Workshops
Expand your skills and knowledge with SEMAC’s workshops. We offer Special Events led by experts on a variety of topics. Our In-Person Grant Workshops focus on providing useful tools and resources for individual artists and culture bearers. We also coordinate an Organizational Skill-Building Workshop Series specifically designed for staff and volunteer leaders from arts organizations and other nonprofits. Finally, Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists with Springboard for the Arts is a series covering essential topics for individual creatives such as career planning, time management, and portfolio development.
Contact Sharon Mansur, Outreach & Accessibility Manager, at sharon@semac.org or 507.322.1088, 711 TTY with questions or accessibility requests.
Special Events
SEMAC partners with local artists and culture bearers, offering a variety of workshops and sessions to provide guidance from local professionals with specialized backgrounds. These events aim to provide connection, resources, share experiences, and more!
Health Insurance Considerations for Minnesota Artists
Presented in partnership with Springboard for the Arts & Health Access MN
SEMAC is excited to partner again with Springboard for the Arts and Health Access MN to offer this essential workshop designed specifically for working artists and culture bearers in Minnesota.
During this session, MNsure-Certified Navigator Jeff Jurewicz from Health Access MN will walk artists through the basics of securing insurance in Minnesota during the open enrollment period and beyond. Artists in attendance will learn crucial information, including how to compare plans, determine eligibility for subsidies, and connect with a licensed broker who can help with enrollment.
Virtual Session
Thursday, November 5, 2026
6-8p CT
Meet the Facilitator
Jeff Jurewicz is a Certified MNsure Navigator with Health Access MN. He is also a visual artist and poet, and formerly served on several boards of MN arts organizations. With many years of experience as an MNSure Navigator and intimate knowledge of the needs of working artists, Jeff is ready to help navigate Minnesota health insurance and make the process as painless as possible.
Session Information
Virtual: via Zoom
Free, registration required.
Automated Zoom captions will be available.
Please note that these sessions will not be recorded.
For more direction to other information on this topic, please contact Zaraawar “Z” Mistry at 651.789.2292 or zaraawar@springboardforthearts.org.
Creative Rural Places Workshop, Intro Level
Grounded in Heartland, Heartwork: A Field Guide to Place and Possibility for Rural Leaders — a book published in 2024 by Springboard for the Arts and the Blandin Foundation — the Creative Rural Places workshop provides inspiration, practical tools, and opportunities for community visioning. Participants explore how creativity and collaboration can address local challenges or advance community goals, leaving with tangible ideas and next steps for creative projects rooted in place.
This workshop, presented by Michele Anderson, Senior Director of Partnerships & Rural Strategy with Springboard for the Arts, is a great first step towards submitting an application for SEMAC’s Creative Rural Places Project Grant, which opens March 1, 2027. These grants are meant to spark community arts projects in rural communities (populations under 7,500) that build relationships, cultivate deep connections to place, and create a sense of belonging among residents. Seven applicants from across SEMAC’s 11-county region, including the Prairie Island Indian Community, will be selected to receive these $8,000 grants.
Virtual Session
Wednesday, January 13, 2026
6-8:30p CT
Registration information coming soon!
Meet the Facilitator
As Senior Director of Partnerships & Rural Strategy, Michele Anderson leads overall strategy and partnerships for Springboard’s rural programs in support of rural artists and creative community development, including the Rural Regenerator Fellowship, the Rural Futures Summit, and the Falls Community Arts Exchange. She also supports Springboard’s Economic Opportunity and Community Development teams with significant external partnerships.
In 2024, Michele authored Heartland, Heartwork: A Field Guide to Place and Possibility for Rural Leaders. Developed in partnership with the Blandin Foundation, this comprehensive field guide is designed to empower rural leaders in planning and executing effective place-based projects centered in arts, culture and creativity.
Michele is also a songwriter, creative writer and pianist with a BA in Music from Lewis and Clark College and an MA in Cultural Sustainability from Goucher College, where she was awarded the inaugural Rory Turner Prize in Cultural Sustainability. Her work is about creating and seeking out multiracial and multi-generational pathways to new rural futures rooted in repair, stewardship and joy, whether through policy, poetry, or karaoke!
Session Information
Virtual: via Zoom
Free, registration required.
Please note that these sessions will not be recorded.
Automated Zoom captions will be available.
Access Lab: Practicing Arts Accessibility Together
with Scott Artley, CPACC
This interactive Access Lab will begin with a brief hands-on introduction to Everyday Description: the practice of noticing, selecting, and communicating visual information so that more people can access what is happening. Together, participants will try a small descriptive exercise and consider how this skill can support creative work, communications, programs, and community participation.
