On June 25, 2013, MRAC awarded a total of
654,702 to 69 organizations/projects in the second round of the FY 2013 Arts Activities Support grant program. The organizations and projects chosen demonstrate both strong artistic quality and a community connection. This round's funded projects include: the creation of a Community Avenue of the Arts in the Phillips Neighborhood, a Twin Cities book festival with readings and writing workshops, a Halloween puppet extravaganza, the art shanty project of visual art exhibits on frozen White Bear Lake as well as dance residencies, concerts series, theater performances, ethnic art exhibits, artist-led workshops and more.
The following is a complete list of grantees sorted by county that includes award amounts, project summaries, and links to the grantees' websites.
Carver County
Chaske Cikala Wacipi (Little Dance in Chaska) $6,600
Funding for The Little Dance in Chaska, a two-day community pow-wow engaging 25 drummers, 175 dancers and over 500 community members at McKnight Park in Chaska in August 2013.
Dakota County
Allegro Choral Academy $9,100
www.allegroca.org
Funding for the 2013 Allegro Choral Academy Bel Canto and Prima Voce programs of vocal music instruction to students in grades 4 to 8 along with two performance opportunities. The activities will take place between September 2013 and May 2014.
Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council $2,000
hpaac.org
Funding for a free, open-air community band concert featuring performances by the Hastings and Rosemount Community Bands. The concert will take place at Spring Lake Park Reserve in August 2013.
NewBridge Theatre Company $10,000
www.newbridgetheatrecompany.com
Funding for 20 performances of A Christmas Carol at the NewBridge Theatre in Hastings in November and December 2013.
Hennepin County
Art Shanty Projects $10,000
www.artshantyprojects.org
Funding to curate and present the 2014 Art Shanty Projects: On Ice Biennial, a free four-week interactive exhibit of performance and visual art on frozen White Bear Lake. The exhibit will be on display January and February 2014.
Barebones Productions $10,000
www.barebonespuppets.org
Funding to stage the 20th Annual Halloween Outdoor Puppet Extravaganza, a free outdoor pageant and performance that will take place at Hidden Falls Regional Park in St. Paul in October 2013.
Beyond Ballroom Dance Company $10,000
www.beyondballroom.org
Funding to create and present a new concert dance work highlighting the history and evolution of the Waltz. Performances will take place at the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts in February 2014.
Black Storytellers Alliance $8,900
www.blackstorytellers.com
Funding for Signifyin' and Testifyin', a three-day, family-friendly festival featuring master storytellers from across the county. The festival will take place at metro area locations in September 2013.
BodyCartography Project $10,000
www.bodycartography.org
Funding for The Empaths, an evening-length performance work that will prioritize the one-on-one performer audience experience. The work will take place in spring 2014.
Copper Street Brass Quintet $10,000
www.copperstreetbrass.com/home.html
Funding to support four unique concert programs in the quintet's inaugural Twin Cities Concert Series. Performances will take place at metro area venues between September 2013 and May 2014.
Creatives for Causes dba Art Buddies $10,000
www.artbuddies.org
Funding for the Art Buddies program pairing 40 creative mentors one-on-one with 40 low-income students ages 8 to 11 in the Community Education After-School program at Bancroft Elementary School in Minneapolis during the 2013 - 2014 school year.
Flying Foot Forum $10,000
www.flyingfootforum.com
Funding to produce and present Alice, a multidisciplinary take on Lewis Carroll's classic featuring dancing, acting, music and puppetry. Performances will take place at the Lehr Theater in September and October 2014.
Frank Theatre $10,000
www.franktheatre.org
Funding to produce and stage Brecht's classic, The Threepenny Opera. Performances will take place at the Southern Theater in April 2014.
Indian Music Society of Minnesota $10,000
www.imsom.org
Funding to present the Fall Concert Series 2013, a series of four chamber concerts featuring internationally renowned artists from India and one community festival of Indian classical music. The concerts will be held between September and October 2013. The festival featuring local artists will take place in November 2013.
Japan America Society of Minnesota $3,700
www.mn-japan.org
Funding to present bon odori, a traditional Japanese folk dance to be performed during Como Park's Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival in August 2013.
