Franconia Sculpture Park
Franconia Sculpture Park is an innovative community arts organization that provides residence and work space to emerging and established artists. A lively schedule of programs and events for art lovers of all ages includes 3D Concert Series, Kids Make Sculpture Workshops, Community Collaboration Hot Metal Pour, artist-led tours , the Fall Annual Art & Artists Celebration, and specific programs for at-risk youth.
Different programmes (with different eligibility criteria and support) are offered by Franconia - please refer regularly to their website.
The fellowship programs: Artists working in three-dimensions are invited to submit ambitious project proposals for the FSP/Jerome Fellowship program (open to MN & NYC artists) or the Open Studio Fellowship Program (open to US artists). Sculpture, site-specific, multi-media, and installation work are considered. Artists are in residence at Franconia during their fellowship. Residencies are minimum of 4 weeks and up to 3 months depending on the nature of the project. Up to 10 artists or artist teams will be awarded funding support, ranging from $3,500 to $5,000, to create and exhibit new work in a public outdoor setting.
The intern artist fellowship program: Franconia invites dedicated, career-bound, and emerging artists to apply for the intern artist fellowship program. Intern artists are provided room, board, and studio space in exchange for daily support in park & exhibition maintenance; education & outreach programming; and fellowship artist assistance. Intern artists are in residence 2 to 3 months, are provided the opportunity to create a new sculpture for exhibition at Franconia.
The Hot Iron Program: Each year Franconia transforms the outdoor studio into a foundry for a month during the summer. Through a collaborative effort the Hot Metal Residency culminates in two iron pours with furnaces melting approximately 8,000lbs of iron. The first pour helps the pour crew become a cohesive team and produces the iron tile sculptures the public creates during mold-making workshops. The second pour takes place in the public outdoor studio space and produces the artist’s cast iron sculptures for exhibit at the park.
While in residence, artists live in a communal setting in a ten-bedroom farmhouse, receive studio space in the 7,000 sq. ft. outdoor work area, and have access to tools and equipment necessary to produce large-scale artwork. Click here to read more about Franconia’s facilities, equipment, and working/living environment.
Communal living in a 9 bedroom farmhouse. Families are welcome.
The park and artists’ residence is located on 25-acres in the scenic St. Croix River Valley, just 45 miles northeast of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, USA.