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 E-Newsletter |
March, 2010
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Greetings!
The deadline for nominations for the 2010 MRAC Arts Achievement Award is Monday, April 12, 2010. Now in its second year, the MRAC Arts Achievement Award will recognize two organizations that particularly exemplify MRAC's mission of incorporating the arts into the daily lives of communities. These awards will celebrate and provide public recognition of the great work that arts organizations in our region are doing to cause artists and arts activities to thrive, integrate the arts into communities, and enhance understanding of the public value of the arts. Accompanied by a cash award of $5,000, the MRAC Arts Achievement Award is intended to call attention to outstanding contributions that arts organizations, with budgets under $300,000, make toward strengthening communities in the 7-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. Because these awards are not for specific projects, the guidelines, applications and review process are considerably simpler than our other grant programs. However, with so many outstanding small arts organizations in the region, the Arts Achievement Award will be highly competitive. Click here for the nomination information. Sincerely,
Jeff Prauer
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Nominations for MRAC Arts Achievement Award
MRAC is requesting nominations for its annual MRAC Arts Achievement Awards.
The MRAC Arts Achievement Award is designed to call attention to the outstanding contributions that arts organizations with budgets under $300,000 make toward strengthening communities in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington). The Award will recognize organizations that particularly exemplify MRAC's mission of incorporating the arts into the daily lives of communities. Organizations can be nominated or may nominate themselves. Organizations that meet MRAC eligibility requirements for any other MRAC grant are eligible for nomination. The MRAC Board of Directors will review nominations and select up to two recipients annually.
The MRAC Arts Achievement Award is a grant of $5,000. Unlike other MRAC grants, the MRAC Arts Achievement Award is not given for specific projects or programs, but rather for the overall work that the organization does to strengthen communities through the arts. Nominators are asked to describe how organizations are exemplary in:
· Causing artists and arts activities to thrive.
· Integrating the arts into the social fabric and identity of a community or communities.
· Enhancing understanding of the public value of the arts.
It is unlikely that any organization will receive this award more than once, but there is no limit to how often an organization may be nominated.
The deadline for nominations is April 12, 2010. The awards will be presented to organizations at MRAC's Annual Meeting in July 2010. Click here for nomination information.
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Arts Activities Support Grant WorkshopsThe next deadline for the Arts Activities Support grant applications is April 5, 2010, with an earliest project start date of June 23, 2010. MRAC offers workshops designed to help groups prepare grant applications for the Arts Activities Support program. Participants become familiar with the program and application forms and learn how to write effective MRAC grant proposals. This is a great opportunity to get questions answered on your project ideas. MRAC strongly recommends that potential applicants attend one of the following workshops: Tuesday, March 9, 3:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilWednesday, March 10, 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilSaturday, March 13, 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilRegister by here or by calling MRAC at 651-645-0402. Make sure you have current program-related materials. Visit the Arts Activities Support grant program page for more information about the grant program and to download the guidelines and application. You will find it helpful to review these materials prior to attending a workshop. back to top |
Community Arts Grant Panel Days
The second round of Community Arts applications will
be reviewed on March 18, 19, and 20. The panel review
meetings will
begin at 9:00 A.M. with a short panel re-orientation. All panel meetings are held in the MRAC office building.
Please check at the MRAC office for the specific room location. Click on the linked panel date to see the order in which groups will be reviewed. March 18, 2010March 19, 2010March 20, 2010The
panel meetings are public, open meetings, and constituents are
encouraged to come and listen to the reviews to gain a fuller
understanding of the process and hear the panelists' comments
directly. Applicants may listen to the proceedings but are not invited
to make presentations or participate in the panel's discussion.
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VSA arts ADA
Access Improvement Grant Guidelines Available
Arts organizations in the 7-county Twin Cities Metro area with annual budgets less than $4,460,000 are eligible
to apply for grants of up to $15,000 to support program or facility-related
activities that have potential for significant or long-term impact in involving
more people with disabilities as participants or patrons in arts programs.
Grant deadlines in 2010 are March 12
and May 21. Two more rounds of
grants will be available in 2011. The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council has designated
VSA arts of Minnesota to administer grant
funds from its portion of the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund approved
by voters in 2008.
Eligible counties are Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott,
Washington. Grant guidelines/application form may be downloaded at www.vsaartsmn.org/forms.html#adagrant.
For more information, contact VSA arts of Minnesota at 612-332-3888 voice/tty
or access@vsaartsmn.org.
