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 E-Newsletter |
August, 2010
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Greetings!
We have now been through an entire fiscal year since the advent of the new Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. As a result of the new funding generated by a 3/8 cent sales tax, I am proud to report that the number of grants awarded by MRAC increased by 65%, and the dollars invested in arts development increased from $1,228,000 in fiscal year 2009 to about $2,800,000 in fiscal year 2010. Included in those numbers are 51 grants in our new Arts Learning program, and around $200,000 in grants to improve access to the arts for people with disabilities through our partnership with VSA Minnesota. We anticipate a similar level of grantmaking for this fiscal year 2011, the 2nd year of the legislative biennium. The Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund has also allowed us to increase arts-management training opportunities. In fiscal year 2010, more than 700 individuals from arts organizations attended MRAC trainings on topics such as board development, becoming a 501(c)(3), volunteer management, social networking, website development, and MRAC grant application writing. Fiscal Year 2011's training will begin in September, so keep an eye on our website for more information. The Creative Community Leadership Institute is not a program of MRAC, but its work is very closely aligned with our mission. The Institute is a learning network of pioneering leaders in community development and the arts, providing comprehensive training and support for community-engaged artists, organizers, educators, administrators and developers. I encourage you to learn more about the Institute by visiting http://www.intermediaarts.org/Leadership-Institute. Sincerely,
Jeff Prauer
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FY 2010 Management Training and Management Consulting Fund Awards
In Fiscal Year 2010, the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Awarded $5,408 in grants to 14 Arts Organizations in the Management Training Fund program and $38,420 to 28 Arts Organizations in the Management Consulting Fund program. The Management Training Fund program offers grants of up to $600 annually to provide training funds for the staff and volunteers of nonprofit arts groups to attend management workshops, seminars or conferences. The Management Consulting Fund program offers grants of up to $1,500 to provide consultants for groups to complete small projects to strengthen the management or administration of the group.
Click here for a list of this year's grant recipients sorted by county of activity. Each entry includes a short description of the project and the amount of the award. The grant recipients' web address (when available) is also included as a way to access more information about the specific arts organization and project.
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Organizational Development and Capital Grant Workshops
The next deadline for the Organizational Development and Capital grant applications is September 13, 2010, with an earliest project start date of November 24, 2010. There is only one deadline for these grant programs. Please note that the deadline is earlier this year due to the addition of other grant programs. MRAC
offers workshops designed to help groups prepare MRAC Organizational Development and Capital grant applications. Participants become familiar with the
programs 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. Wednesday, August 18: 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilThursday, August 19: 1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M. Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilRegister by clicking on the linked workshop date, by emailing [email protected], or by calling Mara Miller at 651-523-6384. Visit the Organizational Development and Capital grant program pages for more information about the grant program and to download the guidelines and application forms. back to top |
Community Arts Grant Workshops
The next deadline for Community Arts grant applications is October 4, 2010, with an earliest project start date of December 17, 2010. MRAC
offers workshops designed to help groups prepare MRAC Community Arts grant applications. Participants become familiar with the
programs 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. Tuesday, September 7, 3:00 - 5:00 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilWednesday, September 8, 6:00 - 8:00 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilSaturday, September 11, 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M., Metropolitan Regional Arts CouncilRegister by clicking on the linked workshop date, by emailing [email protected], or by calling Mara Miller at 651-523-6384. Visit the Community Arts grant program page for more information about the grant program and to download the guidelines and application forms. back to top |
Arts Activities Support Grant Panels
The first
round of FY 2011 Arts Activities Support grant applications will
be reviewed on Wednesday, September 22, Thursday, September 23, and Friday, September 24, 2010. The panel review
meetings will
begin at 9:00 A.M. with a short panel re-orientation.
The
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.
Panel schedules will be available in our September newsletter and on our website in September.
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FY 2011 Arts Learning Grant Guidelines
The FY 2011 Arts Learning grant guidelines and application forms are now available for download. Visit the Arts Learning grant program page to learn more about this grant program and to download the materials. back to top |
VSA Minnesota Grant Awards
VSA Minnesota recently awarded $100,794 to nine arts organizations for projects to make the arts more accessible to people with disabilities. Funding for these ADA Access Improvement grants is from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Minnesota Legacy Amendment, which voters approved in 2008. VSA Minnesota administers this program for the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. The purpose of this grant program is to enable nonprofit arts organizations in the seven-county metropolitan area to make improvements to their programs, projects, equipment, or facilities that will enhance access to the arts for people with disabilities. Such activities must advance the mission of the arts group, have the potential for significant or long-term impact in involving more people with disabilities as participants or patrons in arts programs, and report measurable outcomes. Earlier this year eight organizations were awarded a total of $89,437. Visit http://www.vsamn.org/new.html#accessgrants for more information. |
Forum of Regional Arts Councils Brochure
Are you outside our region? The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council is one of 11 Regional Arts Councils (or RACs) that along with the Minnesota State Arts Board shares the mandate to distribute the legislative allotment for the arts and a portion of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Legacy Amendment. For more information about the RAC system and contact information for all 11 Regional Arts Councils, download the Forum of Regional Arts Councils of Minnesota brochure. back to top |
September Training
We're still getting things cemented for our fall training. Watch your emails in August for our September training schedule! back to top |
Resource Updates
(These non-MRAC opportunites are listed at MRAC's discretion. The listing does not indicate an endorsement.)
