“Accessibility in the arts and recognition of disabled Midwestern visual artists”
An award that recognizes and celebrates the work of nine mid-career disabled Midwestern visual artists each year.
Visual artists with disabilities are doing incredible work around the Midwest. This award recognizes and celebrates their efforts and encourages their future work. It also advocates for the arts being viable employment for disabled people, which is often overlooked by funding agencies supporting people with disabilities.
Each year, we celebrate nine awardees, one for each state in Arts Midwest's region. Each awardee receives a $3,000 check award. There are no requirements for how awarded funds are used, though awardees are encouraged to use it toward growing their art career. Awardees' submitted work will be featured on the Arts Midwest website and social media channels.
Established in 2022, the Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities award was created in honor of the late James Edward Scherbarth, an award-winning visual artist, visual arts teacher, and advocate of arts access who lived and worked in Minnesota. Jim believed that creativity lives in everyone, and he dedicated his career to helping people express themselves through the visual arts.
Eligibility
- Live in the Midwest: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, or the Native Nations and communities that share this geography. Artists based outside of this geography are not eligible.
- Have a disability/identify as disabled: disability communities are not a singular group, and artists may self-identify. We welcome a self or medical diagnosis understanding of disability, including cognitive, learning, and developmental disabilities; emotional or mental health disabilities; and/or physical disabilities.
- Create 2D or 3D visual art: examples of 2D art include but are not limited to drawing, painting, printmaking, photography. Examples of 3D art include but are not limited to ceramics, sculpture, glass. Film and video are not eligible formats.
- Are mid-career: creating artwork and building an artistic career for 5-15 years.
- Are not a past recipient of the Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities.
Only one application per individual will be accepted.
What are the Project Requirements?
There are no requirements for how awarded funds are used, though awardees are encouraged to use it toward growing their art career.
Awardees' submitted work will be featured on the Arts Midwest website. Arts Midwest may also feature awardees and their work in a story on the Arts Midwest website.
How to Apply
- Read the Guidelines - download a copy of the guidelines, which includes all the application questions.
- Prepare Your Application - visit the grants portal, SmartSimple, to begin this process.
- Complete the application form - submit your application via SmartSimple by December 8, 2026, at noon (12 pm) Central Time.
Application Questions
- Contact Information
- Artist Statement: Describe your work and your goals as an artist. How is your work an expression of those goals? (200 words or fewer)
- Community Statement: Community can mean different things to different people. How does your work relate to community? You may share a reflection, story, quote, etc. (200 words or fewer)
- Growth Statement: How has your work grown over the years, and how do you think your art will continue to grow? (200 words or fewer)
- Please upload 3-5 images/videos of your artwork that you'd like to be considered by the panel. As possible, please submit work from the past 5 years. The following file types are allowed: jpg, gif, tiff, png, mov, mp4.
- Did you use AI to help you complete your application? If yes, please describe how you used AI.
Review Criteria
Applications are reviewed by an independent panel using three equally weighted criteria:
- Artistic intentions
- Community connection
- Mid-career artist status
Accessibility
We want this opportunity to be accessible to all and will work with applicants who need to use other means to apply. Alternative application options may include, but are not limited to:
- Using an adapted form in Microsoft Word (available upon request)
- Sharing a video application (available upon request)
- Working over the phone with a grants manager on any questions about the application
Please contact John Kaiser, grants manager, as early as possible with accessibility requests. We may not be able to accommodate requests made after December 1, 2026.
