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Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) Announces First Annual MRAC Arts Achievement Award
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The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Board of Directors has selected Kulture Klub Collaborative and The Center for Hmong Arts and Talent to be the first two recipients of the MRAC Arts Achievement Award, which includes a cash payment of $2,500. The nominations were reviewed by the MRAC Board of Directors based on how an arts group was exemplary in:
· Causing artists and arts activities to thrive, and/or
· Integrating the arts into the social fabric and identity of a community(s), and/or
· Enhancing understanding of the public value of the arts.
The Kulture Klub Collaborative was founded in 1992 to provide enriching opportunities for youth experiencing homelessness and artists to grow individually and to transform community. Programs such as Art View--a weekly viewing of arts and cultural events; Artist in Residence--intensive workshops with professional artists; the Khadar Elders Program--diverse cultural art experiences and activities; and open mic nights have given homeless youth opportunities to witness artistic presentations, interact with artists, and to create and publicly present their own creative work. Through the work of Kulture Klub, the arts have given homeless youth dignity, respect, and a voice. The artists involved deepen their understanding of the issues surrounding homeless youth and explore how their individual artistic process can impact lives beyond their own studios or stage. In the past two years, Kulture Klub has presented youth art work in seven public exhibitions including a photography exhibit entitled "Being Seen / In Between" and an exhibit and public performance series entitled, "I couldn't Live at Home." Kulture Klub has also collaborated with artists and arts organizations on several large-scale public art projects including the building of two 10-ton granite benches, a large-scale mural for the exterior of YouthLink, and a video project with images projected on buildings throughout the city. Working in collaboration with the Youthlink drop-in center, Kulture Klub has used art to engage and support homeless youth. The drop-in center has become a gallery of rotating work where youth can recognize the value of their own and of their peers artistic expression.
The Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT) grew out of Pom Siab Hmoob Theatre, the first Hmong theatre company in the world. In 1998, the organization expanded their focus beyond theater arts to nurture, explore, and illuminate the Hmong-American experience through a variety of artistic expressions, specifically visual, theater, literary, music, multimedia, and traditional Hmong arts. Through their five main programs and two annual events, CHAT serves approximately 400 adult artists, 250 youth artists, more than 7000 audience members. Their "Art Saves Us" youth arts program provides free classes in artistic disciplines such as choir, poetry, drama, visual arts, and dance. CHAT's weekly Hmong radio show (in English on KFAI) showcases Hmong-American artists through music, poetry, interviews, and live performances. CHAT's bi-weekly arts page in Hmong Today newspaper brings Hmong artwork, news, and opportunities into 1500 households. Once a month, "Voice Your Mind" Open Mic night offers a place, time, and supportive audience for emerging artists to present their talents. CHAT's annual Arts and Music Festival is an opportunity to showcase and share Hmong arts and traditions. One of the organization's strengths is its responsiveness to the needs of Hmong artists. For example, when a group of fashion designers came to CHAT and told them about their difficulties getting accepted into fashion shows, CHAT created the first-ever Hmong fashion show. When musicians came to CHAT because studio time was too expensive, CHAT partnered with a local recording studio to give Hmong musicians access to their first professional recording. When a group of youth wanted to attend an annual Hmong
conference but didn't know how to raise funds for it, CHAT mentored them
through the process and based on that experience began their Youth
Leadership Group.
MRAC is pleased to honor these arts organizations as representatives of MRAC's mission and looks forward to continuing the MRAC Arts Achievement Award as a way of recognizing the many outstanding accomplishments of small arts organizations (organizations with annual operating budgets less than $300,000) as exemplified by the numerous, high-quality nominations MRAC received. The awards will be presented at MRAC's annual meeting in July.
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The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council promotes incorporation of the arts into the daily lives of all communities by providing leadership, advocacy, grants, and services. MRAC is one of 11 regional arts councils in Minnesota and funds nonprofit arts groups with operating expenses less than $300,000. In FY08, MRAC received more than 385 grant requests and awarded 228 grants totaling $875,136. Seven percent of the grants were awarded to first-time applicants. Funded projects served 7,576 artists and reached more than 300,000 audience members. MRAC also provided skill-building workshops and networking activities to 391 people from 216 different organizations. MRAC is largely funded by an appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature. MRAC also receives a generous grant from The McKnight Foundation.
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