Panelists
Arts Advisory PanelThe Arts Advisory Panel is comprised of representatives from each of the five artistic disciplines – Dance, Literature, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts – and generalists who have demonstrated strong involvement in support of arts endeavors. The Panel is responsible for reviewing grant applications and making funding recommendations to the Board of Directors.
SEMAC’s Arts Advisory Panel is assembled through an open nomination process and panelists are selected based on their artistic expertise and critical skills in their respective disciplines.
| Discipline | Panelist | Description |
| Dance | Jane Olive | member of the Mantorville Arts Guild, Opera House, and Theatre Company, a “retired” nurse and passionate costumer, specializing in period costumes, member of the Mantorville Movers & Shakers |
| Dance | Paula Mann | baccalaureate and master’s degrees from New York University in dance performance and choreography, currently full-time faculty at the University of Minnesota Department of Theater and Dance, co-artistic director of Time Track Productions |
| Dance | open | nominations accepted |
| Generalist | Carolyn Hiller | Executive Director, Choral Arts Ensemble of Rochester, manages the weekly concert series Harmony for Mayo at Mayo Clinic, and a site visitor/grant panelist for the Minnesota State Arts Board |
| Literary Arts | Michael Larson | instructor of English at Minnesota State College – Southeast Technical in Winona, recipient of the 2010 Loft-McKnight Fellowship in Poetry |
| Literary Arts | William Hoy | degree in English Writing from Winona State University; self-taught musician/songwriter, selected playwright at 2007 Northfield Play Festival, published poet and two-time editor of the literary publication Satori |
| Literary Arts | Katie Leo | has published poetry, essays, and monologues, holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and currently serves as Cultural Community Liaison for the Minnesota State Arts Board |
| Music | Alan Calavano | serves on the boards of the Rochester Male Chorus, Arts Council, and Olmsted County History Center, was General Chairman of the Rochester Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2004 |
| Music | Scott Anderson | immediate past SEMAC Board President, having served there for six years, accomplished musician and Manager of the Historic Paramount Theatre in Austin |
| Music | open | nominations accepted |
| Theatre | Dan Freeman | serves on the boards of the Northfield Area Foundation and Northfield Historical Society, and is an active theatre volunteer for the Northfield Arts Guild |
| Theatre | Kathy Rush | recently retired from the SEMAC Board of Directors, is a thespian with the Lockwood Theatre Company and serves on the board of Paradise Center for the Arts |
| Theatre | open | nominations accepted |
| Visual Arts | Liz Bucheit | jewelry artist and owner of Crown Trout Jewelers in Lanesboro whose accomplishments include both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Arts in metalworking and jewelry |
| Visual Arts | Tom Willis | a potter who thoughtfully applies skill and craftsmanship to the unlimited possibilities of clay form, who recently served two three-year terms on the SEMAC Board of Directors |
| Visual Arts | open | nominations accepted |
