Recent SEMAC Grant Awards

On November 15, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Inc. (SEMAC) awarded 37 grants for a total of $192,375 in funding to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota. This included fourteen Presenter/Production Assistance Grants for $42,000, six Small Towns/Rural Areas Grants for $15,650, and seventeen Arts & Cultural Heritage Grants for $134,725 to arts organizations. The latter funding is made possible by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Grants were awarded to each of the following organizations, listed by county:

Dodge County

Mantorville Art Guild received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Additional Operating Expense Funding.

Fillmore County

Chatfield Brass Band received a $2,950 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Music in the Park Summer Concert Series.
Commonweal Theatre Company received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Commonweal Post Apprentice Fellowship.
Lanesboro Arts Center received a $9,200 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Lanesboro Residency Project.
Northland Words received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Words Players Jr. Troupe and Shakespeare Theatre Events.
Southeast Minnesota Bluegrass Association received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for May 2012 SEMBA Bluegrass Festival.

Goodhue County

Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies received a $3,725 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Poetry Reading by Ted Kooser, former U.S. Poet Laureate.
Cannon Falls Library received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for SELCO Baye Kouyate Residency Project.
Fairview Red Wing Health Services received a $5,400 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Sheldon at Fairview: Arts for Your Health.
Picaresque II received a $4,300 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for “The Story of Music, Stories from Home”.

Mower County

Austin Symphony Orchestra received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Homecoming and Young Artist’s Concert.
Matchbox Children’s Theatre received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for “Baba Yaga and the Black Sunflower”.

Olmsted County

Children’s Dance Theatre received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for “A Mid-summer Night’s Dream,” 25th Anniversary Production.
City of Rochester Music Department received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for World Music Pilot Project, Year Three.
Diversity Council received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Celebration of Diversity and Inclusivity.
Rochester Aria Group received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Two Concerts of Operatic Music.
Rochester Arts Council received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for ARTigras 2012.
Rochester Chamber Music Society received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for three concerts.
Rochester Dance Company received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Nikolai Morschakov performing in “The Nutcracker”.
Rochester International Film Group received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for 17th Annual Rochester International Film Festival.
Rochester Music Guild received a $6,850 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Scholarship Competition and Winners’ Recitals.
Rochester Repertory Theatre received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Completion of the Sitting Pretty Campaign.
Rochester Repertory Theatre received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Production of Conor McPherson’s “Shining City”.
Southeastern Minnesota Suzuki Association received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Student Concert Series.
Southeastern Minnesota Youth Orchestras received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for SEMYO Concerto Competition and Concert.

Rice County

Cannon Valley Regional Orchestra received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Administrative Expenses.
City of Northfield Arts & Culture Commission received a $7,100 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Sidewalk Public Poetry Project.
Lockwood Theater Company received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for production of “Jesse” a musical melodrama.
Northfield Public Schools received a $4,150 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Northfield Young Sculptors Project.
Paradise Center for the Arts received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Collaboration with Northfield Arts Guild of the musical “Into the Woods”.

Steele County

Owatonna Arts Center received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Children’s/Teen Education Supervisor.

Wabasha County

Wabasha-Kellogg Public School received a $4,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for The Copper Street Brass Quintet Residency.

Winona County

Bluff Country Studio Art Tour received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Studio Art Tour 2012.
Frozen River Film Festival received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Frozen River Film Festival 2012.
Saint Charles Youth Theatre received a $1,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for “Beauty and the Beast”.
Saint Johns Lutheran School received a $2,700 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for “Jack and the Bean Stalk”.
Winona Symphony Orchestra received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for their April 29, 2012 concert.

On August 16, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Inc. (SEMAC) awarded five Artists in Education Grants, for a total of $10,000 in funding to schools and educational institutions in southeastern Minnesota.

By county, Artists in Education Grants were awarded to the following institutions:

Fillmore County

Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, Lanesboro, was awarded $2,000 toward hosting Stringwood, the annual summer chamber music program.

Olmsted County

Herbert Hoover Elementary School, Rochester, was awarded $2,000 to host an artist residency literary journal project with fourth grade students.

Rice County

Minnesota State Academy for the Blind, Faribault, was awarded $2,000 for artist residencies in classical music of South India and quilt art.

Winona County

Hiawatha Valley Education District, Winona, was awarded $2,000 toward funding the Young Writers Conference in summer 2012.
Winona State University Music Department, Winona, was awarded $2,000 toward hosting guest artists for the Annual High School Honors Jazz Band Residency.

On May 17, 2011, the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Inc. (SEMAC) awarded seven Arts & Cultural Heritage Grants for a total of $82,904 in funding to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota. This funding is made possible by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

By county, grants were awarded to the following organizations:

Fillmore County

Dreamery Rural Arts Initiative, Wykoff, received a $4,200 grant for its Play! in the Barn series during the summer 2011 season.

Freeborn County

Freeborn County Agricultural Society, Albert Lea, received a $3,150 grant to provide free stage entertainment at the Freeborn County Fair.

Houston County

Giants of the Earth Heritage Center, Spring Grove, received a $10,000 grant to provide instructors for the Giants Folk and Fine Arts School.

Mower County

Northwestern Singers, Austin, received a $2,195 grant for their annual spring concert.

Olmsted County

Northland Words, Chatfield, received a $38,759 grant to fund two productions and various classes during 2011.
Rochester Dance Company, Rochester, received a $10,000 grant for its production of The Wizard of Oz and Other Classics.

Steele County

Vega Productions, Owatonna, received a $14,600 grant for its after school guitar program

For a complete guide to grant eligibility and the application process, please download the PDF.