Informational meetings:
Stillwater: Monday, March 1, 1:30 PM at ArtReach Alliance, 224 N. 4th Street,
651-439-1465
Minneapolis: Monday, March 1, 4:00 PM at Hennepin Center for the Arts, 528 Hennepin #502; 612-332-3888;
Lakeville: Tuesday, March 2, 7:00 PM at Lakeville Heritage Library, 20085
Heritage Dr. 952-891-0360
St. Paul: Wednesday, March 3, 10:30 AM at Rondo Public Library, 461 N. Dale St. (library and parking ramp open at 10:00),
651-266-7400
Coon Rapids: Wednesday, March 3, 5:00 PM, Crooked Lake Branch Library, 11440 Crooked Lake Blvd. ( 763-576-5972;
Columbia Heights: Wednesday, March 3, 6:30
PM, Columbia Heights Public Library, 820 40th Ave NE (2 blocks west of Central,
3 blocks from the Heights Theatre), 763-706-3690
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March Training Schedule
Our March training is coming in like a lion! These events will make you ROAR for more. (Yeah, it was bad, but I'm trying.) All the events are free but please register in advance. Click on the linked training date to register or call 651-645-0402. Completing Your 990
March, 11 2010, 3:00 - 5:30 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilGet
help with your 990 tax form! Steven Anseth brings this
complicated and important topic to a less daunting and manageable
level. Not only is the form required by the IRS, it can be an important marketing tool as many funders now
consider 990s useful in evaluating organizations. During this session Certified Public
Accountant Steven Anseth will walk you through the 990 tax form and MN state filing requirements and answer your questions. "This was really helpful as it was geared to organizations our size [annual expenses less than $300,000]"-- Participant at the February session.
Volunteer and Board DevelopmentMarch 24, 2010, 3:00 - 5:30 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilGet clarity about the values and style of your organization; Find out what positive board activity might look like in your organization; Learn what skills/experience will strengthen your board activities. You'll identify where you can find new board members, learn tools to help assess your Board's strengths/weakness and leave with a plan for concrete actions steps for strengthening your board. You'll get the most out of this session if you can bring a board member with you!Websites 101March 25, 2010, 3:00 - 5:30P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilThe Geek Girls are back! This time they are talking about websites.
Websites are a critical place for information related to
your products, services, location, or critical event information. So what
should you be thinking about as it relates to your website? What are the rules
about content? How do you get content? How do you capture the imagination
without information overload? Most importantly, if you have a website, how do
you drive traffic to your site?
Join Nancy Lyons and Meghan Wilker as they make web technology accessible and exciting and empower you to make your website better.
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LOCALS: Responding to Your Audience' Needs
March 16, 2010 from 9:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., Hosted by: Minnetonka Center for the Arts at Ridgedale Center, East Side, 2nd Level, next to Sears 12401 Wayzata Blvd., Minnetonka, Minnesota 55305 Connect with your stake holders! With
an emphasis on art centers, art councils, community education, and
parks and recreation managers, Dr. Mo Fahnestock will take you through
a process to identify key stakeholders, prepare stakeholder
assessments, and then turn those assessments into actionable steps.
Learn about the life cycles of programs; Think about important
questions to ask of your audience and who to involve in asking them; Create a plan to develop your
organization from the bottom up. Lunch is included. Click here to register or call MRAC at 651-645-0402. Directions to Ridgedale Center (event location is on the east side, 2nd level, next to Sears): From Hwy 94 take 394 West to exit 1C to Ridgedale Dr. Take a left at the fork and follow signs to Ridgedale Center. Mall is on the Right. What's LOCALS? The
LOCALS group is a professional network of art center, art council,
community education and parks and recreation managers that meets four
to six times per year. The sessions provide an opportunity to share
best practices, network, and learn together around a timely topic. We
encourage leaders to bring along key staff, board, and organization
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Coming in April...
Stay tuned for these great training sessions coming in April. Watch our website and your email for more information.
- Social Networking Part 1 and Part 2 (If you missed it in February or want to recommend it to a friend, the Geek Girls will be back presenting again on this relevant subject)
- Effective Partnerships and Collaborations
- Should Your Organization Become a 501(c)(3)?
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FY09 Annual Report
Are you interested in seeing all the great arts events, projects, and trainings we did last year? MRAC's FY09 Annual Report is now available on our website! Click here to download it.
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Resource Updates
(These non-MRAC opportunites are listed at MRAC's discretion. The listing does not indicate an endorsement.)
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) has a list of the various access points for Arts and Cultural Heritage resources on their website. Visit http://www.mncitizensforthearts.org/news/amendment-funds/othergrants for a listing of opportunities from libraries, public broadcasting, etc.
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Minnesota Community Foundation and Social Venture Partners Minnesota are sponsoring the new Engaged Philanthropist Award honoring exemplary social investors! This award will be presented at the Third Annual Engaged Philanthropy Conference on June 17, 2010. The Engaged Philanthropist Award was created to recognize Minnesota's most innovative and effective engaged philanthropists and promote philanthropy in Minnesota. Click here for nomination information.
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The McKnight Foundation invites nominations for its 13th Distinguished Artist Award in recognition of individual artists with enduring and exceptional careers. The award honors one artist each year for having made a substantial impact on the arts in Minnesota over a lifetime. A panel representing a variety of artistic disciplines considers first and foremost the quality of each nominated artist's work. Other considerations include the artist's commitment to his or her field, and ways the artist has enriched life for audiences and the community. Click here for more information. Nominations for the $50,000 award must be postmarked by March 31, 2010.
