MRAC: Resources

Resources

This is a list of links and resources used by our office and our constituents. They by no means constitute a comprehensive selection of useful organizations or sites. Links are organized by the following categories: Publications, Time-Limited Opportunities, Advocacy, Accessibility, Funding, Management Training Providers, and Technology.

Links

MRAC Publications and Reports

Thriving Arts: Thriving Small Communities
The report, Thriving Arts: Thriving Small Communities, by Sharon Rodning Bash, MRAC’s Director of Management Training and Services, shares the findings of a year-long study funded by the Bush Foundation that sought to discover whether there were critical ingredients or common themes necessary to build long-term viability for the arts in rural and exurban communities.

From Mission To Motivation: a focused approach to arts participation
Targeting the small or mid-sized arts group, this workbook is designed for use in self-guided learning or a facilitated workshop process to help build consensus around audience development goals and strategies.

A New Angle: Arts Development in the Suburbs
Released May 12, 2002, the report tries to gauge the extent of suburban arts development, and to raise its profile with artists, arts administrators, arts patrons, funders, and public officials. Available in the MRAC offices.

MRAC's brochure (Download may take a few seconds)

Forum of Regional Arts Councils of Minnesota brochure

Time-Limited and Recently Added Opportunities (These non-MRAC opportunites are posted at MRAC's discretion. The list does not indicate an endorsement. The list is updated monthly.)

