Archive for January, 2010

arts alert: The MSAB Wants You to Serve on a Legacy Funding Panel

Friday, January 29th, 2010

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

January 29, 2010

1. The MSAB Wants You to Serve on a Legacy Funding Panel

2. Register Now For Arts Advocacy Day: March 2, 2010

3. State Arts Board Legacy Applications Due in February

4. Don’t Forget the Other Access Points for New Legacy Money

5. New Internship Opening at MCA

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1. The MSAB Wants You to Serve on a Legacy Funding Panel

Help the Arts Board decide how to spend arts and cultural heritage fund dollars

The Minnesota State Arts Board is seeking individuals who would like to serve on advisory panels that will review grant applications and make funding recommendations to the board. Panelists are needed for six programs: Arts Access, Arts Learning, Arts Tour Minnesota, Community Arts Schools and Conservatories, Folk and Traditional Arts, Minnesota Festival Support. For more detail about each program visithttp://www.arts.state.mn.us/grants/machf.htm

Advisory panel members must have expertise and experience in a particular area of the arts, arts funding, or administration; in-depth knowledge of the Minnesota arts community; communications and decision-making skills; and an ability to work well in a group. Artists, administrators, educators, volunteer directors of arts organizations, trustees of arts organizations, and other participants in the arts may serve as advisory panel members.

Panel member must read all materials in advance of the scheduled panel meeting, and attend and fully participate in the panel meeting. Panels generally will last two to four days, and will take place sometime between March 29 and April 30, 2010.

Panel members do not receive compensation, but will be reimbursed for allowable travel, lodging, and meal costs.

To nominate yourself, or someone else, please complete a nomination form:http://www.arts.state.mn.us/pubs/pubs/panel_nomination_2007.pdf
Submit it, with a current resume, to Jennifer Tonko via e-mail, fax, or mail:
jennifer.tonko@arts.state.mn.us , fax: (6510 215-1602, phone: (651) 215-1608 | (800) 866-2787, Minnesota State Arts Board, 200 Park Square Court, 400 Sibley Street, Saint Paul, MN 55101

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2. Register Now For Arts Advocacy Day: March 2, 2010

You are invited to the best arts networking opportunity of the year, MCA’s Arts Advocacy Day on March 2, 2010 in St. Paul. Join your fellow arts advocates at the MN History Center and State Capitol on March 2, 2010 to talk about the arts, make new friends, and educate our legislators about the importance of the arts to Minnesota. The state is facing yet another big deficit and arts funding will be threatened again. This year artists and arts supporters from across the state will be joining together to stop possible cuts to the state arts budget. We will also be thanking legislators for their appropriations from the new Amendment funds to the arts community. Together we will speak about the importance of the arts in our lives and communities. In past deficits, state arts funding has been cut by a third. Participation of arts advocates is the one thing that makes sure we have power at the legislature.

Arts Advocacy Day Schedule March 2, 2010
7:30 a.m. Meet at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul
8:00 a.m. Advocacy Class for new attendees
8:00 a.m. Registration & Coffee
8:30 a.m. Advocacy Seminar & Join your team
9:30 a.m. Walk/ride to Capitol
9:30-1:00 p.m. Legislator appointments

You and your team will be led by an experienced advocate who has participated in past Advocacy Days and knows what to do. Your team will visit a series of legislators during the course of the day, giving you plenty of time to get to know your teammates and the issues you are discussing. Register Online By: Visiting www.mncitizensforthearts.org by February 26th, 2010. Questions? Contact Mark at MCA: 651-251-0868 / staff at mncitizensforthearts.org

Show the strength of Minnesota’s arts community.

And check out two great VIDEOS from Arts Advocacy Day Held February 24, 2009:
3 Minute Egg by Matt Peiken: http://3minuteegg.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/arts-advocacy-day

——————————————————————

3. State Arts Board Legacy Applications Due in February

Application forms and info are up on the Minnesota State Arts Board website. The new grants programs are 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. Most of these new programs will have application deadlines inFebruary, 2010, with award panels held in March/April, and grants made in June, 2010. So you have no time to waste! The four major new programs and their application due dates are:

  1. Arts Tour Minnesota – Due Feb. 12, 2010 and Festivals Grants – Due Feb. 26, 2010
  2. Arts Access Grants – Due Feb. 26, 2010
  3. Professional Development for Artists and Organizations/Artist Initiative Grants. (Programs still in development)
  4. Life-Long Arts Learning Opportunities – Due Feb. 19, 2010

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. 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.