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The McKnight Foundation invites nominations for the 2010 Virginia McKnight Binger Awards in Human Service. McKnight will recognize up to six Minnesotans who have demonstrated an exceptional personal commitment to helping others in their communities but who have received little or no public recognition. Echoing McKnight's mission statement, the Foundation seeks individuals who "attend, unite, and empower" others in communities throughout Minnesota. Each awardee will receive $10,000 and will be honored at a ceremony in late summer. Please visit www.mcknight.org/awards to submit your nomination online and to read more about the Virginia McKnight Binger Awards in Human Service.
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Rimon: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council, an initiative of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, is now accepting project support grant proposals in its spring round of funding for arts-related projects. Grants will provide limited financial support up to $3,000 but will not exceed 50 percent of a project's budget. Click here for more information. Deadline for submission is March 26, 2010, 3 P.M. (not a postmark deadline).
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Partners in Arts Participation is a new, pilot grant program
through the Minnesota State Arts Board designed to broaden opportunities for Minnesotans to participate in the
arts. Grant funds may be used by organizations serving people of all
abilities, economic backgrounds, cultural heritages, and geographic
areas be made to feel welcome to participate in the arts. Applicants
may design and select high quality arts experiences that meet
identified needs. Click here for more information. Applications may be submitted anytime between February 22 and April 30, 2010.
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The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and the Nonprofits Assistance Fund are offering a new yearlong series of financial management training sessions for nonprofit organizations. Topics include: fundamentals of budgeting, fundamentals of nonprofit finance, financial planning in uncertain times, financial analysis and benchmarking, calculating true program costs, and more. Click here for more information.
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pARTners for Health: Society for the Arts in Healthcare 21st annual international conference is being held in Minneapolis from April 28 to May 1, 2010. Visit www.thesah.org for more information.
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The Uptown Art Fair annually selects a piece of art to commemorate the art fair, which is made into a poster and incorporated into promotional materials. The Uptown Art Fair is hosting a contest to select the commemorative piece. Artists are asked to create a piece that interprets this year's theme: "Urban Experiences." For complete contest rules and official application visit: www.uptownminneapolis.com or call the Uptown Association at 612-823-4581. Deadline March 5, 2010.
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Nadine Sehnert is looking for eight 10-15 minute, high-quality performances for cabarets on April 27, June 22, Sept 21, Nov 8. Performances can be used to promote upcoming events. All acts will be considered - Dance, Music, Theatre, Storytelling, Comedy, Spoken Word, Poetry, Film & Video. For more information contact Nadine at nadine@nadinesehnert.com or 612-207-6718.
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North Valley Arts Council is announcing a call for entries for Arts Fest, a 2-day outdoor arts festival that takes place along the river in Grand Forks, ND and East Grand Forks, MN.
The dates of the show are June 12 and 13, 2010. The 2010 Juror is Ann Ruhr Pifer from Grand Hand Gallery in St. Paul, MN. Contact Danielle Masters at 701-772-3710 for more information. Artist application deadline is March 5, 2010.
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The Jerome Foundation 2010 Travel and Study Grant Program will award grants to emerging creative artists (choreographers, film and video directors, poets, spoken word artists, fiction and creative nonfiction writers) for activities that lead to individual exploration and growth. Informational workshops will be held in February. More information is available at www.jeromefdn.org. Application Deadline: March 8, 2010.
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The Big Read is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations to conduct month-long, community-wide reads between September 2010 and June 2011. The Big Read is a national program designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture. Organizations selected receive a grant ranging from $2,500 to $20,000, access to online training resources, educational and promotional materials, and inclusion in the Big Read website. More information is available at www.NEABigRead.org or call Arts Midwest at 612-238-8010.
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Interested in a non-MRAC training opportunity, but not sure that your
organization can afford the fee? MRAC offers a training fund grant to
help arts groups pay for training opportunities that will strengthen
their organization. Click here for more information on MRAC's Management Training Fund grant.
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MRAC's on Facebook
Now there is a new way to find out what is happening at MRAC. Connect with us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/MetropolitanRegionalArtsCouncil
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MRAC FY09 Summary
In FY09, MRAC received 384 grant requests and awarded 254 grants totaling $1,007,491. Seven percent of the grants were awarded to first-time applicants. Funded projects served 11,685 artists and reached approximately 395,000 audience members. MRAC also provided 38 skill-building workshops and networking activities to people from more than 270 different organizations.
Photos for top ribbon provided by: International Festival of Burnsville, Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, Dakota Valley Symphony, Katha Dance Theatre, Music in the Park, Caponi Art Park/Lora Nelson Photo (Photo of Cromulent Shakespeare Company)
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