Jawaahir Dance Company $10,000
www.jawaahir.org
Funding to present Flower of Algeria, a concert featuring dance and live music inspired by Arabic singer Warda Al-Jazairia, as well as workshops and educational activities designed to celebrate her musical legacy. Performances will take place at the Ritz Theater in November 2013.
Jazz at Studio Z $10,000
www.jazzatstudioz.org
Funding for Jazz at Studio Z, a series of jazz workshops, student performances, and professional concerts featuring local musicians. Workshops and performances will take place monthly at Studio Z in downtown St. Paul between September 2013 and May 2014.
Kenwood Symphony Orchestra $10,000
kenwoodsymphonyorchestra.org
Funding for four distinct symphony programs designed to bring concerts of classical music to a diverse audience. Performances will take place at metro area assisted-living facilities, care centers, and churches.
Kulture Klub Collaborative $10,000
www.kultureklub.org
Funding for two Artist-in-Residence programs with and for youth experiencing homelessness. The programs will culminate in a book celebrating the organization's 20th anniversary and a public artwork created under the direction of participating youth.
Lyndale Neighborhood Association $10,000
www.lyndale.org
Funding for the Hosmer World Music Program, a partnership between Lyndale Neighborhood Association, the Hosmer Library and KFAI Radio to present culturally diverse music performances. Performances will take place at the Hosmer Library and Painter Park in Minneapolis between July 2013 and June 2014.
Metropolitan Symphony Orchestral Association $10,000
www.msomn.org
Funding for six concerts as part of its 2013 - 2014 season, featuring a range of classical music from Romantic to Contemporary. The free, family-friendly performances will take place at metro area locations beginning in October 2013.
Minneapolis Television Network $10,000
mtn.org
Funding for two after-school teen councils to learn about the art of film and produce short films under the leadership of professional filmmakers. The councils will meet during fall 2013 with a public presentation of work in December.
Mizna $10,000
www.mizna.org
Funding for the publication of the literary journal, Mizna: Prose, Poetry, and Art Exploring Arab America. The journal will explore the theme of "Eating the Other: the Politics of Food," and will include an online version and a public reading held in December 2013.
New Arab American Theatre Works $10,000
Funding for the first Arab-American theater festival, featuring three new works by local Arab-American theater artists. Performances will take place in February 2014 at Mixed Blood Theater.
Nimbus Theatre $7,750
www.nimbustheatre.com
Funding to produce the world premiere of Lee Blessing's Perilous Night. Performances will take place at Nimbus Theatre in Minneapolis in September 2013.
Rain Taxi, Inc. $10,000
www.raintaxi.com
Funding for the 13th annual Twin Cities Book Festival, a free one-day public literary event featuring readings, panel discussions, book signings, writing workshops, book art demonstrations, storytelling, and other activities for all ages. The festival will take place in the Historic Progress Center at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in October 2013.
Rosy Simas Dance Projects $9,200
Funding to create a new Native contemporary dance project titled "We Wait in the Darkness," featuring a series of workshops, performances, a panel discussion and audience talk-back sessions. Performances will take place at Red Eye Theater in November 2013.
Sandbox Theatre $10,000
www.sandboxtheatreonline.com
Funding for a new, collaboratively-created play titled, This Is a World to Live In, based on the world of Pop Art. Performances will take place in fall 2013.
Soo Visual Arts Center $10,000
www.soovac.org
Funding for the 10th annual Untitled exhibition series, featuring guest curators and a selection of local artists. The exhibition will be held at the Soo Visual Arts Center between November 2013 and January 2014.
Southside Family Nurturing Center $10,000
www.ssfnc.org
Funding for Arts in Action, a free community-based arts program offered to center families in partnership with In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. The project will include classroom activities, workshops and performances beginning in September 2013.
St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church $10,000
stpaulschurchmpls.org
Funding to develop a Community Avenue of the Arts in the Phillips neighborhood by leading youth and adults through the creation of murals and other public art works.
Stuart Pimsler Dance and Theater $10,000
www.stuartpimsler.com
Funding for the company's 35th Anniversary Performance, featuring the revival of four works created by artistic co-directors Stuart Pimsler and Suzanne Costello. The anniversary will include workshops at the Minneapolis Department of Veterans Affairs and Hennepin County Medical Center, with performances taking place at the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts in February 2014.
