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2017 Awards

In FY2017, SEMAC awarded $843,071 in grants to 155 organizations and individuals, listed by county.

Dodge County

  • Berne Summer Concert Series received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 2017 Summer Concert Series.
  • Dodge Center Economic Development Authority received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for 2017 June Bloom Event.
  • Mantorville Art Guild received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Summer Youth Art Camps; a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses for 2017; and a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Administrative Support.
  • Mantorville Theatre Company received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for October production of Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe.
  • Triton Public Schools received a $3,000 School Residency grant for South Korean Drumming.

Fillmore County

  • Chatfield Brass Band received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Chatfield “Music in the Park” Free Summer Concert Series; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Website and marketing development.
  • Chatfield Center for the Arts received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Administrative Support Grant 2017; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Support for Marketing and Development Staff 2018.
  • Commonweal Theatre Company received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Commonweal Theatre’s Wealhouse Series.
  • Dreamery Rural Arts Initiative received a $4,600 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Summer Performance Series Support; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative and Maintenance Expenses for 2017.
  • Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 2017 Stringwood Chamber Music Festival.
  • Friends of Peterson received a $4,930 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Gammel Dag Fest – A Scandinavian Midsummer Celebration.
  • History Alive Lanesboro received a $4,800 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Pop-up Plays Lanesboro 1930s: The Sequel.
  • Northland Words received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative staff salary expense – 2017; and a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Their Imaginary Forces: Original Shakespeare-inspired Music and Play.
  • Peterson Committee for the Arts received a $2,400 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for The Arts Blossom in Peterson – Summer Music Series 2017.
  • Lane Powell received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for “Spiritual Reflections” is the proposed concert band piece to be created for area bands.

Freeborn County

  • Albert Lea Area Schools received a $2,960 School Residency grant for Botanical Illustration and Landscape Design.
  • Albert Lea Art Center received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses, April – November 2017.
  • Albert Lea Community Theater received a $2,500 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for “Love, Loss, and What I Wore” Production.
  • Freeborn County Arts Initiative received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for FCAI Rent and Gallery Maintenance Expenses 2016-2017.

Goodhue County

  • Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies received a $5,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Two Trains Runnin’ Documentary; and a $5,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Poetry Reading with Afaa Michael Weaver and Marcus Wicker.
  • ArtReach received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Studio Space Rent 2017.
  • Cannon Arts Board received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for website & marketing development/maintenance; and a $900 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Cannon Valley Community Band support.
  • Cannon Falls Library received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Run Boy Run Rural Library Residency.
  • Goodhue County Historical Society received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Quilters Musical 2017.
  • Hispanic Outreach Program of Goodhue County received an $8,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Hispanic Heritage Festival.
  • Red Wing Art Association received an $8,525 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Stories in Stitches.
  • Sheldon Memorial Auditorium received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 2017-2018 Touring Artists in Community.
  • Sound Support for String Music received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for SoundStrings Summer Violin Experience.
  • Jessica Woken received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Album Composition & Band Creation.
  • Zumbrota Area Arts Council received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses for 2017; and a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Zumbrota Summer Music and Arts Festival.
  • Zumbrota Community Band received a $3,700 General Operating Support grant for Director Salary and Sheet Music Expenses 2017.

Houston County

  • Chamber Music Live received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 2017 Apollo Music Festival.
  • Houston Area Chamber of Commerce received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Lawn Chair Concert Series 2017.
  • Houston Arts Resource Council received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for 2017 Crystal Creek Citizen-Artist Residency.
  • Southeast Minnesota Bluegrass Association received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses for 2017; a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for SEMBA May 19, 20, 21, 2017 Bluegrass Music Festival; and a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for August 2017 Bluegrass Festival & One Day Workshop.

Mower County

  • Austin Area Commission for the Arts received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Kids Visual Arts Education 2017.
  • Austin Community Band received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Summer Concerts in the Park.
  • Austin Symphony Orchestra received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Homecoming Orchestral Reunion; and a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for With Strings Attached.
  • Matchbox Children’s Theatre received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for MCT presents Charlotte’s Web; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for MCT Administrative Expenses for 2017.
  • Summerset Community Theatre received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 50th Anniversary Summerset Season.

