welcome applications from culture bearers, craftspeople, artisans, hobbyists, contractors, and handypeople. For details about support and scheduling, see the FAQ section below.

Native, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), and LGBTQ2IA+ artists and culture bearers, as well as artists for whom this would be their first residency experience, are encouraged to apply. For more information on eligibility, see the FAQ section below.

This RVR Artist Residency is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

This is a self-directed residency program designed for individuals who are ready to step further into their identity as an artist and who want the time and space to focus on their practice.

Apply Here

Program Details

Selected artists will receive: 

  • Two weeks of dedicated space and time at The YES! House to focus on their artistic practice, skill development, and/or creative project(s) of their choice

  • $1,000 stipend for the duration of the two-week residency

  • Living accommodations in a one-bedroom apartment at The YES! House (726 Prentice St., Granite Falls, MN)

  • Space to work on creative projects, including:

    • A small office/studio area in the one-bedroom apartment

    • A small shared working space with laundry and a utility sink

    • Access to the main floor gathering space and other areas of The YES! House, as available*

  • A welcome-to-town meal at a local establishment and a downtown walking tour

  • Introductions to fellow artists, community partners, and local residents

  • Staff support in promoting and hosting a public artist salon event

  • An artist feature shared on the DoPT blog, newsletter, and social media

  • Documentation (videos and/or photos) of their work

  • A post-residency gathering to meet the other RVR artists


Selected artists will be expected to:

  • Be present for two weeks of onsite, self-directed residency time at The YES! House (with flexibility for offsite obligations and other personal or professional responsibilities as needed)

  • Provide their own travel to and from Granite Falls, as well as local transportation during the residency

  • Participate in pre-residency planning, an artist feature interview, and post-residency feedback, including a video interview

  • Plan and carry out one public artist salon event (with support from DoPT staff)

    • This could take the form of an artist talk, meet-and-greet, works-in-progress sharing, exhibition, performance, or another format mutually agreed upon with DoPT staff

*Please Note: Some areas of The YES! House remain an active construction site, and access to certain spaces may be restricted for safety or scheduling reasons. The main floor is also a public gathering and event space that may be in use during open hours and community events. See FAQ for more information.

Selection Process & Program Timeline

October 10, 2025

  • Call for Artists application opens

October 28, 2025

November 10, 2025

  • Applications due by 11:59 PM CT

Mid-to-Late November 2025

  • Artist selection process & applicant notifications

Early December 2025

  • Public announcement of selected artists

December 2025

  • Residency preparation and planning calls with artists

February–May 2026

  • Artist residencies (each selected artist will complete a two-week residency during this period)

June–July 2026

  • Program feedback, wrap-up, and RVR Artist Gathering

Program Eligibility

Eligible artists must:

  • Reside within one of the 18 counties of Southwest Minnesota (see regional map here): Big Stone, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray,  Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Swift, and Yellow Medicine counties—as well as the tribal nations that share this geography: Upper Sioux Community Pezihutazizi Oyate and Lower Sioux Indian Community

  • Be over the age of 18

  • Identify as an emerging or established artist (see DoPT’s broad definition of artist in the FAQ section)

  • Be interested in sharing their work and/or creative process with the public

Program Selection Criteria

RVR Artists will be selected by a committee of DoPT staff and members of the Creative Collaborative Team (Granite Falls community residents) based on the following criteria:

  • Artistic Growth: Applicant clearly articulates personal or artistic goals and/or shows potential for growth through participation in the residency

  • Readiness: Applicant demonstrates why this residency is the right fit for their artistic growth at this stage in their life, career, and/or work

  • Capacity: Applicant demonstrates the availability and commitment to fully participate in the residency

Virtual Information Session

A virtual information session about the RVR Artist Residency will be held on October 28, 2025, from 12–1 PM CDT. A recording will be available on our website following the event.

Register for the Virtual Info Session

Questions or Comments: Please contact Luwaina Al-Otaibi, The YES! House Program Director at luwaina@publictransformation.org

 
 
Meet former River Valley Ripple Artist Residency cohorts
 

Ready to Apply?

Access the River Valley Ripple Artist Residency Application

Frequently Asked Questions

We highly recommend that you review the FAQs before submitting your application or reaching out to program staff—you may find the answers you need here!

