Reflective Artist Award
The Minnesota Reflective Artist Award (MRAA) is an opportunity to recognize accomplished student work in the arts; work that is also supported by reflective thinking. This award is open to all Minnesota students in grades 11 and 12.
Detailed information for the 2025-2026 Minnesota Reflective Artist Award can be downloaded here including project examples, the journal, rubrics, and more.
What is the MRAA?
-
The MRAA is a portfolio developed DURING THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR BY STUDENTS IN GRADE 11 OR 12.
-
Work is completed in school in one arts area—dance, theater, music, visual arts, media arts.
-
The portfolio includes two selected products, each with an accompanying journal, plus a culminating reflection.
-
Projects represent the artistic processes of Connect plus Create, Respond, and Perform or Present.
What’s required in the journals?
There are four components in each journal and responses can be documented by writing, drawing, sketching, or audio recording.
1. Background and contextual information for your project.
2. Frequent journal reflections using one or more of these questions:
-
What are you thinking about and working on today?
-
How did your work move forward today?
-
What challenges are you facing?
-
How will you solve the challenges? Are there options?
-
What’s next? Who might you ask for help? What research can you do on your own?
-
What do you plan to work on next/tomorrow?
3. Weekly reflection on Competencies of Practice:
-
Creative Practice
-
Individual Practice
-
Thinking Practice
-
Relational Practice
4. An artist’s statement or program notes.
A CULMINATING REFLECTION BRINGS TOGETHER EXPERIENCES, INSIGHTS, AND GROWTH OVER THE TWO PROJECTS.
Why? What’s in it for students?
-
STATE LEVEL RECOGNITION FOR UNIQUE LEARNING IN THE ARTS.
-
The opportunity to deepen skills that transfer to college and career including goal setting, persistence, envisioning, reflecting, communicating, analyzing, evaluating, problem solving, considering various points of view, initiative, and/or working independently.
-
Engaging deeply in practices of the artistic field.
-
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ONESELF AS AN ARTIST, MUSICIAN, DANCER, ACTOR, DIRECTOR, AND MORE!
What’s in it for teachers?
-
The opportunity to deepen skills students are developing through their work in the arts.
-
Recognition of student achievement in the arts at the state level.
-
Support for framing teaching and learning through the 2018 Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in the Arts.
What is a teacher’s role in the MRAA?
-
To serve as an advisor to students working on the MRAA with regular check-ins.
MRAA Timeline
-
PORTFOLIOS MAY BE SUBMITTED* AT ANY TIME DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT ARE DUE NO LATER THAN THE SECOND FRIDAY OF APRIL. IN 2026, THIS IS FRIDAY, APRIL 10. EACH PORTFOLIO WILL HAVE:
-
PORTFOLIO COVER PAGE, AND
-
TWO JOURNALS WITH ACCOMPANYING PROJECTS, AND
-
THE CULMINATING REFLECTION.
-
* See the Handbook for detailed submission guidelines.
MRAA Scoring Rubric
-
Detailed rubrics are included in the Handbook.
-
Portfolios are adjudicated by a panel arts education specialists from Perpich Center.
Detailed information for the 2025-2026 Minnesota Reflective Artist Award can be downloaded here including project examples, the journal, rubrics, and more.
Questions?
-
For technical questions, email Toni Beckler: toni.beckler@pcae.k12.mn.us
-
For submission questions, email Lorene McGrane: lorene.mcgrane@pcae.k12.mn.us
-
For general questions about MRAA, email Wendy Barden: wendy.barden@pcae.k12.mn.us