MCA
Minnesota Citizens for the Arts
2233 University Ave. W. #355
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-251-0868 fax 651-917-3561
staff at mncitizensforthearts.org
www.mncitizensforthearts.org
Arts Action Center

December 2, 2009

1. State Arts Board Officially Creates New Amendment Grants Programs

2. Give Yourself the Gift of Arts Advocacy!

3. Save the Date! Arts Advocacy Day Will be March 2, 2010

4. New Internship Opening at MCA

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1. State Arts Board Officially Creates New Amendment Grants Programs

I am thrilled to report that today the Minnesota State Arts Board, after a very lengthy and extensive public input and strategic planning process, met today to formally create the new grants programs made possible by the passage of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. The Board created four major new programs as well as a number of smaller initiatives. The four major new programs are:

1. Touring and Presenting: $2M: Giving Minnesotans greater access to high-quality artists and arts organizations, regardless of geography. This program will support presenters in presenting the arts in communities accross the state, and producing artists and arts organizations to tour to locations within Minnesota. In addition, the MSAB will create Festivals Grants with $250,000 to help Minnesotans engage in festivals that celebrate the arts, build community, and expose communities to diverse art forms. (Arts and Arts Access, and Arts and Cultural Heritage).
2. Arts Participation Grants: $2M: Allowing people of all ages, abilities, economic backgrounds, cultural heritages, and geographic areas to be able to participate in the arts. This grant program will include two parts. First, grants to arts organizations for strategic, sustained work to engage underserved audiences. ($1.5M). Second, grants to social service organizations to enable clients to participate in high-quality arts events. ($.5M). (Arts and Arts Access).
3. Professional Development for Artists and Organizations: $370,000: Providing opportunities for artists and arts organizations to increase their business and career skills, making them equal to their exceptional artistic quality, and making Minnesota a state in which artists want to live and work because they can be successful. This includes professional development, activities, opportunities and resources. Plus, an additional $593,000 for Artist Initiative Grants. (Arts and Arts Access).
4. Life-Long Arts Learning Opportunities: $2.3M: Creating new opportunities for Minnesotans of all ages to participate in arts learning and develop their creativity. Grants to arts organizations and community organizations to create or increase arts learning programming. (Arts Education).

Smaller new programs include a census of artists and arts organizations, a touring folk/traditional visual arts exhibition, and additional traditional and folk arts grants. These programs are in addition to the Board’s previous decision to provide stabilization grants for arts organizations and presenters (the checks for stabilization grants will go out in Feb. and April, 2010).

Most of these new programs will have application deadlines in February, 2010, with award panels held in March/April, and grants made in June, 2010. The MSAB will of course be making more comprehensive announcements about their new programs and related grantmaking criteria over the next month or so. They will be your best resource for further information.

And remember, these larger grant programs are in addition to all of the many new Arts, Arts Access, Arts Education and Arts and Cultural Heritage programs being launched across the state by our eleven Regional Arts Councils.

So, congratulations! All of the arts community’s work over the past many years to pass the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment will result in greater access to the arts for all Minnesotans.

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2. Give Yourself the Gift of Arts Advocacy!

Itls the best time of the year to give yourself the gift of arts advocacy. Your support allows MCA to create a statewide arts advocacy movement to make sure all Minnesotans have access to the arts. We put the arts into Minnesota’s constitution. Be a part of what happens next! You can donate quickly on-line. Thanks for being a part of the team! Or go to our website at www.mncitizensforthearts.org .

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3. Save the Date! Arts Advocacy Day Will be March 2, 2010

The best arts networking opportunity of the year will be MCA’s Arts Advocacy Day on March 2, 2010 in St. Paul. Save the date on your calendar now, with more details to follow soon!

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4. New Internship Opening at MCA

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA), a nationally renowned arts advocacy organization that lobbies for state arts funding, seeks an intern to begin January 4th. The position is un-paid, part-time and flexible (approximately 20 hours per week).

MCA represents the arts community of Minnesota at the state legislature and lobbies for state funding of the arts, as well as other issues of concern to the non-profit arts community. MCA also does advocacy for the National Endowment for the Arts. To lobby effectively, MCA organizes grassroots advocacy around the state and keeps constituents educated and informed about the political process and the current state of arts funding throughout the year.

Interns will have exposure to and opportunities to interact with some of the movers and shakers in the arts community, as well as a working knowledge of the legislative process, arts funding structures in Minnesota and the basic functions of running a nonprofit. Perks include free tickets to performances and many opportunities to advance in the arts and/or political community.

Duties and projects included in the internship:

• Work with staff on current projects including grassroots organizing, candidate meetings, voter education, board meeting preparation, filing and data entry.
• Interns may also have the opportunity to identify and take on projects of interest that relate to arts advocacy.

A qualified applicant would possess the following skills:

• Understanding of the political process. Past political experience preferred.
• Interest in working with the arts community.
• Good communication skills, especially speaking with people on the phone.
• A self-starting, positive, self-motivated personality and a sense of humor.
• Good organizational skills and the ability to perform many tasks simultaneously.
• Computer literacy; preferably experience with Macintosh, Microsoft Word & Excel and database systems.
• Independent and creative work habits.

APPLY NOW: Please mail or email resume and cover letter by December 20th, 2009 to: Mark Albers, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, 2233 University Avenue West, Suite 355, St. Paul, MN 55114, staff at mncitizensforthearts.org

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MCA VIDEO LINKS

Check out two great videos from Arts Advocacy Day Held February 24, 2009:

Here’s a video of highlights from the Arts Advocacy Day kickoff rally on MN Stories by Chuck Olsen:
http://www.mnstories.com/video/376/Arts-Adcovacy-Day

…and a 3 Minute Egg arts show by Matt Peiken with interviews of attendees and some footage of meetings with legislators:
http://www.mnstories.com/video/374/3-MINUTE-EGG-Arts-Advocacy-Day

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RESOURCES

Everything MCA does is made possible by our passionate and committed members. Join Today on MCA’s secure web site at:mncitizensforthearts.org/join/membership/individual-memberships/

• Give cool Arts Advocate gifts from MCA’s store at: www.cafepress.com/mnforthearts
• Join MCA’s MySpace Page: www.myspace.com/mncitizensforthearts
• Join MCA’s Facebook Page: Search for: MNCitizens Forthearts
• View MCA Advocates on YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Mncitizensforthearts
• Take Action: www.mncitizensforthearts.org at our frequently updated, one-stop site for: information about Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and how you can get involved, an Action Center where you can write a letter to your legislator, or even find out who your legislators are, facts about the arts in Minnesota, the latest on legislative and congressional action on arts issues and more!

PRIVACY: MCA values your privacy, and will not sell or distribute your personal information to anyone.
ABOUT: MCA is a nonpartisan statewide arts advocacy organization whose mission is to ensure opportunity for all people to have access to and involvement in the arts. MCA organizes the arts community and lobbies the Minnesota State Legislature and Congress on issues pertaining to the nonprofit arts. If you are interested in learning more about how to advocate for the arts, or how to activate people in your arts organization or community to lobby for the arts, please call us at 651-251-0868 or e-mail staff at mncitizensforthearts.org. State arts funding supports access to the arts for all Minnesotans. The state-funded Minnesota State Arts Board and eleven Regional Arts Councils provide grants and services in every Minnesota county for artists, arts organizations, arts projects and school artist residencies. For more information on regional or state grants, go to www.arts.state.mn.us/racs/index.htm.