Olmsted County

  • Absolute Theatre received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Inaugural Season Support.
  • Art4Trails received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Art4Trails.
  • McKay Bram received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Hand Dance Adorned – A Dance for Film with Fine Jewelry.
  • Children’s Dance Theatre received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 30th Anniversary Celebration Events for the Children’s Dance Theatre.
  • Kevin Dobbe received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Composition of Original Musical.
  • Dover Eyota Music Association received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 2017 SE MN a Cappella; and a $3,895 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses for mid-2017.
  • Dover-Eyota Public Schools received a $3,000 School Residency grant for Copper Street Brass Residency.
  • Eyota Days Committee received an $1,860 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for “Aladdin” facilitated by Prairie Fire Children’s Theatre.
  • Angel Falu-Garcia received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Suzuki Teacher Training Courses Summer 2017.
  • Hambone Music Festival received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for HMF Operating Expenses for 2017.
  • Corey Henke received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Evolution of the French horn Quartet: Concert and Outreach.
  • Bernadine Jax received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for “Integration of Mandalas, Music and Meditation”.
  • David Kassler received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for A Concert of Choral Music by David Kassler on Texts of Regionally and Nationally Recognized Poets.
  • Kathleen Lamb received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for The Voices of Europe – An exploration of chamber music from Baroque to the 20th Century.
  • Ivete de Castro Martinez received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for The Study of three Advance Concepts in Oil Paintings: chessboard effect, passages and color bleeding.
  • Rhapsody Performing Arts For All received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for River City Rhapsody 2017 (Drum & Bugle Corps Event).
  • Riverside Central Elementary School received a $3,000 School Residency grant for Story Telling through iMovie media.
  • Rochester Art Center received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for CATALYST: Southern Minnesota Artists Resource Fair.
  • Rochester Art Ensemble received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Day of the Dead Poets Slam 2017.
  • Rochester Chamber Music Society received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses for July 1 – December 31, 2017.
  • Rochester Civic Theatre Company received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Summer @ The Civic.
  • Rochester Dance Company received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for 2017 Administrative Expenses.
  • Rochester International Film Group received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for 22nd Annual Rochester International Film Festival; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for 2017 Film Festival Programming & Booking Expenses.
  • Rochester Irish Fest received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Irish Fest 2017.
  • Rochester Male Chorus received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Music for Wellbeing; a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for The Wonder of Christmas; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses for portion of 2017.
  • Rochester Music Guild received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Rochester Music Guild 53rd Annual Scholarship Competition; and a $2,555 General Operating Support grant for Operating Expenses for 2017.
  • Rochester Repertory Theatre Company received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Royalties and script rentals for the Rep’s 2017 year of theater; and a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Production of Shelagh Stephenson’s play “The Memory of Water”.
  • Irissa Ryant received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Sharing Music with All Ages.
  • Shorewood Senior Campus received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Interactive Art and Creative Aging.
  • Sing Out Loud received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Youth Choral Community Outreach and Scholarship Program; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Sing Out Loud Expenses 2017-2018.
  • Southeast Minnesota Federation Music Club received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Rochester Area Federation Festival 2018.
  • Susan Waughtal received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Sparked by the Prairie; Formed from the Farm.

Rice County

  • Ameriikan Poijat Finnish Brass Band received a $9,345 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Musical Celebration of Finland’s Centennial; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Enhancing Brass Music Concerts and Outreach.
  • Bridge Chamber Music Festival received a $3,500 General Operating Support grant for Chamber Music Festival 2017; and a $7,350 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Chamber Music Festival 2017.
  • Gao Hong received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Duet for Pipa and Zhongruan.
  • Paul Dice received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for New Composition for Chinese Pipa.
  • Jill Ewald received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Pathways There and Now, exhibit and presentation.
  • Julie Fakler received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Southeastern Minnesota Farm Animal Paintings.
  • Faribault Parks & Recreation received a $3,990 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Faribault Concerts in the Park Series.
  • Fifty North received a $7,375 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for “A Year of In-Residence”.
  • Dana Hanson received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Healing the Land.
  • I Cantanti Chamber Choirs received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Program Expansion to Diversify Audience.
  • Terra LaChance received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Tintypes and Authenticity.
  • Lockwood Theater Company received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Production of the original Melodrama/Musical “Jesse”.
  • Andrea Mazzariello received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Plant Another Flower.
  • Northfield Arts & Culture Commission received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Northfield Sidewalk Public Poetry Project 2017.
  • Northfield Arts Guild received a $5,395 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for The Northfield Experience at the NAG.
  • Northfield Community Education received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Books & Stars 2017.
  • Northfield Healthy Community Initiative received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Spotlight on Youth.
  • Northfield Public Library received a $9,600 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Introducing the Northfield Poet Laureate, 2017.
  • Northfield Public Schools received a $9,675 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Young Sculptors’ Project.
  • Northfield Troubadours received a $1,700 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for A Step Up: Ensuring Quality in Men’s Choral Singing.
  • Northfield Union of Youth received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Engaging Youth through Arts at The Key.
  • Meg Ojala received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Bogs and Fens: A Photographic Investigation.
  • Paradise Center for the Arts received an $8,385 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Playing with Fire: Iron Pour and Raku.
  • Wendy Placko received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Lady Parts.
  • South Central Minnesota Studio ArTour received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for 2017 South Central Minnesota Studio Artour.
  • Vintage Band Festival received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for McNasty Brass July 2017.

