Grant Awards Updated

At the end of our fiscal year, we add the FY08 Management Consulting Fund and Management Training Fund grant awards to our award list. The Management Consulting Fund provides up to $1200 for groups to hire a consultant to help complete a small project that will strengthen the management or administration of the arts group. The Management Training Fund provides up to $600 for the staff and volunteers of arts groups to attend management workshops, seminars, or conferences.

Both grants have on-going deadlines and are great opportunities to help strengthen your arts organization. Click here to see the FY08 Management Consulting Fund and Management Training Fund grant awards and get ideas for how your group could use these funds.

********************(top of page)

Community Arts Grant Application Workshops

The next Community Arts deadline is Monday, October 6, 2008 with an earliest project start date of December 17.

MRAC offers workshops designed to help groups prepare MRAC Community Arts grant applications. Participants learn how to write effective MRAC grant proposals and become familiar with the program and application forms. This is your opportunity to get questions answered on your project ideas.

We strongly recommend that potential applicants attend one of the following workshops:

Tuesday, September 9: 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council

Wednesday, September 10: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council

Thurday, September 11: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Anoka/Hennepin Community Education

Saturday, September 13: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council

Click here to sign up to attend one of these workshops and for directions.

Make sure you have current materials. Guidelines for 2008-2009 are available here. You may also pick them up in the MRAC offices.

Visit the Community Arts program page for more information about the grant program.

********************(top of page)

Arts Activities Support Grant Panel Meetings

The first round of FY2009 Arts Activities Support grant applications will be reviewed September 17, 18, and 19. Schedules for each panel day will be available on our website in September and in the September newsletter. The panel review meetings will begin at 9:00 A.M. and will be held in the MRAC office building. Please check at the MRAC office for the specific meeting room location.

********************(top of page)

Resource Updates

Resource Updates

VOTE YES Minnesota is looking for filmakers! The VOTE YES campaign wants 3-minute or shorter films that answer the question, "What do you love about Minnesota?" First prize is $1000 and your film will be screened across Minnesota. Click here for more infomation on the contest and for information on the VOTE YES campaign.

*****

Discover the power of art in Art and Upheaval, a new book by William Cleveland. Read amazing stories of how artists have used their art to rebuild communities devastated by war, repression, and dislocation. "The stories in this book have valuable implications for artists, academics, educators, human service providers, philanthropists, and community leaders throughout the world. The artists documented in the book have generated new technologies for advocacy, organizing, peacemaking, healing trauma and the rebuilding of community."
Learn more.

*****

For constituents in St. Paul:
The Cultural STAR program promotes economic growth in St. Paul by strengthening the arts and cultural sector. The program offers grants and low interest loans to eligible arts and cultural organizations in St. Paul. Their Capital Project grants provide funds for physical improvements to facilities or to purchase equipment and/or materials for a cultural project. Their Organizational Development grants provide funds to increase the internal capacity of the recipient organization. Their Special Project grants provide funds for new projects and initiatives that may or may not become permanent programs of the organization. Deadline: Friday August 29, 2008 4:00 P.M.

********************(top of page)

MRAC Holiday Hours

MRAC will be closed September 1 for Labor Day.

********************(top of page)

MRAC FY08 Summary

In FY08, MRAC received more than 385 grant requests and awarded 228 grants totaling $875,136. Seven percent of the grants were awarded to first-time applicants. Funded projects served 7,576 artists and reached more than 300,000 audience members. MRAC also provided skill-building workshops and networking activities to 391 people from 216 different organizations. MRAC is largely funded by an appropriation from the Minnesota Legislature. MRAC also receives a generous grant from The McKnight Foundation.

********************(top of page)