On June 25, 2013, MRAC awarded a total of  180,225 to 38 individual artists in the FY 2013 Next Step Fund grant program. The Next Step Fund program, funded by The McKnight Foundation, is designed to help artists in the 7-county metropolitan region complete a project that will help them rise to the next level in their careers regardless of whether they are emerging artists or artists well established in their disciplines.
There were 376 artists who applied for the 38 grants given. Fifty-five finalists were asked to submit work samples as background information and support for their Next Step project. Artists could work in any discipline but must have a community connection and demonstrated achievement in their artistic field.
The following is an alphabetical list of Next Step Fund grant recipients with short project descriptions. Lesley Arimah $4,000 Literature - fiction Funding to attend an intensive writing workshop for emerging writers conducted by the short story publication One Story. Philip Blackburn $5,000 Multidisciplinary Funding for the time to collaborate with specialized experts as well as a significant period of model building, prototyping, durability and safety testing for a large scale public art project entitled: The Pendulum Beacon. Melissa Borman $5,000 Visual Arts - general Funding to purchase a wide format inkjet printer, paper and additional ink. Bart Buch $5,000 Theater - puppetry Funding to adapt and revise the artist's puppet performance "Mortal City" into a small self-contained touring show. Craig Carnahan $5,000 Opera/Musical Theater Funding for the costs of engaging a professional team of artists to rehearse and perform a reading session of the artist's new work "Ghost Camp" and to produce an audio recording for study purposes. Ellie Fregni $4,100 Music - ethnic/folk-inspired Funding to record and produce an educational children's CD and booklet. Dylan Fresco $5,000 Theater - general Funding to develop a strategic communications plan and create marketing materials. Elizabeth di Grazia $5,000 Literature - nonfiction Funding to participate in a one-week writing retreat with Mary Caroll Moore, take a twelve-week online class, and take time to finish the artist's book and seek publication. Ash Hane $5,000 Visual Arts - graphics Funding to purchase professional photography equipment. John Heimbuch $5,000 Theater - general Funding for the artist's first self-produced independent short film titled: IF NOT WHEN. Greg Herriges $4,500 Music - ethnic/folk-inspired Funding to purchase soundtrack recording equipment. Keith Holmes $5,000 Photography Funding to purchase a Nikon D800 camera and a Macbook Pro in order to digitize 30 years of silver photography. Laura Holway $5,000 Multidisciplinary Funding for the creation of a tour-able collection of dance vignettes to connect work with new audiences. Asa Hoyt $5,000 Crafts - metal Funding to create an outdoor, propane-fired blacksmithing forge and purchase a variety of blacksmithing tools required to manipulate metal while hot. Sabine Ibes $5,000 Dance - ethnic/jazz/folk-inspired Funding for the artist to travel to Argentina to study Argentine Tango Dancing. Julie Johnson $4,900 Music - new/experimental/electronic Funding to purchase a Trevor James bass flute and a Rhythm and Bass Stompbox. Joseph Jones $5,000 Music - orchestral Funding to help purchase a baroque bassoon. Gail Katz-James $5,000 Visual Arts - sculpture Funding to purchase a MIG welder, mentor with artist Heather Doyle, and purchase the necessary materials to create eight to ten new mixed- media sculptures. Barbara Kingsley $5,000 Literature - playwriting/scriptwriting Funding to mount a tour-friendly production of the playwright's work, Emily Dickinson: I Am Proof of Me! Colin Kloecker $5,000 Media Arts - video Funding to purchase film equipment for the production of the first video in a documentary series titled, Public Works. Brian Laidlaw $5,000 Music - popular Funding to purchase home audio recording equipment in order to record the artist's next work, "Amoratorium" song suite. Caly McMorrow $5,000 Media Arts - technology/experimental Funding to update equipment and get training to support the creation of interactive installation work. Tami Morse $5,000 Music - chamber Funding for an internship with world-class harpsichord builder Ton Amir. Blake Nellis $2,400 Multidisciplinary Funding to purchase professional camera equipment. Pat O'Keefe $5,000 Music - new/experimental/electronic Funding for the creation and release through Innova Recordings of the artists first CD as a solo artist. Leslie O'Neill $1,625 Dance - modern Funding to attend a week-long professional development workshop taught by movement analyst and choreographer Claire Porter. Jehra Patrick $5,000 Visual Arts - painting Funding to research, produce and exhibit a new body of the artist's work. Ashwini Ramaswamy $5,000 Dance - general Funding for the artist's first international invitation for a solo performance. Patrick Scully $5,000 Multidisciplinary Funding to create a solo performance about Walt Whitman. Iris Shiraishi $5,000 Music - ethnic/folk-inspired Funding to study with Master Artist Kyosuke Suzuki in Japan. Deborah Jiang Stein $5,000 Literature - nonfiction Funding for the research, editing and marketing necessary to complete the memoir, PRISON BABY. Maria Tavera $5,000 Visual Arts - general Funding for a printmaking course, a year of studio access at Highpoint Center for printmaking, and the supplies needed to produce a large body of new work culminating in the artist's first solo exhibition. Mong Vang $5,000 Media Arts - video Funding to purchase the artist's first camcorder, a Panasonic AG-AF100. Jeremy Walker $5,000 Music - jazz Funding for a professional recording at Wild Sounds Studio of the artist's original songs performed by the band, Boot Camp. Krista Walsh $4,500 Visual Arts - general Funding to purchase and install a heat and air conditioner unit for the artist's studio. Caitlin Warner $5,000 Visual Arts - general Funding to purchase bookbinding equipment. James Williams $4,200 Visual Arts - sculpture Funding to purchase a plasma cutter and AC/DC TIG welder. Paul Winger $5,000 Photography Funding for a personalized workshop with photographer and mentor Doug Beasley and the camera equipment recommended by the instructor. | 