The Minnesota Center for the Book Arts (MCBA) and the Jerome Foundation announced the third biennial series of MCBA/Jerome Book Arts Mentorships. The Book Arts Mentorships is an artist development program aimed at introducing book arts to emerging artists whose primary medium is in another discipline. Visit www.mnbookarts.org for more information. Application Deadline September 3, 2010.
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Intermedia Arts in partnership with the Bush Foundation recently announced The Creative Community Leadership Institute 2010, a leadership development opportunity for Metro-area leaders in community development and the arts. The Creative Community Leadership Institute will be led by a core faculty of highly respected and experienced professionals in the field of community cultural development. WILLIAM CLEVELAND, WENDY MORRIS, ERIK TAKESHITA, AND JUN-LI WANG will provide comprehensive, professional-level training and support for local community-engaged artists and community developers. Application Deadline August 26, 2010. Visit http://www.intermediaarts.org/Leadership-Institute for more information.
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Scholarships are available for arts professionals to attend the National Arts Marketing Project Annual Conference through Arts Learning Xchange. A link to the online application form will be available from July 28, 2010 through August 13, 2010 at http://www.artsmidwest.org/programs/ArtsLearningXchange/scholarships.
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Call for Artists: Community Supported Art (CSA)- Fall 2010 applications are due Friday, August 13. Community Supported Art is modeled after Community Supported Agriculture. Selected artists receive a stipend of $1,000 to create 50 shares for the program by a set deadline. Shareholders purchase shares for $300 and receive 1 box containing 3 works of art at 3 different pick up dates throughout the Fall/Winter season. More information is available at http://www.mnartists.org/article.do?rid=257108.
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SAVE THE DATE! Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) is pleased to announce a visit by Mr. Rocco Landesman, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman, to St. Paul, Minnesota on August 25, 2010 as part of the chairman's "Art Works" tour. We'll pass on more information as soon as we have it!
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The next application deadline for the Minnesota State Arts Board's Artist Initiative grant program is Friday, August 27, 2010. Artist Initiative grants support and assist artists at various stages in their careers. The program encourages artistic development, nurtures artistic creativity, and recognizes the contributions individual artists make to the creative environment of the state of Minnesota. Information about the program and recent changes is available at http://www.arts.state.mn.us/grants/artist_initiative.htm.
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The McKnight Community Art Program's mission is to encourage the use of meaningful, quality arts to build community. The Community Art Program funds projects and programs in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul that promote community-building through collaboration and interaction of artists and members of a community or among members of different communities. Guidelines and application forms are available at the COMPAS website: http://www.compas.org/grants.
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The Minnesota Council of Foundations offers a Grantseeking for Beginners seminar to help participants more effectively research potential grant sources, understand good proposal development processes, pinpoint key information to include in proposals and understand the proposal review and decision-making process from a foundation's point of view. For more information visit, http://www.mcf.org/MCF/grant/beginners.htm.
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Call for Artists: The River Falls Business Improvement District, representing the business and building owners located in the historic downtown of River Falls, is pleased to announce the development of a Downtown Mural Project and is looking for a mural artist. For more information and the RFP contact Joleen Larson by email at [email protected].
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The MAP for Nonprofits' Community Realignment Fund helps
struggling nonprofits save vital human services through realignment or merger
options. MAP's Project ReDesign team facilitates and leads nonprofit
organizations through an asset-based planning and decision-making process to
preserve community services using a ten-step approach to help organizational
leaders and their board members evaluate and implement changes in their
structure. For more information visit http://www.mapfornonprofits.org or
contact Renae Oswald-Anderson by email at [email protected].
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Fresh Filmmakers: Your Chance to Emerge. The Fresh Filmmakers Production Grant will facilitate the production of one short narrative film (ten minutes or less) directed by a filmmaker who has been making films for no more than five years. The winner will receive mentorship, a $1000 stipend, and logistical support (camera, lights, edit facilities, etc.) necessary to direct and produce a short narrative film. Production mentors will work in tandem with the grant recipient to manage the project. Click on the link for more information: http://www.ifpmn.org/grants.html.
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The Minnesota Theater Alliance is a new organization designed to serve theaters across the state. For more information about the Alliance, visit www.springboardforthearts.org/Services/theateralliance.asp.
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 Holiday Hours
The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council will be closed September 6, 2010 for Labor Day.
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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 FY10 Summary
In FY 2010, MRAC received 573
grant requests and awarded 425 grants totaling $2,710,290, including 51 grants
awarded in the new MRAC Arts Learning program and 17 grants administered
through VSA Minnesota to help arts organizations improve accessibility for people with disabilities. Fifteen percent of the
grants were awarded to first-time applicants. MRAC also provided 49
skill-building workshops and training opportunities to approximately 740
participants.
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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