If your question isn’t answered there, please reach out to The YES! House Program Director, Luwaina Al-Otaibi, at luwaina@publictransformation.org.

  • An emerging artist has actively been creating their own artistic work outside of a degree-granting program for 2–7 years, regardless of formal training or whether they identify as an artist. Artists with less than 2 years of experience who are ready to step into their artistic identity are also encouraged to apply.


    An established artist has been creating work for more than 7 years outside of a degree-granting program, regardless of formal training or the self-taught nature of your practice. This residency also welcomes artists who want to explore a new medium (for example, a visual artist focusing on writing during the residency.)

  • Yes. Based on feedback from past RVR artists, two weeks is the ideal length to get the most out of the residency. Scheduling will be coordinated with selected artists in December, and residencies will take place between February and May 2026.

  • No, you do not need to have a project in mind! The residency can be used for creative growth, professional development (e.g., website or business planning, networking), finishing existing work, brainstorming new work, or other artistic goals. This is your time to focus on your creative practice!

  • The YES! House Program Director will be working onsite during your residency. The Program Director will be your main point of contact, work with you to schedule your residency, and lead the welcome walking tour and dinner. Other representatives of The YES! House (staff, independent contractors, or volunteers) may also greet you and show you around your living and work spaces, as well as support your public artist salon event.

    Overall, this is primarily a self-directed residency. Artists are responsible for their own time management, creative projects, and goals.

    • A private, furnished one-bedroom apartment with full bath and full kitchen

    • Small office/studio space 

    • Linens (sheets, bedding, towels, washcloths), cookware, dishware, appliances, and a coffee pot

    • Shared working space with a utility sink, microwave, washer, and dryer

    • Access to The YES! House main floor for salons and other uses (when available)


    Please Note: Some areas of The YES! House remain under construction, and access may be restricted. The main floor will continue to host community events during residencies. We will communicate these schedules in advance to the best of our ability to help with planning.

  • The YES! House apartments are not accessible by wheelchair; however, if an artist has any accessibility requirements or requests, we will do our best to accommodate. Please specify accessibility needs in the application. 

  • You will design your salon event—where you will share your work or artistic process with the public—in collaboration with the Program Coordinator. Options include artist talks, workshops, exhibitions, performances, readings, or works-in-progress showings. This can be done at any time during your residency. If desired, documentation (photos/videos) of the artist’s work will be provided and can be used for future work samples.

  • Selected artists may be reimbursed up to $250 for supplies and materials needed to support their residency goals. Reimbursements are non-taxable if receipts are submitted with the expenses.

  • The $1,000 stipend is flexible and can be used however you choose—food, gas, recreation, comfort, etc. DoPT does not track how you spend it; it can be spent or saved however you see fit!

    Please note: This stipend is considered taxable income, so you will want to reserve a portion for taxes. We can share some basic best practices, but we recommend consulting a tax professional for official advice.

  • Ensembles may be considered, but the program is designed for individuals. We are only able to offer one $1,000 stipend and a one-bedroom apartment.

  • Yes, as long as a one-bedroom apartment suits your family’s needs.

  • Service/support animals are welcome. For other pets, we ask that you seek alternative care for your furry friend(s). However, we do not want this to be a hindrance to your artistic growth. If you cannot find alternative care, we may consider accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Because many artists will share this space over time, we need to balance apartment wear-and-tear and potential allergy concerns. Please include requests in your application.

  • Yes! Artists keep 100% of proceeds. We encourage sharing your art and growing your audience as part of your residency.

  • Yes! However, priority will be given to first-time residency participants to reach as many SWMN artists as possible.

  • BIPOC (pronounced “bye-pock”) stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. This is a term specific to the United States, intended to center the experiences of Black and Indigenous groups while building solidarity across communities of color. This term can be complicated because it may incorrectly imply that the experiences of all non-white people are the same. It can be a useful term when specificity is not available; however, whenever possible, we encourage the use of precise and appropriate cultural and identity terminology.

  • LGBTQ2IA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual, and other identities that fall outside of cisgender and heterosexual paradigms. This acronym includes some sexual orientations and some gender identities; however, these are separate concepts. To learn more, see The Genderbread Person.

 

This RVR Artist Residency is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.