2026–2027 Artist-Activist in Residence Application
Diamond Lake Lutheran Church
5760 Portland Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55417
612.866.2579 I www.dllc.org
Residency Timeframe: Sept. 1, 2026 – May 30, 2027
Hours: 5-10 hours per week, varying with project timelines and the rhythm of the church year
Compensation: $9,000 directly to the Artist-Activist ($1,000/month), plus a $6,000 fund to support the full scope of the residency, including materials and supplies, workshop and event costs, creative production needs, and accessibility and hospitality
About the Residency
Diamond Lake Lutheran Church is seeking an Artist-Activist to spend nine months embedded in the life of our congregation and the wider community. This residency is rooted in our belief that art is a catalyst for social change — capable of surfacing truth, disrupting harmful narratives, and inviting collective action. The Artist-Activist in Residence will bring their creative practice into worship, community gatherings, and public engagement, working alongside congregation members and neighbors to imagine and enact a more just and compassionate world. We are looking for someone who wants to build real relationships, take creative risks, and help a faith community show up more boldly in the world it serves.
We welcome applications from Artist-Activists who specialize in any form of art, including but not limited to visual art, photography, sculpture, fiber arts, murals, spoken or written word, music, dance, theater, film, and installation art.Creative contributions may include visual installations, reflections, performances, or other work connected to themes of justice, community, and the rhythms of the congregation’s life together.
About Diamond Lake Lutheran
Diamond Lake Lutheran is a progressive, LQBTQIA2S+ affirming, multigenerational ELCA congregation located in the Diamond Lake neighborhood of south Minneapolis. We are a community committed to a wide welcome and to the flourishing of our neighbors — one that takes seriously both God’s call to worship and God’s invitation to building a kin-dom of justice and joy. Our life together includes Sunday morning worship, Wednesday evening Lakeview Forums with a shared community meal, and ongoing partnerships with local organizations engaged in justice work. We are a congregation willing to be challenged, to sit with discomfort, and to be changed — by art, by artists, and by the neighbors and ideas we encounter along the way.
Responsibilities and Expectations
Artistic Offerings and Collaboration in Worship
- Participation in Sunday worship services at 9:30 am, with the frequency and nature of involvement shaped by the artist’s medium and determined collaboratively before and throughout the residency
- Involvement that varies with the season or project in Wednesday evening Lakeview Forums, which include a community meal at 5:30 pm and programming at 6:30 pm
- Occasional participation in special services or events as requested
Community-Building Through the Arts and Activism
- Design and facilitate hands-on workshops open to all ages, centering themes of storytelling, identity, memory, and belonging
- Lead or co-facilitate dialogue sessions that pair creative practice with guided conversation around topics such as identity, race, history, justice, and community
- Develop a collaborative art project — such as a mural, installation, performance, or exhibition — created in partnership with congregation members and community organizations, and intended to serve as a lasting witness to our shared values
- Engage in public-facing events or exhibitions that draw attention to issues such as racial inequity, housing instability, or environmental harm, and that strengthen relationships between the church, local organizations, and the wider community
Administrative Duties
- Write or collaborate with the editor of The Ripple on one article per month.
- Attend occasional staff meetings.
- Check in one to two times a month with the Residency Guidance Team, a small group of congregation members and staff dedicated to supporting the Artist-Activist, keeping the work connected to the wider community, and ensuring the residency is a good experience for everyone. The team is a resource, not an oversight committee.
Space Use
- Diamond Lake Lutheran will provide studio space as needed, as well as exhibition or performance spaced when the work calls for it
- Parking is accessible and free of charge
Selection Criteria Will Include:
- Demonstrated experience as both an artist and an activist or community-engaged practitioner
- A body of work that addresses social justice, community storytelling, or healing
- Experience facilitating workshops or dialogue across diverse groups
- Commitment to working collaboratively and respectfully with faith communities, though applicants do not need to identify as Lutheran or Christian
- Willingness to engage church members and the wider community
- Applicants should be based in the Twin Cities metro area
- Applicants should not be current members of Diamond Lake Lutheran Church
To Apply
Please submit the following materials to Kristine Spanier, Director of Communications, at Kristine.spanier@dllc.org. PDF format is preferred for the first three items. However, if you prefer to introduce yourself with a video instead of a cover letter, please submit one that addresses the same topics outlined in the cover letter prompts below.
- A CV or resume
- A cover letter describing your interest in this residency, your relevant experience, and your vision for what you hope to create or explore during your time with us. Please also let us know what resources or support Diamond Lake Lutheran would need to provide for you to do your best work.
- Work samples which may be submitted as attachments or shared via a link to a website, Google Drive, YouTube, or any other accessible platform
- Contact information for up to three references
Applications will be accepted June 1–30, 2026, and interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. A final decision will be reached no later than July 17, 2026.
We encourage all applicants to visit Diamond Lake Lutheran — join us for worship in person or online, walk the building, and get a feel for who we are. You may also learn more about us at our website, www.dllc.org. The strongest applications will reflect a familiarity with our community and offer concrete ideas for how your art form could enrich the lives of our congregation and the wider community.
The building is open every Sunday morning from 8:30 am –12 pm. To arrange a visit outside those hours, or if you have any other questions related to the Artist-Activist Residency, please contact Kristine Spanier at Kristine.spanier@dllc.org.
The Artist-Activist Residency is fully funded by a Ministry Imagination grant from the Minneapolis Area Synod of the ELCA.