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4. Don’t Forget the Other Access Points for New Legacy Money

We are keeping a run-down on all of the various access points for amendment resources on our website: check http://www.mncitizensforthearts.org/news/amendment-funds/othergrants/ for a listing of other opportunties from libraries, public broadcasting, etc.

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5. 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 February 1st.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 ASAP by Jan. 27, 2010to: Mark Albers, staff at mncitizensforthearts.org, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, 2233 University Avenue West Suite 355, St. Paul, MN 55114

Posted in 2010, Arts Advocacy | No Comments »

arts alert: Study Shows MN Has Lots of Artists / GLEE Arts Advocates

Monday, January 25th, 2010

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

January 22, 2010

1. NEA Report Confirms Minnesota Has Lots of Artists

2. “GLEE” and Arts Advocacy

3. Arts Organizations Seek Bonding Funds at Legislature

4. Register Now For Arts Advocacy Day: March 2, 2010

5. State Arts Board Legacy Applications Due in February

6. Don’t Forget the Other Access Points for New Legacy Money

7. New Internship Opening at MCA

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1. NEA Report Confirms Minnesota Has Lots of Artists

Lesson learned: clean off your desk. Recently I spent some time perusing the detailed back tables in the NEA’s ARTISTS IN THE WORKFORCE 1990 – 2005 which came out in June, 2008, and, to my surprise, found a bunch of interesting numbers about Minnesota’s artists.

The big news for Minnesota is that, for a relatively small state, we have a very high concentration of artists. We are 21st in state population… (behind CA, TX, NY, FL, IL, PA, OH, MI, NJ, GA, NC, VA, MA, IN, WA, TN, MO, WI, MD, and AZ).

    Yet, we are:

    • 9th in number of actors (465)
    • 14th in number of writers and authors (3520)

    Even more interesting, on a per capita basis (number of artists per 10,000 people), we are:

    • 6th per capita in actors (.9 per 10,000)
    • 6th per capita in photographers (5.1 per 10,000)
    • 8th per capita in designers (31.9 per 10,000)
    • 10th per capita in musicians (6.2 per 10,000)
    • 11th per capita in writers and authors (7.2 per 10,000)
    • 12th per capita in producers and directors (4.6 per 10,000)
    • 14th per capita in architects (7.5 per 10,000)

    This makes us the 11th state per capita in artists (77 per 10,000).

The report says that Minnesota had a total of 39,631 artists in 2003-2005. (It also noted that, with the margin of error, at the high end, we could now have 42,636 artists in the state). It also says the number of artists in Minnesota increased by 18% between 1990 and 2000. (NOTE: because this data is taken solely from the U.S. Census, most researchers believe that artists are being undercounted).

The report also includes some data by major population areas in the year 2000.Minneapolis-St. Paul is ranked 10th among the top 50 metropolitan areas by number of artists, and 34th in artists as a percent of the labor force (1.71 percent of total labor force).

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2. “GLEE” and Arts Advocacy

I heard a fun rumor that the cast of GLEE is going to Washington DC to lobby for arts education, which makes me love this show even more than I already do. The Los Angeles Times reported this week on GLEE’s surprise Golden Globe win, and that its creator has been stressing the importance of arts education.

“Glee, the [television] comedy-drama-musical about high school social outcasts finding redemption in a glee club, scored a surprise victory in winning the Golden Globe for best comedy or musical series, triumphing over traditional favorites…Exuberant cast members of the Fox series almost fell over themselves as they rushed the stage when the win was announced. ‘Thank you, Hollywood Foreign Press and Barbra Streisand,’ quipped creator Ryan Murphy. He praised studio and network executives who felt that a musical would work on network prime time and noted that Glee stressed the importance of arts education. Staying true to the show’s outcast theme, Murphy dedicated the win to ‘anybody and everybody who ever got a wedgie.’”

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3. Arts Organizations Seek Bonding Funds at Legislature

The Governor did not recommend any of the arts and culture projects in his proposed state bonding bill. In fact, he included almost no local projects in his proposal. Bonding is how the state borrows money to build buildings, and the buildings must be owned by a unit of government. The state’s bonding process is a completely different source of funds than general funding (the state’s biennial budget) or amendment funding (which is restricted in its uses). MCA does not lobby for indivudual bonding projects, but will provide advice to organizations seeking bonding funds if asked.