“Accessibility work rarely comes with one perfect answer. It grows through practice, experimentation, conversation, and learning from what other people have tried.”
The remainder of the session will become a facilitated exchange among individual creatives, arts workers, and people supporting organizations across the SEMAC region. Participants are invited to bring:
- A small, specific accessibility question or challenge
- Something they have tried and are still working through
- A strategy, success, or useful resource to share
- Curiosity about what others are doing
Scott will lightly facilitate the room’s discussion, but the goal is to develop a group ready to think through access issues together. You do not need to arrive with a question or consider yourself an accessibility expert. Listening, reflecting, and sharing what you have noticed are all meaningful ways to participate.
Virtual Session
A question to consider before the session:
What is one access question, experiment, successful approach, or useful resource you could bring into conversation with others?
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
6-7:30p CT
Registration date has passed
Meet the Facilitator
Scott Artley (he/they) is a Minneapolis-based accessibility consultant and arts leader with nearly 20 years in the creative and nonprofit sectors. A Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC), he’s helped organizations across the country advance disability inclusion through strategic planning, assessments, training, and public speaking—always with the rigor and practical clarity that makes the work actually stick—and the sense of humor that makes it “fun as heck” to get there. Past roles include Accessibility Program Director at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.
Session Information
Virtual: via Zoom
Free, registration required.
Please note that these sessions will not be recorded.
Automated Zoom captions will be available.
Community Care for Creatives:
A Moment to Breathe & Be Together with Sarah Johnson
A Moment to Breathe & Be Together
Taking a moment to pause, breathe and be together can offer a brief respite when the demands, injustices, and strains of the world don’t stop. Join us for a free, 15-minute virtual opportunity to reset together with community engaged artist Sarah Johnson, hosted by the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC).
Virtual Sessions
Sarah will offer a short framing and a guided practice to tap into our own wisdom and groundedness.
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
12 noon-12:15p CT
Registration date has passed
Meet the Facilitator
Sarah Johnson (she/they) is a community engaged artist, licensed mental health professional and human with many years of experience in prevention, health promotion, art, and community-building. She is based in Winona, MN and engages with others locally, regionally, and nationally. In 2021 Sarah founded The Joy Labs and is working to build healthy, connected communities where we all have what we need to be able to effectively care for ourselves and each other.
Session Information
Virtual: via Zoom
Free, registration required.
You are invited to drop in at any point during the sessions.
Please note that these sessions will not be recorded.
Automated Zoom captions will be available.
In-Person Grant Workshops
In these free, in-person workshops, SEMAC staff members share an overview of the organization’s grant programs and professional development opportunities. They also discuss the process of applying for a Project Support for Individual Artists & Culture Bearers Grant, share helpful tips and resources beyond what SEMAC offers, and make time for conversation and connection.
Project Support for Individual Artists & Culture Bearers Grant Workshop
In this free, in-person workshop on Wednesday, December 9 from 6:00-8:00pm hosted by Little Theatre of Owatonna in Owatonna, MN, SEMAC staff members will share an overview of the organization’s grant programs and professional development opportunities. They also will discuss the process of applying for a Project Support for Individual Artists & Culture Bearers Grant (next deadline is January 25, 2027), share helpful tips and resources beyond what SEMAC offers, and make time for conversation and connection. Light refreshments will be served.
Little Theatre of Owatonna (LTO)
560 Dunnell Drive, Owatonna, MN
Wednesday, December 9, 2026 | 6-8p
“Little Theatre of Owatonna sparks creativity and builds community through enriching theatre experiences on and off the stage.”
Session Information
This workshop is in-person only and will not be recorded
Pre-registration is encouraged
Parking and Accessibility
Free street parking is available at Little Theatre of Owatonna.
The workshop will take place on LTO’s main floor, and the building entrance and space are both wheelchair accessible. There is also an accessible bathroom.
If you have any questions or need assistance in completing the registration form, please reach out to Sharon Mansur, Outreach & Accessibility Manager, at sharon@semac.org or 507.322.1088, 711 TTY.
If your organization is interested in scheduling an In-Person Grant Workshop for your community, please reach out to Sharon Mansur, Outreach & Accessibility Manager, at sharon@semac.org or 507.322.1088, 711 TTY.
Organizational Skill-Building Workshop Series
SEMAC is excited to continue our partnership with Propel Nonprofits to offer a series of online workshops that will provide organizations with the help they need to succeed. Through this partnership, these workshops which are normally $80-90 each per participant are available for free! We have added a fourth session to this series, a panel discussion facilitated by Scott Artley of Scott Artley Consulting.