Steele County

  • Cultural Diversity Network of Owatonna received an $8,650 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for CulturFest 2017.
  • Owatonna Public Schools received a $2,600 School Residency grant for An experience in Guinea, West Africa.
  • Owatonna Symphony Orchestra received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Filling Vacant Chairs with Professional Musicians (Ringers) for Spring 2017 Concert.

Wabasha County

  • Margaret Bauernfeind received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Alien in an Old Place: People and Places on Route 74.
  • Colleen Ihrke received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Southeastern Zumbro River Trails Mural.
  • Lake City Public Schools received a $3,000 School Residency grant for 10th Annual Lake City Jazz Festival.
  • Wabasha Public Library received a $481 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Summer Reading Art Week 2017.

Winona County

  • Cody Bartz received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Creation and Display of Art Exhibition.
  • Bluff Country Studio Art Tour received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Bluff Country Studio Art Tour.
  • Skylar Burkhardt received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Native American Ancestry.
  • City of Winona Community Services received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Family Art Day 2017.
  • Frozen River Film Festival received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for FRFF Personnel Expenses FY 2017; a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Inclusive Marketing for Frozen River Film Festival; and a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Nature Documentary with Live String Quartet.
  • Lisa Gray received a $2,500 Emerging Artist grant for Gravel Roads.
  • Great River Shakespeare Festival received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Concerts on the Green.
  • Julie Johnston received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Rooted In The Land: MN Women Farmers.
  • La Crescent-Hokah Public Schools received a $1,000 School Residency grant for Shakespeare in the Schools – La Crescent 2017.
  • Lewiston-Altura Public Schools received a $3,000 School Residency grant for Residency with the Copper Street Brass.
  • Sharon Mansur received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for “Dreaming Under a Cedar Tree”.
  • Mid West Music Fest received a $3,000 Presenter/Production Assistance grant for Funk Soul Band to Headline Mid West Music Fest; and a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Staffing Assistance for Mid West Music Fest Directors.
  • Minnesota Marine Art Museum received a $9,850 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Minnesota Illustrated: Prints & Mural by Adam Turman.
  • Elizabeth Oness received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Look Both Ways (working title).
  • Project FINE received a $9,880 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Hearing the Voices: Digital Edition.
  • River Arts Alliance received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for HBC History of Communications Fence Project 2017.
  • Jonathan Swanson received a $5,000 Established Artist grant for Winona Characters: Portrait Photography Project.
  • Theatre du Mississippi received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for TdM Administrative Expenses 2016-17; a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 2017 Theatrical Productions.
  • Winona Area Public Schools received a $3,000 School Residency grant for Shakespeare in the Schools.
  • Winona County Historical Society received a $9,170 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for The Art of Fine Furniture 2017 “Inspired”.
  • Winona Dakota Unity Alliance received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for 2017 Great Dakota Gathering, Homecoming, & Powwow.
  • Winona State University College of Education received a $3,000 School Residency grant for Winona Young Writers Conference 2017.
  • Winona Symphony Orchestra received a $4,000 General Operating Support grant for Administrative Expenses for 2016-2017 Season; and a $7,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Children’s Concert for Winona Area 3rd and 4th Graders.