Highpoint’s Teaching Artist Learning Community is a paid program designed for early-career Minnesota-based BIPOC artists who are interested in growing their teaching practice in printmaking. The program aims to encourage teaching artists to develop an expansive and community-centered approach to printmaking instruction through a learning community model. The intention of a learning community is to create  a space where members exchange ideas, build collaborative knowledge, and support each other on the learning journey. The Teaching Artist Learning Community promotes artistic growth and professional development through self-directed learning opportunities and peer instruction.

Through an application process, five participants will be selected and will meet in person for 15 weeks to gain skills in the technical, pedagogical, and professional aspects of being a teaching artist. Weekly meetings will support participating teaching artists as they work towards a culminating project: developing and leading a printmaking workshop at Highpoint. 

Participants can expect to gain basic knowledge of relief, drypoint, and monotype printmaking processes during the 15-week learning program and can expand their knowledge through self-designed learning opportunities, including free tuition for Highpoint’s adult classes and a free 6-month membership to artist cooperative printshop. 

Participant Benefits:

• $1,200 stipend (To be distributed in two installments throughout the program for attending weekly learning meetings and class development.)
• $140 stipend for teaching a workshop at Highpoint.
• Access to materials and equipment to support artistic growth.
• 6 months of free access to the cooperative printshop at Highpoint (the shop is fully equipped to support intaglio, relief, lithography, screenprinting, monotype, and more). This benefit is available after completing the ten week training portion of the program. 
• Mentorship for teaching and artistic growth. 
• An opportunity to be a part of a thriving, intergenerational artist cooperative studio.
• Technical support.
• Access to Highpoint’s Sampler Session adult printmaking classes (tuition-free). Sampler Sessions are held on Thursdays from 6 - 9 p.m.
• And more!

Timeline:

• Monday, June 30:       Applications due
• Thursday, July 17:                 Selected applicants notified
• Sunday, August 10:          Weekly in-person sessions begin — Sundays, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
• Sunday, November 16:       Weekly meetings conclude
• March/April 2026:       Teach workshop at Highpoint

Participant Responsibilities:

• Attend 15 sessions which take place on Sundays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m between August 10 to November 16  (Transportation is not provided).
• Commit between 2-5 hours a week outside of class time to completing related work or activities  
• Develop and teach a workshop at Highpoint in March or April 2026 (and will be paid an additional fee for this commitment).
• Adhere to cooperative printshop code of conduct and policies (procedures, health, and safety)
• Participate in program evaluation following their completion of program activities.

Program Coordinator:

This program is led by Nancy Ariza. Nancy is a Mexican American printmaker, educator, and arts administrator. With over 10 years of experience developing and leading arts programming throughout the state of Minnesota, Nancy has held positions at Minnesota Museum of American Art, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Walker Art Center, Highpoint Center for Printmaking, and Springboard for the Arts. 

She holds BFA in Printmaking and BA in Art History from Minnesota State University, Mankato, as well as a MA in Education and Graduate Certificate in Culturally Responsive Teaching from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Three artists are selected annually to participate in the Jerome Early Career Printmakers Residency at Highpoint. Thanks to the generous support of the Jerome Foundation, this program has existed since 2003 and has served more than 50 early career printmakers. The year-long residency begins in September, 2025 and features an exhibition that opens at the end of July, 2026.

Jerome Residents at Highpoint Center for Printmaking receive:

• Twelve months of access to Highpoint's cooperative printshop
• Technical support from the residency coordinator
• Storage space for tools and materials
• Use of inks and standard shop supplies
• $500 credit toward Highpoint classes and/or individual instruction
• Group discussions and critiques (4)
• Group exhibition and public reception 
• Professional digital documentation of exhibition
• $3,500 stipend

Timeline:

June 16 - Applications due 

July 30 - Applicant notification

September 2 - Residency begins

July 31, 2026 - Exhibition opens

August 31, 2026 - Residency concludes

September 12, 2026 - Exhibition concludes