Northern Arts News - July 2015

In This Issue

Featured Events

R2AC Art Calendar

Grant Deadlines

Grant Application Workshops

Minnesota State Arts Board in Bemidji

Farewell, Terri!

Seeking LOW County Board Member

Please consider joining our creative, dedicated team!

Region 2 Arts Council is seeking a second Board Member from Lake of the Woods County for a two-year term.

Our Board is responsible for planning, setting organizational policy, and reviewing and awarding grants in our five-county Region.

Email staff@r2arts.org or call (218) 751-5447 or (800) 275-5447 for more information and an application.

Featured Events

Nature

a TigerLion Arts Production

Come experience Nature, an exceptionally creative, family-friendly immersive theater production filled with music, song, and story about Emerson and Thoreau, two of the great innovative minds of western civilization, and their love of the natural world.

This walking show is set outdoors so guests should dress for the weather and wear comfortable shoes. Everyone will be transported back in time, surrounded by the natural scenery of four different locations while accompanied by an ensemble of actors.

Nature runs approximately 90 minutes without intermission. Portable lawn chairs or blankets to sit on are recommended.

Nature will be presented at the Park Rapids Antique Tractor Club Grounds at 2 and 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 15 and again at 2 and 6 p.m. Friday, July 17 at the Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers Grounds near the north entrance to Itasca State Park.

Free will donations accepted.

This Summer
at the Armory

Come witness the artistry as Northern Light Opera Company brings West Side Story to Armory Square in downtown Park Rapids July 31- Aug. 2 and August 6-8. This is one of the most celebrated musicals of all time! Northern Light Opera Company will transport audiences to the gang-ridden streets of 1950s New York City in this ground-breaking musical tale of star-crossed lovers. Tickets: $20 adult, $10 student. For more information and to purchase tickets, contact info@northernlightopera.org, 218-237-0400, www.northernlightopera.org or Beagle Books (downtown Park Rapids).

Arts Calendar

We post arts events, workshops, opportunities, grant deadlines, and more on our online calendar. Share your information with us and we will share it with others!

Northern Arts News Submissions Deadline for August is July 22, 2015.

Region 2 Arts Council
426 Bemidji Ave.
Bemidji, Minnesota 56601

staff@r2arts.org

218-751-5447

Grant Deadlines

AUGUST 2015

These grants are available online for application and submission. Go to r2arts.org to create a login and begin the application process!

8/15/15: Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants for Organizations

Open to non-profits, schools, government or tribal offices, community education programs, and cultural heritage groups with a fiscal sponsor. These grants offer funding for a variety of arts projects including costs related to performances or exhibitions, engagement of guest artists, public art projects, and artists-in-residence in three key areas: Arts Activities and Arts Access, Arts Education, and Arts and Cultural Heritage.

8/15/15: Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants for Individuals **NEW**

Open to artists in all art disciplines. These grants offer funding for a variety of arts projects including costs associated with public art, exhibitions, or performances in three key areas: Arts Activities and Arts Access, Arts Education, and Arts and Cultural Heritage.

SEPTEMBER 2015

These grants will be available online within the coming weeks.

9/15: Quick Grants Monthly Deadlines Begin

9/15: Career Development Fellowships

OCTOBER 2015- APRIL 2016
Check our website, sign up to receive press releases via email, check your local news sources and follow Region 2 Arts Council or friend Staff Regiontwoarts on Facebook for up-to-date information on the online release of the remainder of our R2AC grant applications.

For the full list of deadlines, click HERE.

Grant Application Workshops

Over the next two weeks, Region 2 Arts Council is conducting Grant Application Workshops to familiarize applicants with our new online grant application program.

If you are an individual artist or a representative of a non-profit, government office, school, or cultural group located in our five county region and you are interested in applying for an Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant to help cover the costs of arts programming that would benefit our communities, please consider attending one of the following workshops:

July 15 in Bagley at the Fireside Grill and Patio, Hwy 2 West from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

July 16 Baudette at the Depot from 5:30 - 7 p.m.

July 20 Park Rapids at Coldwell Banker, 101 Main Avenue South, from 5:30 - 7 p.m.

July 22 Bemidji at Beltrami Electric, 4111 Technology Drive NW, from 5:30 - 7 p.m.

July 23 Mahnomen at Gizhiigin Arts, 202 South Main Street, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

RSVPs are helpful! Please contact us at staff@r2arts.org or 218 751-5447 / 800 275-5447 if you are planning to come.

Consider bringing your laptop. If you have started the grant application process, please bring any questions you might have!

We will be traveling to each county on a regular basis over the next few months to meet with interested applicants and provide assistance with the new online grant application process with the release of each grant.

Featured MSAB Workshops

On 2 Tuesdays in July, the Minnesota State Arts Board is coming to Bemidji to present workshops relevant to artists and organizations who provide arts programming in our region.

July 14: Minnesota State Arts Board Grant Program Information Sessions

These sessions about funding opportunities will be useful to artists, arts organizations, schools, community organizations, and human and social service organizations. A group session will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Individual appointments, 30 minutes each, will take place at 3:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The group session includes an overview of Arts Board grant programs as well as a Region 2 Arts Council grant presentation and a question and answer period. Click here to register.

July 21: Minnesota State Arts Board Workshop on Evaluation

This workshop runs from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and is designed for artists and arts organizations interested in learning new strategies for conducting practical, usable, and relevant evaluations in conjunction with arts programming. Facilitated by Kate Livingston from www.exposeyourmuseum.com, Chris Chopyak from www.pictureyourstrategy.com, and MSAB staff. MSAB says, "Come debunk some evaluation myths and learn some tricks in what we promise will be the least boring workshop on evaluation you'll ever have experienced!" Click here to register. Location information will be shared upon registration.

Farewell

In early September, after providing our organization with fourteen years of leadership, Executive Director Terri Widman will be retiring from Region 2 Arts Council in order to engage in a new set of professional and creative pursuits.

Since 2001, Terri has worked tirelessly to support artists, arts organizations, schools, and non-profits in bringing all forms of artistic expression to our five county region.

In her tenure as Executive Director, Terri has overseen the Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Council, which was created to support Native American artists who live on our three local reservations and elsewhere in our region. She has facilitated a major expansion in R2AC grant programs due to funding made available through the Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment. Terri has seen the Region 2 Arts Council office staff grow from a part-time executive director and assistant to an office team comprised of three full-time staff. As ED, she has worked closely with numerous R2AC Boards, read hundreds (if not thousands!) of grant applications, skillfully managed many budgets, and advocated in so many ways for the arts.

We know there are many who share our gratitude for Terri's hard work and dedication to the arts. Please join us in thanking her for her years of service!

Thank you, Terri!

from left to right:
R2AC staff with their Executive Director