The legislature must now decide which projects it would like to fund. Word on the street is that the legislature plans to finish the bonding bill very early in the session. Already this week there were hearings in both the House and Senate even though they are not officially in session. Once approved, the list will then be sent to the Governor for final approval (or line-item veto).

Below is a list of some of the projects that have surfaced so far, who is requesting them, and links to more information on each. Legislators may still introduce other projects as individual bills during the upcoming session:

There are also a few “cultural” projects for which there may or may not be a partial arts focus:

  • Hennepin County: African American Museum and Cultural Center $840,000
  • City of St. Paul: Asian Pacific Cultural Center $9,750,000 http://www.apccmn.org/

If you want to help with advocating for any of these projects, please contact the organization involved.

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4. Register Now For Arts Advocacy Day: March 2, 2010

You are invited to the best arts networking opportunity of the year, MCA’s Arts Advocacy Day on March 2, 2010 in St. Paul. Join your fellow arts advocates at the MN History Center and State Capitol on March 2, 2010 to talk about the arts, make new friends, and educate our legislators about the importance of the arts to Minnesota. The state is facing yet another big deficit and arts funding will be threatened again. This year artists and arts supporters from across the state will be joining together to stop possible cuts to the state arts budget. We will also be thanking legislators for their appropriations from the new Amendment funds to the arts community. Together we will speak about the importance of the arts in our lives and communities. In past deficits, state arts funding has been cut by a third. Participation of arts advocates is the one thing that makes sure we have power at the legislature.

Arts Advocacy Day Schedule March 2, 2010
7:30 a.m. Meet at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul
8:00 a.m. Advocacy Class for new attendees
8:00 a.m. Registration & Coffee
8:30 a.m. Advocacy Seminar & Join your team
9:30 a.m. Walk/ride to Capitol
9:30-1:00 p.m. Legislator appointments

You and your team will be led by an experienced advocate who has participated in past Advocacy Days and knows what to do. Your team will visit a series of legislators during the course of the day, giving you plenty of time to get to know your teammates and the issues you are discussing. Register Online By: Visiting www.mncitizensforthearts.org by February 26th, 2010. Questions? Contact Mark at MCA: 651-251-0868 / staff at mncitizensforthearts.org

Show the strength of Minnesota’s arts community.

And check out two great VIDEOS from Arts Advocacy Day Held February 24, 2009:
MN Stories by Chuck Olsen: http://www.mnstories.com/video/376/Arts-Adcovacy-Day
…and a 3 Minute Egg by Matt Peiken: http://www.mnstories.com/video/374/3-MINUTE-EGG-Arts-Advocacy-Day

——————————————————————

5. State Arts Board Legacy Applications Due in February

Application forms and info are up on the Minnesota State Arts Board website. The new grants programs are 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. Most of these new programs will have application deadlines inFebruary, 2010, with award panels held in March/April, and grants made in June, 2010. So you have no time to waste! The four major new programs and their application due dates are:

  1. Arts Tour Minnesota – Due Feb. 12, 2010 and Festivals Grants – Due Feb. 26, 2010
  2. Arts Access Grants – Due Feb. 26, 2010
  3. Professional Development for Artists and Organizations/Artist Initiative Grants. (Programs still in development)
  4. Life-Long Arts Learning Opportunities – Due Feb. 19, 2010

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. 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.

——————————————————————

6. Don’t Forget the Other Access Points for New Legacy Money

We are keeping a run-down on all of the various access points for amendment resources on our website: check http://www.mncitizensforthearts.org/news/amendment-funds/othergrants/ for a listing of other opportunties from libraries, public broadcasting, etc.

——————————————————————

7. 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 February 1st.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 ASAP by Jan. 27, 2010to: Mark Albers, staff at mncitizensforthearts.org, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, 2233 University Avenue West Suite 355, St. Paul, MN 55114

Posted in 2010, Arts Advocacy | No Comments »

arts alert: Legacy Programs Launch / Register Now for Arts Advocacy Day

Monday, January 18th, 2010

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

January 15, 2010

1. State Arts Board Legacy Applications and Instructions Are Up On Their Web Site

2. Register Now For Arts Advocacy Day: March 2, 2010

3. Libaries Roster: For Artists, Authors, Instructors, Performers & Arts Organizations

4. New Internship Opening at MCA

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1. State Arts Board Legacy Applications and Instructions Are Up On Their Web Site

Application Forms and Info are up on the Minnesota State Arts Board, website, after a few days of technical problems that now appear to be solved. The new grants programs are 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/ Festivals Grants
      2. Arts Participation Grants
      3. Professional Development for Artists and Organizations/Artist Initiative Grants.
      4. Life-Long Arts Learning Opportunities

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. 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. So you have no time to waste! 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.