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is compiling a database of artists/arts organizations interested in working with County Fair boards to increase exposure and participation in the arts, to promote and highlight artistic excellence and bring arts experiences to new and diverse audiences at county fairs throughout the state. For more information on the database and how to pitch an idea to your County Fair Board please contact Emily Murphy at the MDA at Emily.Murphy@state.mn.us or 651-201-6648.
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ArtsLab has been renewed for a two-year cycle of capacity building work around leadership and strategy development! The application will be posted on March 1 and applications are due on April 13. Please visit the ArtsLab website at www.ArtsLabOnLine.org for program description and eligibility information and to sign up for further announcements on applications and information sessions to be scheduled for March.
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The 2013 Joyce Awards will support the commissioning of new work from diverse artists no matter where they choose to work--in the gallery, on the stage, in the church, the schoolyard, the prison, the community center. The Joyce Award guidelines are posted on the Culture Program section of the Joyce Foundation website at www.joycefdn.org. An information session is scheduled for February 16th, 2012 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the LOFT Literary Center. RSVP is necessary for attendance: rsvp@joycefdn.org. Deadline for letters of inquiry: April 3, 2012.
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The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge is your chance to win a free Website makeover in 24 hours. The contest is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in Minnesota. For more information visit tc2012.overnightwebsitechallenge.com.
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Arts Midwest Touring Fund (formerly the Performing Arts Fund) is a program of Arts Midwest that engages people in meaningful experiences with the fine arts of dance, music, theater, and other performing arts forms. The program provides financial support to presenting organizations in the Midwest. Funded engagements feature public performances and in-depth outreach activities by professional touring artists that reach underserved audiences and foster exchanges between artists and Midwest communities. For more information visit www.artsmidwest.org/programs/paf. Deadline April 11, 2012.
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Call for Artists: The City of Saint Paul is seeking proposals from qualified consultants for a citywide Street Design Manual. Consultants responding to the solicitation are required by the city's public art ordinance to include an artist on their team. The 2009 ordinance intends that artists should be involved in city-owned projects at the earliest stages of conceptual planning, and through project design and implementation. The deadline is Wednesday, February 22, 2012. For more information and to request the RFP, please contact Nancy Vue by email at Nancy.Vue@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
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Rimon: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council, an initiative of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, is now accepting project support grant proposals in its spring round of funding for arts-related projects. Grants will provide financial support up to $3,000 but will not exceed 50% of a project's budget. For more information visit: www.rimonmn.org. Deadline March 23, 2012.
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National Alliance for Media Art + Culture (NAMAC) is seeking arts organization leaders in Minnesota that have a demonstrated commitment to leadership in their local communities and/or the national field to participate in their 2012 Leadership Institute for Minnesota Arts Organizations. This five-day intensive intergenerational workshop is designed to encourage and sustain visionary leadership in arts throughout the state. The fellowship is underwritten by American Express Philanthropy, The Nathan Cummings Foundation, and The McKnight Foundation. For more information, visit www.namac.org/programs/RegionalLI.
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The Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) is offering a 2012 Minnesota Grantmaking Outlook for Arts Webinar on February 7, 2012 from noon to 1:15 p.m. In addition to a broad overview of 2012's giving outlook, a panel of funders will dive more deeply into arts funding and answer questions about trends in art funding and what nonprofits should be aware of as they seek funds for the arts in 2012. For more information visit: www.mcf.org/events.
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Lesley University is offering a new cohort in Integrated Teaching through the Arts, M.Ed in Maple Grove, MN. The program will meet one weekend a month on Saturday and Sunday for 19 weekends over 22 months. For more information contact Elizabeth Robinson by email at erobinson596@yahoo.com.
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Call for Artists: New London Fine Art Festival. Fine artists and crafts people are invited to submit work samples to the jury for the 2012 Fine Art Festival. The Festival event is being limited to just sixty juried artists and fine crafts people to assure a quality event for everyone. Artist applications can be found online at www.newlondonfineart.com. For other information contact Arthur Norby at nlonfaf@gmail.com. Deadline March 15, 2012.
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Franconia Sculpture Park is now accepting applications for their 2012 artist opportunities. Located on 20 acres in the St. Croix River Valley, Franconia is dedicated to fostering an inspiring environment for artists to expand their skills and promote the public education of three-dimensional art. The artist programs at Franconia bring in up to 40 artists each year to be in residence and create new work in the outdoor studio space to exhibit in the park. There are five different artist programs available, four with deadlines in February. More information is at www.franconia.org/callforart.html.
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The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits is offering a six-part Diversity and Inclusion webinar training series, hosted by Dr. Mai Moua, to explore the unique assets diversity and inclusion bring to organizations, identify challenges that create barriers to effective diversity and inclusion work, and to create strategies around diversity, inclusion, and leadership practices. In addition, MCN and the Charities Review Council of Minnesota are co-sponsoring free monthly networking lunches on topics of diversity and inclusion throughout 2012 with the first six lunches facilitated by Dr. Moua. Training sessions start in January. More information is available at www.minnesotanonprofits.org/events-training/diversity-inclusion.
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The National Endowment for the Arts will provide a limited number of "Our Town" grants, ranging from $25,000 to $150,000, for creative placemaking projects that contribute toward the livability of communities and help transform them into lively, beautiful, and sustainable places with the arts at their core. A key to the success of creative placemaking involves partnerships with a committed governmental leadership and the philanthropic sector. All Our Town applications must reflect a partnership that will provide leadership for the project. More information is available at www.arts.gov/grants/apply/OurTown. Deadline: March 1, 2012.
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Springboard for the Arts is offering placemaking workshops for St. Paul artists along the new LRT line on January 7, February 11, and March 3, 2012. If you're an artist of any discipline, background or level of experience who lives, works or has a personal investment in the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit route in Saint Paul who would like to do collaborative creative placemaking, sign up for a free workshop at www.springboardforthearts.org/community/placemaking-workshop-registration.
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The Forecast Public Art Toolkit is a step-by-step guide to the process of creating public art from idea development and location analysis to financing and artist selection to installation and conservation. Visit forecastpublicart.org/toolkit and check it out!
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Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) has a list of the various access points for Arts and Cultural Heritage resources on their website. Visit www.mncitizensforthearts.org/news/amendment-funds/othergrants for a listing of opportunities from libraries, public broadcasting, etc
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Become an MPR News Art Hound. MPR News has developed a weekly arts segment called "Art Hounds". Each weekly installment features three people from the Minnesota arts community talking briefly about a performance, opening, or event they're excited to see or want others to check out. The only stipulation is that it can't be your own work or work you're professionally associated with. Click here for more information.

