On January 29, 2013, MRAC awarded 
215,730 to 23 organizations in the first round of its FY 2013 Arts Learning grant program. The Arts Learning projects chosen will provide high-quality, age-appropriate arts education for Minnesotans of all ages to develop knowledge, skills, and understanding of the arts. MRAC's goals for the Arts Learning grant program are to cultivate creativity and deepen knowledge of and/or through the arts for children, youth, and adults by engaging people in extended arts experiences and activities with clearly articulated learning objectives. The Arts Learning grant program is a direct result of the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund of the Legacy Amendment. All applications go through a competitive peer review panel process. The MRAC board of directors makes the final decisions on all panel recommendations.
The following is a list of awarded projects sorted by the county of affiliation. Organization websites are included when available as a way to get more information about the groups and awarded projects.
Carver County
Chaska Valley Family Theater $10,000
www.cvft.org
Funding for a Puppet Design Learning program for teens and young adults in conjunction with the theatre's summer 2013 production of Seussical.
Dakota County
Caponi Art Park $9,950
www.caponiartpark.org
Funding for the 2013 Family Fun Tuesdays program of 13 weekly interactive performances and workshops for inter-generational audiences during summer 2013.
Vecchione/Erdahl Duo $9,100
www.oboebass.com
Funding for a series of five one-hour programs exploring music and music-literature for audiences at seven senior centers from February through July 2013.
Hennepin County
20% Theatre Company Twin Cities $10,000
www.tctwentypercent.org
Funding for the 2013 Apprenticeship Program, which will match high school or college participants with professional theatre mentors for two main stage productions.
Community Celebration of Place $8,618
Funding for an Elders' Wisdom, Children's Song residency with seventh grade students at Sanford Middle School in Minneapolis from March to June 2013.
Copper Street Brass Quintet $10,000
www.copperstreetbrass.com
Funding for performances, master classes, and lessons for band students at Northeast and Anwatin Middle Schools in Minneapolis during the 2013 - 2014 school year.
Flying Foot Forum $10,000
www.flyingfootforum.com
Funding for dance and music residencies at three St. Paul schools: Monroe Community School, the Creative Arts High School, and Highland Park High School. Students will have the opportunity to perform in Flying Foot Forum's 2014 premiere of ALICE.
Kulture Klub Collaborative $10,000
www.kultureklub.org
Funding for youth experiencing homelessness to build a sound sculpture in the Archdale community art garden under the direction and guidance of Franconia Sculpture Park artists during summer 2013.
Link Vostok $10,000
www.linkvostok.org
Funding for professional dance artists, choreographers, and performers to take workshops and master classes with Italian based Company Blu during the Mississippi/Volga V Dance Festival in July 2013.
Open Eye Figure Theatre $9,800
www.openeyetheatre.org
Funding for a three-week summer camp for 25 neighborhood youth in the Phillips community of South Minneapolis to learn puppetry, performance, and collaboration in an accessible, hands-on learning environment.
St. Stephen's Human Services $10,000
www.ststephensmpls.org/zamya.htm
Funding for the zAmya Theater Project to provide Forum Theater training to its members in an effort to deepen their skills in theater for social change and engage audiences at the Opportunity Center in a theatrical conversation about homelessness.
Stuart Pimsler Dance and Theater $10,000
www.stuartpimsler.com
Funding for the Family Albums Project, a two-week residency with fourth and fifth grade students at Garden City Elementary School in Brooklyn Center that will culminate in a public performance in May 2013.
Studio 206 $10,000
ivystudio206.com
Funding for Train at 206 Summer Intensive, a physical theatre training series in June 2013 at Studio 206 in the Ivy Building for the Arts in Minneapolis.
Young Dance, Inc. $10,000
www.youngdance.organnesawyerpuppets.com/magic-lantern-puppet-theater
Funding for Integrated Dance Workshops designed to engage dancers with and without disabilities to redefine dance for the local community. The classes and integrated dance workshops will be conducted between February and December 2013.
Ramsey County
ArtStart $10,000
www.artstart.org
Funding for "River EcoJourneys," a series of eight, five-day school residencies featuring storytelling, drumming, dance, and the creation of puppets and masks. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their work at the EcoArts Festival on May 18, 2013 at Harriet Island in St. Paul.
Deborah Elias Danza Espanola $9,730
dedanza.org
Funding for a series of residencies in flamenco dance, music, and culture at seven elementary schools from February through May 2013. Each residency will culminate in a community celebration.
Magic Lantern Puppet Theater $4,392
annesawyerpuppets.com/magic-lantern-puppet-theater
Funding for color shadow-puppet residencies with local Hmong artist May Lee-Yang, author of the book Imaginary Day, at Phalen Elementary, Hmong International Academy, and Four Seasons Elementary Schools in Ramsey County.