——————————————————————

2. Register Now For Arts Advocacy Day: 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.

You Are Invited! Minnesota Citizens for the Arts invites you to join your fellow arts advocates at the MN History Center and State Capitol on March 2, 2010 to talk about the arts, make new friends, and educate our legislators about the importance of the arts to Minnesota.

The state is facing yet another big deficit and arts funding will be threatened again. This year at Arts Advocacy Day on March 2nd, 2010, artists and arts supporters from across the state will be joining together to stop possible cuts to the state arts budget. Together we will speak about the importance of the arts in our lives and communities. In past deficits, state arts funding has been cut by a third. Participation of arts advocates that year made sure the cuts were not more severe.

Arts Advocacy Day Schedule March 2, 2010

7:30 a.m. Meet at the Minnesota History Center, St. Paul
8:00 a.m. Advocacy Class for new attendees
8:00 a.m. Registration & Coffee
8:30 a.m. Advocacy Seminar & Join your team
9:30 a.m. Walk/ride to Capitol
9:30-1:00 p.m. Legislator appointments

You and your team will be led by an experienced advocate who has participated in past Advocacy Days and knows what to do. Your team will visit a series of legislators during the course of the day, giving you plenty of time to get to know your teammates and the issues you are discussing.

By working together we show the strength of Minnesota’s arts community. Your elected officials are your voice in government: let them know what you think!

Register Online By: Visiting www.mncitizensforthearts.org by February 26th, 2010.

Questions? Contact Mark at MCA: 651-251-0868 / staff at mncitizensforthearts.org

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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3. Libaries Roster: For Artists, Authors, Instructors, Performers & Arts Organizations

The state’s libraries got $8.5 million over the next two years to do history and arts programming in libaries across the state. Been wondering how you or your arts organization can partner with the libraries to provide those services? Search no more:

Attention: Artists, Authors, Instructors, Performers and Arts Organizations:

The state library system has set up a way for you to get onto a roster as a possible partner for local libraries to do programs and events with their new legacy funds. Sign up to be in their database by going to: www.mnlegacygrant.org. Click on the link that says “Click Here For Submission Form.”

You can fill out a form to inform them what you can offer, your posting will be reviewed and hopefully approved by a regional library person, and then you will be in the database where local libraries will go to find people and organizations to hire with their legacy funds. NOTE: The more information you provide when you sign up, the more likely you will get hired. Make sure to include your prices (and make sure your prices are high enough to cover your costs!). Make sure also to include your website address, if you have one.

Remember that these opportunities are in addition to the new programs being offered by the Minnesota State Arts Board and Regional Arts Councils. Take advantage!

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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 February 1st. 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 ASAP by Jan. 27, 2010 to: Mark Albers, staff at mncitizensforthearts.org, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, 2233 University Avenue West Suite 355, St. Paul, MN 55114

Posted in 2010, Arts Advocacy | No Comments »

Arts Alert: State Arts Board To Post New Programs On Line This Week

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

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 To Post New Programs On Line This Week

2. What Others Are Saying About the Amendment

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

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1. State Arts Board To Post New Programs On Line This Week

Word on the street is that, in the next week, the Minnesota State Arts Board will post on its website the application forms and guidelines for the new grants programs made possible by the passage of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. So, get ready to write those applications!

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 artsts 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 MSAB programs will have application deadlines in February, 2010, with award panels held in March/April, and grants made in June, 2010.

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.

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2. What Others Are Saying About the Amendment

The Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Graydon Royce did a big story this weekend about how the Amendment may affect the state’s arts community. “New revenue from the Legacy Amendment could spur a broader, more democratic growth of the arts through Minnesota in the next decade,” he says in his article.

He also quotes Sen. Richard Cohen, who says, “If this provides stabilization of small and midsized arts organizations, maintenance of some major assets and an increase of access to the arts throughout Minnesota, then this money will be the defining story not just for the next decade but for the life of the amendment.”

Check out the full story at: http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/onstage/80367572.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU.

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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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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/

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.

Posted in 2010, Arts Advocacy | No Comments »