MCBA/Jerome Foundation
Book Arts Mentorship Program

 
The MCBA/Jerome Book Arts Mentorship is a biennial program; application materials are released in late summer of even years (i.e. 2010). Please do not call or email MCBA to inquire when application materials will be available. If you would like to receive an email alert when application materials are available, please sign up using this form.
 

 

Minnesota Center for Book Arts is proud to announce the recipients of the MCBA/Jerome Book Arts Mentorship Series III:

  • poet Meryl DePasquale
  • sculptor and textile artist Caroline Keefe
  • photographer Ben Lansky
  • video artist Amanda Lovelee
  • choreographer, playwright and director Rachel Perlmeter
  • photographer and printmaker Keith Taylor

Three jurors, reflecting diverse perspectives and considerable expertise, reviewed 63 applications. Jurors included: Natasha Pestich, Minneapolis College of Art and Design Associate Professor of printmaking; Jeff Millikan, University of Minnesota Department of Art affiliate faculty; and Sheila Lynch-Salamon, poet, visual artist and recipient of MCBA/Jerome Book Arts Mentorship Series II. All were excited by the overall quality -- technical and conceptual -- of the applications received and, with much careful deliberation and discussion, made the final selection of six recipients.

Mentorship recipients will now embark on a year-long study of new artistic disciplines and one-on-one work with master artist mentors to develop their individual projects. The mentorship program will culminate in an exhibition in MCBA's main gallery in November 2011.

 

About the Book Arts Mentorship

The Book Arts Mentorship is an artist development program aimed at introducing book arts to emerging artists whose primary medium is in another discipline. There are many reasons to explore book arts as a new artistic medium. As a highly malleable and versatile form of expression, book arts extend the possibilities of other art forms. You can create a conceptual space. Experiment with sequence and visual or verbal narrative. Use book art forms to extend, explore, document or reexamine work produced in other artistic disciplines.

Mentorships will be awarded to six emerging artists selected from the following disciplines:

  • Literary arts (poetry, spoken word, fiction, creative nonfiction)
  • Visual arts (drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, new media)
  • Music (composing)
  • Film and video (video/filmmakers, animation)
  • Theater (playwriting)
  • Dance (choreography)

Only originating artists in these disciplines are eligible for Jerome support; musicians, actors, directors, dancers, screenwriters and other such categories are not eligible.

Artists selected for the Book Arts Mentorship will receive:

  • $1,500 for the purchase of materials and to supplement living or travel costs
    (subject to state and federal income tax guidelines)
  • Three months of basic book arts training at MCBA
  • Free tuition to participate in up to three workshops offered by MCBA through its regular adult education schedule (artist pays only supply fees)
  • The ability to meet regularly with a mentor and attend master classes that provide contextual and historical foundations for book arts
  • One year free membership to MCBA
  • Recognition through a culminating exhibition in MCBA’s main gallery

 

Eligibility

Applications must be submitted by emerging artists. An "emerging artist" is generally defined as an artist who shows significant potential, yet has not received a commensurate amount of professional recognition regardless of age or recognition in other fields. MCBA and the Jerome Foundation reserve the right to review and determine any applicant status as "emerging" or "established".

Applicants must reside in Minnesota and must have held legal residency in Minnesota for the preceding year.

You are not eligible to apply for the Book Arts Mentorship if you are:

  • a student, full-time or part-time
  • an MCBA artist-in-residence or staff member
  • an artist who already uses book arts as a primary form for your creative expression
  • an artist who is already well-established in your field of work
  • a prior recipient of any MCBA / Jerome Book Arts Mentorship or Fellowship

 

 

If you would like to be alerted when the next round of application materials are available, subscribe for the Mentorship e-mail alert here.

If you have any other questions about the Book Arts Mentorships, please contact MCBA Artistic Director Jeff Rathermel by phone at 612-215-2526 or by email at jrathermel@mnbookarts.org. To learn more about Minnesota Center for Book Arts, visit us in person, call 612-215-2520 or explore mnbookarts.org.

Since 1985 the Jerome Foundation has helped emerging artists push the boundaries of contemporary book arts by supporting the creation of new book works. In ten series of fellowships and three series of mentorships to-date, Minnesota artists of diverse disciplines -- including printers, papermakers, binders, painters, sculptors, poets, photographers, essayists and others -- have created projects ranging from exquisitely crafted fine press volumes to documented performances to one-of-a-kind installations that challenge and redefine conventional notions of book form and content.

 

 

Minnesota Center for Book Arts
is open to the public seven days a week:
Mon, Wed - Sat: 10am to 5pm
Tues: 10am to 9pm
Sun: 12 to 4pm

Minnesota Center for Book Arts is located in
the Open Book Building in downtown Minneapolis:
1011 Washington Ave S, Suite 100
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Phone: 612.215.2520
Fax: 612.215.2545
Email: mcba@mnbookarts.org

© 2011 Minnesota Center for Book Arts