Interested in a training opportunity, but not sure that your organization can afford the fee? MRAC offers a training fund grant to help arts groups pay for training opportunities that will strengthen their organization. Click here for more information on MRAC's Management Training Fund grant.

Advocacy

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA): Statewide arts advocacy organization that organizes the arts community to lobby the Minnesota State Legislature and Congress.
Americans for the Arts: National arts advocacy organization.

Accessibility

To assess your organization's accessibility, download the accessibility planning guide on the Accessibility Page. On that page you can also find a guide to working with sign language interpreters in the performing arts.

VSA Arts of Minnesota

Statewide organization that promotes quality, accessible arts experiences for people with all types of disabilities through artist services and direct arts programs and by assisting arts organizations in making their programs and services accessible to people with disabilities.

Disability Access Symbols

The twelve symbols included on this page may be used to promote and publicize accessibility of places, programs and other activities for people with various disabilities.

Funding

Minnesota State Arts Board

Provides grants for individual artists, arts organizations and schools; offers downloadable publications and resource directories.

Minnesota's Regional Arts Councils

Each Regional Arts Council (RAC) serves a sector of the state, made up of four or more counties. Every RAC has its own grant programs, publications and eligibility requirements. To find out more about the RACs and determine which one serves your area, click on the map on MCA's home page.

The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA)

Is proud to announce the launch of NYFA Source, the nation's most extensive database of awards, services, and publications for artists of all disciplines. Artists, funders, arts
organizations, and the general public can access NYFA Source for free.

The Wallace Foundation

For more than a decade, The Wallace Foundation has worked to expand learning and enrichment opportunities for all people. Our efforts toward this goal have yielded important insights and lessons, and we have designed our website to make this knowledge more accessible to visitors. We especially invite you to browse the Knowledge Center. It is a repository of field-based evidence of what is working, what is not, and why - not only in our current areas of focus, but in areas where we have worked in the past

A Very Small Arts Fund

A Very Small Arts Fund is a very small arts fund for very small arts organizations and individual performing artists that gives very small grants of $1 to $1,500. The Fund is open to artists and organizations that are performing and/or living in Minneapolis or St. Paul.

For a more complete list of local funders, contact the Minnesota Council on Foundations or The Foundation Center.

Management Training Providers

Center for Nonprofit Management (CNM) at the University of St. Thomas: CNM at the University of St. Thomas is dedicated to strengthening the nonprofit sector through its suite of leadership and management programs designed to increase organizational impact.

Creation In Common: Creation In Common’s mission is to strengthen communities through shared creativity. They offer a variety of training, assessments, and consulting services.

Hands On Twin Cities: The Volunteer Center has programs and services designed for organizations which rely on the help of volunteers.
Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits (MAP): MAP provides consulting and other management support services by linking volunteer professionals with nonprofit needs.
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN): MCN is a nonprofit membership organization. MCN publishes the MN Nonprofit Directory, MN Grants Directory, and a Nonprofit Yellow Pages: a Directory of Resources and Services for MN Nonprofits.
Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF): MCF offers a Grantsmanship for Beginners workshop, Guide to MN Foundations and Corporate Giving, and conducts a survey of MN capital and endowment campaigns.


Springboard for the Arts: Springboard for the Arts provides management workshops, consulting, telephone referrals, a resource library and more for artists and nonprofit organizations.
Science Museum of Minnesota: The Science Museum of Minnesota offers computer training in many programs at all levels.

Technology

TechSoup.org: Offers nonprofits one-stop shopping for their technology needs. Billed as a gateway to the entire world of nonprofit technology assistance and solutions, they have compiled resource lists of nonprofit discounts offered by hardware and software companies, and by technology assistance agencies.
TechSoup Global: Founded in 1987 as CompuMentor, TechSoup Global is a recognized leader in bringing technological empowerment and philanthropy to social benefit organizations- including nonprofits, nongovernmental organizations, libraries and other social change agents.
Network for Good/Helping.org: Network for Good is a nonprofit collaboration to help nonprofit organizations increase capacity, reach new audiences, and build Internet strategies.