SuperGroup $10,000
supergroupshow.biz
Funding to produce and present it's [all] highly personal, a new interdisciplinary performance work born out of the collaboration with award-winning playwright Rachel Jendrzejewski. Performances will take place in spring 2014.
Theatre Pro Rata $10,000
www.theatreprorata.org
Funding to produce and stage Good Woman of Setzuan, by Bertolt Brecht, and Elephant's Graveyard, by Eric Bentley. Performances will take place at Intermedia Arts and Nimbus Theatre respectively.
Two Chairs Telling $5,500
Funding for Two Chairs Telling, a series of ten performances pairing local and national narrative, spoken word and storyteller artists. The series will be held at the Bryant Lake Bowl between September 2013 and June 2014.
Upstream Arts, Inc. $10,000
www.upstreamarts.org
Funding for The Art of Working, an interactive arts program for adults with disabilities that uses theater, dance, music, and poetry to nurture communication skills essential for obtaining employment. The program will take place over 12 weeks at each of six different Midwest Special Services locations.
Weavers Guild of Minnesota $10,000
www.weaversguildmn.org
Funding for the Winter/Spring 2014 session of weaving, spinning and dyeing classes and workshops. Activities will take place at the Textile Center between January and May 2014.
Young Dance, Inc. $10,000
www.youngdance.org
Funding for a series of residencies with guest artists investigating the language of dance. Guest artists will provide company members, ages 7 to 18, with intensive dance experiences from creative process to performance. The series will culminate in a performance, Found in Translation, at the Ritz Theater in May 2014.
Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre $10,000
www.zorongo.org
Funding for the premier of CON VIVA, a new flamenco dance and theater piece inspired by the harmonious coexistence of Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities in medieval Spain. Performances will take place at the O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in February 2014.
Ramsey County
CAAM Chinese Dance Theater $10,000
www.caamcdt.org
Funding for Legends of China, a full-length dance production premiering two dance dramas with original choreography by Artistic Director Lili Teng at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in January 2014.
Center for Hmong Arts and Talent $10,000
www.aboutchat.org
Funding for a theatrical collaboration with Mu Performing Arts to write and perform a play about social issues for Hmong teens. The activities will take place between July and December and culminate in performances at Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul.
Collaboration: Choreographer Penelope Freeh
and Composer Jocelyn Hagen $10,000
Funding for Test Pilot, a new evening-length dance opera based on the exploration of flight. The performances will take place at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium as part of the Women of Substance series in September 2014.
Hmong Arts Enrichment Program Committee $9,500
Funding for traditional Hmong dance classes and embroidery workshops at the Hmong Village complex in St. Paul in July and August 2013.
Hope Theater Company $10,000
kiomarsmoradi.com
Funding for Love Letters from the Middle East, an original play about three women whose lives are transformed by war. The performances will take place at Dreamland Arts in St. Paul in November 2013.
In Progress $10,000
inprogress.org
Funding for Studio 213, a digital arts mentorship program bringing newly developing youth artists together with those who are further along in their development from July 2013 to April 2014.
Lyra Baroque Orchestra $10,000
www.lyrabaroque.org
Funding for the 2013 - 2014 season of six baroque music concerts at Sundin Music Hall at Hamline University in St. Paul between October 2013 and May 2014.
Minnesota 9-11 Tribute $3,287
Funding for the 2013 Minnesota 9-11 Tribute, a free annual symphony orchestra and choral concert at Lake Harriet Band Shell in September 2013.
People Incorporated $10,000
www.peopleincorporated.org
Funding for the Artability Show and Sale, a three-day event for artists with mental illness to exhibit and sell their artwork in October 2013.
Sample Night Live! $10,000
www.samplenightlive.com
Funding for three months of Sample Night Live!, a monthly evening of performances previewing upcoming and ongoing Twin Cities arts events, at the History Theatre in downtown St. Paul from November 2013 to January 2014.
The Moving Company $10,000
www.themovingco.org
Funding to develop and present For Sale, an original theatrical piece based on the story of a building to be performed at the Lab in Minneapolis in October and November 2013.