Join other staff, board members, and volunteers from arts organizations in SEMAC’s 11-county region, including the Prairie Island Indian Community, for these professional development opportunities. Each workshop will be followed by a 30-minute post-session opportunity for networking and sharing, facilitated by SEMAC’s Executive Director, Anastasia Shartin.
Board Roles & Responsibilities
This interactive workshop is designed to equip nonprofit board members with a strong foundation in their core responsibilities — lead strategically, ensure financial stability, be an ambassador, support & supervise the executive director, and ensure healthy governance. This workshop is valuable for both new and experienced board members who want to serve more effectively.
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
12 noon-2p CT
Registration date has passed
Project Budgeting
Budgets are more than just numbers—they are powerful tools for planning, decision-making, and storytelling. In this training, we’ll explore how to use project budgeting not only to manage resources effectively but also to communicate your organization’s values, priorities, and aspirations.
Participants will:
- Develop a mindset that embraces budgeting as a leadership and planning tool.
- Learn about key nonprofit finance terminology and concepts, including direct vs. indirect costs and donor restrictions.
- Follow a step-by-step process to build a project budget from scope to tracking.
- Practice using budgets to tell compelling stories to funders, stakeholders, and staff.
This workshop is designed for smaller nonprofit organizations and program staff within larger organizations who are responsible for developing project budgets.
Whether you’re preparing a grant proposal, launching a new initiative, or managing an existing program, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and tools to budget with purpose and confidence.
Tuesday, December 8, 2026
12 noon-2p CT
Access as Creativity: Redesigning Our Work with Disabled Artists and Audiences
A panel discussion facilitated by Scott Artley, CPACC
Join arts leaders from the SEMAC region for a panel discussion facilitated by Minneapolis-based accessibility consultant Scott Artley about what disability, accommodation, and access teach us about community care as artistic innovation.
Tuesday, February 23, 2027
12 noon-1:30p CT
Meet the Facilitator
Scott Artley, CPACC
Scott Artley (he/they) is a Minneapolis-based accessibility consultant and arts leader with nearly 20 years in the creative and nonprofit sectors. A Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC), he’s helped organizations across the country advance disability inclusion through strategic planning, assessments, training, and public speaking—always with the rigor and practical clarity that makes the work actually stick—and the sense of humor that makes it “fun as heck” to get there. Past roles include Accessibility Program Director at the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.
This session is best enjoyed live with the interactive elements, but it will also be recorded and available for a limited time.
Board Engagement
In this workshop, attendees will explore four practices for healthy board governance: 1) being purposeful in recruiting and on-boarding, 2) sharing board norms and accountability, 3) designing board structures, and 4) identifying board development. Propel will also provide tips to increase engagement of board members, including an overview of facilitation strategies you can use during your board meetings.
Tuesday, April 20, 2027
12 noon-2p CT
Series Information
Virtual: via Zoom
Free, registration required.
Please note that Propel Nonprofit sessions will not be recorded.
Automated Zoom captions will be available.
Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists with Springboard for the Arts
Springboard for the Arts’ virtual Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists workshop series continues with one more free offering this fall, including an expanded invitation open to individual artists and culture bearers in the regions served by the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council (PLRAC), the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC), and the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council (SMAC).
Springboard’s Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists is a professional development curriculum designed to teach business skills to artists and culture bearers in all disciplines – visual, performing and literary arts. It starts with career planning and moves through topics like pricing, marketing, funding, and business plans. Work of Art can be helpful if you are just starting your creative career, or if you need a refresher as you advance your work.
Fall 2026 Business Skills
Recordkeeping
Learn how to track revenues and expenses, make informed projections, and gain a clearer understanding of your artistic business finances.
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
6-8p CT
Registration date has passed
Legal Considerations
Obtain general information about your intellectual property, contract basics, and structuring your artistic business. *Work of Art instructors are not attorneys. Information presented is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice.
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
6-8p CT
Registration date has passed
Funding
Learn how to think creatively about diversifying your funding streams by exploring different models for generating value, resources, and revenue.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026
6-8p CT
Series Information
Virtual: via Zoom
Free, registration required.
Please note that these sessions will not be recorded.
Automated Zoom captions will be available.
Springboard’s Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists curriculum is available as a free workbook and downloadable from the Springboard for the Arts website as a helpful reference during or after the workshops.
For more about Springboard’s Work of Art program: springboardforthearts.org/professional-growth/work-of-art-program/
Springboard is committed to improving access to our programs and services for all persons. If you have questions or need assistance with completing the registration form, call Zaraawar Mistry at 651.789.2282 or email zaraawar@springboardforthearts.org.