Lake Region Arts Council announces the results of the Fall Project Grant Round held on October 17, 2023. $12,131 was awarded to seven projects to be held throughout LRAC’s nine-county service region. The available amount to be awarded was $12,131, and a total of $23,670 was requested. This Lake Region Arts Council Grant Program is funded through a Minnesota State Legislative appropriation.
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County - $3,000, Clay County
“Concepción Gonzalez, Florist” digital photograph, 2019, by Sam Comen.
The Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County (HCSCC) will use grant funds to display the exhibit Working America, color photos by Sam Comen. This traveling exhibit of 40 framed photographs celebrates the contributions of immigrant workers in America, highlighting themes such as the dignity of work, inequity among immigrant nationalities, the political relevance of labor migrants, the intergenerational legacies of inherited skills, and the learning of new skills to adapt to the new land of opportunity. HCSCC will display the exhibit at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, MN, Jan. 28 - March 16, 2024.
CornerStone - $3,000, Becker County
“Explore” watercolor by Kara Schumann. Schumann will teach an alcohol ink class at CornerStone.
CornerStone will use the grant to sponsor a series of artistic opportunities to youth and the public featuring master classes from various local artists with subsidized prices to decrease financial barrier to entry. Three local artists from the region who teach multiple art forms will provide one class each month, March through August 2024, as part a new art series at CornerStone. Classes will include acrylic, watercolor and magnetic ink painting, alcohol ink painting, botanical sketching, jewelry making and beading, macramé (art of tying knots in cords/ropes to create pieces).
Ulen-Hitterdal School - $2,610, Clay County
Ulen-Hitterdal School will hold an author residency program for 3-6 grade students and author presentation for K-2 students and general public program. Author Ryan Jacobson will discuss what inspires him to write the stories he does, discuss the three primary elements of most stories, and discuss how students can develop compelling characters in their stories. On the final day of the residency, March 20, 2024, a public session will be held in the auditorium for students, parents, relatives, and community members.
Fergus Falls Band Boosters - $3,000, Otter Tail County
Dr. Erika Svanoe will compose an original piece to be performed by the Fergus Falls Seventh Grade Band.
The Fergus Falls Band Boosters will commission a composer to write an original piece for the Fergus Falls Seventh Grade Band. Over the course of the project, students will be surveyed about their musical tastes and their creative ideas and will interact with the composer Dr. Erika Svanoe, via Zoom. The final music will be delivered in March and performed in May at the Kennedy Auditorium in Fergus Falls.
Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra - $521, Douglas County
The Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra will host guest artist Nathan Eck in December, 2023.
The Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra (CLSO) will use the grant funds to produce Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 with guest artist and Alexandria native pianist Nathan Eck in a concert with Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra. CLSO believes that Eck sets a strong example for young musicians and the larger community on the importance of the lifelong nurturing of music performance. The performance is scheduled for December 10, 2023.
LRAC would encourage all eligible arts organizations to begin planning potential projects for Summer, Fall and Winter 2024. Arts organizations may apply for up to $3,000 per Project Grant application with a limit of $5,000 total for the fiscal year. Multiple applications are acceptable in each grant round. The 20% match has been reinstated for this fiscal year.
The deadline for the Spring Project Grant is Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 5:00 PM. The Grant Review is Tuesday, March 19, 2024 and the project may start at any time after April 16, 2024.
The LRAC Project Grant Guidelines and a link to the LRAC online grant application are available at the LRAC website: LRAC4.org.
For more information please contact Miranda Lape, Grants Manager, Lake Region Arts Council, 133 Mill Street S, Fergus Falls, MN 56537-2562, Phone: 218-739-5780 or 800-262-2787 Email: LRAC4@LRACgrants.org Website: LRAC4.org.
LRAC is a nonprofit art organization that provides grants, resources, and services to the nine county region; Becker, Clay, Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin counties. Their mission is to encourage and support the arts in West Central Minnesota.