Umunne Cultural Association $10,000
www.umunne.org
Funding for Igbofest, an annual festival featuring traditional Igbo dances, folk music, storytelling, and textile design to be held at North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park in August 2013.
Walker West Music Academy $9,615
www.walkerwestmusicacademy.org
Funding for the Summer Jazz Workshop Series consisting of introductory and advanced two-week workshops for students in grades 6 through 12 including a residency and performance clinic with international Jazz artist Tia Fuller. The activities will take place in August 2013 and culminate in a free public performance.
Zeitgeist $10,000
www.zeitgeistnewmusic.org
Funding for the 2013 - 2014 Eric Stokes Song Contest and the "Playing it Close to Home" concert. The program will be presented at Studio Z in St. Paul and Roseville High School in February 2014.
Suburban Hennepin County
Alive & Kickin $10,000
aliveandkickinmn.com
Funding for 20 on-site musical performances at nursing homes, community centers, hospitals and churches in the metro area and one two-hour performance at the Bloomington Theatre and Art Center. The activities will take place in July 2013 and June 2014.
Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs $9,550
www.angelicacantanti.org
Funding for a one-day choral workshop with Dr. Rollo Dilworth that will culminate in a free public performance at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie in May 2014.
Apollo Male Chorus $10,000
www.apollomalechorus.com
Funding to host the National Male Chorus Festival at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis in November 2013.
Great Northern Union Chorus $10,000
www.gnusings.com
Funding for Real Men Sing, a one-day workshop and performance celebrating the young male voice at Benson Great Hall at Bethel University in September 2013.
Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project $10,000
www.reconciliationproject.org
Funding for an exhibition titled, Lands of Water: Minnesota and Mesopotamia, featuring local artists and artists from Minneapolis' Sister City of Najaf, Iraq. The exhibition will be held at Minneapolis City Hall in fall 2013.
Mama Mosaic Theater $10,000
www.myspace.com/mamamosaictheaterFunding for Mama Mosaic's Conservatory, a two-week intensive theater training program using the arts to cultivate artistic depth and excellence in young women of color with a culminating a public performance.
Threads Dance Project $10,000
www.threadsdance.org
Funding for Malignant, a new dance work exploring the human experience with cancer. The performance will take place at The Lab in Minneapolis in October 2013.
Wayzata Symphony Orchestra $10,000
www.thewso.org
Funding for the 2013 - 2014 season of four free concerts of both traditional and nontraditional orchestral works. The concerts will take place at Wayzata Community Church between October 2013 and May 2014.
We Theater $10,000
Funding for The Shadow War, a new play exploring the interaction between Hmong, Lao and American perspectives of the war in Laos. The performances will take place in April 2014 at a theater to be determined.
Yellow Tree Theatre $10,000
www.yellowtreetheatre.com
Funding for 22 performances of On Golden Pond at Yellow Tree Theatre in Osseo in September and October 2013.
Suburban Ramsey County
Ashland Productions $10,000
www.ashlandproductions.com
Funding for Ashland Collaborative Theater or ACT!, a collaborative theater arts experience for elementary-aged youth at 10 to 12 East Metro schools. The activities will take place between November 2013 and May 2014 and culminate in staged performances at the Maplewood Performing Arts Theatre.
Contempo Physical Dance $10,000
contempophysicaldance.org
Funding for Senzalmas, a new full-length Afro-Brazilian dance work to be performed at the Goodale Theater at the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts in February 2014.
Oratorio Society of Minnesota $10,000
www.oratorio.org
Funding for three concerts in their 2013 - 2014 season, including the Summer Chorus singing event, that will take place between November 2013 and May 2014.
Rosetown Playhouse $10,000
www.rosetownplayhouse.org
Funding for a new adaptation and musical production of Peter Pan at Roseville Area Middle School in December 2013.
Twin Cities Chinese Dance Center, Inc. $10,000
Funding for The Joyful Dance IV, an annual dance concert celebrating the Chinese New Year at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in January 2014.
Washington County
St Croix Valley Chamber Chorale $10,000
www.valleychamberchorale.org
Funding for Choral Singing - the Magic of Words and Music, the 2013 - 2014 season of three choral concerts to be held at the Washington County Historic Courthouse and Trinity Lutheran Church between December 2013 and April 2014.
