North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) has awarded two Artist Growth and Development grants, each in the amount of $5,000, to Sarah Beck (left) of Fargo and Callie Stadem (right) of Grand Forks. Eligible Disciplines for FY26 were Literature (Creative Writing) and Music (Composers and Sound Artists). Beck (writer) and Stadem (musician/composer) were recommended by an independent review panel whose selections were approved by NDCA’s Board of Directors. Their projects and all associated activities must be completed by June 30, 2026.
Sarah Beck, Creative Writer
Sarah Beck of Fargo has been awarded a $5,000 Artist Growth and Development grant to complete her second novel, Where Do We Go from Here, a climate fiction work set in Fargo in the year 2030. The novel follows four characters—two local and two newly arrived climate refugees—navigating identity, community tensions, and a rising Red River in a future shaped by environmental displacement. With grant support, Beck will complete a full draft, engage beta readers for feedback, and finalize a manuscript ready for submission to literary agents. "This project will explore themes of identity, community, and belonging: themes I embrace as part of my writing aesthetic," Beck wrote. "I'm excited to add my voice to this up-and-coming genre."
A fiction writer, essayist, and poet, Beck holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Minnesota State University Moorhead and currently teaches writing and creative writing at North Dakota State University. Her debut novel, Peace Country, set in WWII-era Canada, was recognized in several national writing competitions and is currently under review by literary publishers. Beck cites Louise Erdrich, Lin Enger, and Anthony Doerr as key inspirations for her work, which often explores how people and place shape identity.
As part of her public engagement, Beck will host a reading and Q&A for adult writers at the NDSU Memorial Union and lead a creative writing workshop for teens at the Fargo Public Library. These events are designed to demystify the writing process and foster a sense of literary community among North Dakota’s aspiring teen and adult storytellers.
Callie Stadem, Musician/Composer
Callie Stadem of Grand Forks has been awarded a $5,000 Artist Growth and Development grant to compose, record, and present a new song cycle for soprano and harp titled “The Thumbelina Poems.” Inspired by the poetry collection of the same name by Merie Kirby, the project will feature approximately 15 poems set to original music and performed by soprano Dr. Anne Christopherson with Stadem on harp. “Composing is an important part of my career as a musician. It is the hardest thing I do, and also the most thrilling,” Stadem wrote. “I aim to create music that is useful. I want to compose things that musicians like to play, that appeal to broad audiences, and [that] serve to encourage, enrich, and deepen both the performers and listeners.”
A composer, harpist, and educator, Stadem holds a Master of Music in Composition from the University of North Dakota and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Augustana University. Her work has ranged from chamber opera and children’s musicals to orchestral commissions, and she is known throughout the Red River Valley for helping grow a vibrant harp community. “The Thumbelina Poems” represents a significant step forward in her composing career—blending her strengths in voice and harp, and creating new, well-crafted repertoire for a historically underserved combination of instruments.
The song cycle will debut through a series of public performances across North Dakota, including venues in Grand Forks, smaller communities like Northwood or Mayville, and an additional outreach concert being considered in Minot. The Grand Forks event, and possibly others, will include a special poet’s talk by Merie Kirby, offering audiences a multidimensional experience that connects literature and live performance. By spotlighting a local composer, poet, and performer, this project not only brings high-caliber chamber music to rural and urban audiences but also celebrates the strength and creativity of North Dakota’s growing artistic community.
The Artist Growth and Development (formerly Individual Artist Fellowship) grant program is designed to support practicing individual artists or collaborating artists residing in North Dakota. Each project must include one community component such as a public performance, exhibition, reading, open workshop, or demonstration. The next two eligible disciplines for the 2026 (FY27) grant cycle are Dance and Theater.
For more information on NDCA’s grant programs please visit NDCA's Grants at a Glance page or call 701-328-7590.
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North Dakota Council on the Arts is the state agency responsible for the support, development, and preservation of the arts throughout North Dakota and is funded by the state legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.