Recognizing Individuals and Organizations Receiving Funding from this LRAC Grant Program
Lake Region Arts Council in Fergus Fall, MN has announced the results of the Spring Legacy Grant Round held in April 2023. $24,131 was awarded to five Legacy Individual Artist Grants, and $102,433 for thirteen Legacy Organization Grants. The available amount to be awarded was $127,654 between the two funding pools, and $403,510 was requested.
This Lake Region Arts Council Grant Program is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
Congratulations to This Year’s Spring Legacy Grant Award Recipients!
Legacy Individual Artist Grant Program Awardees
The following five artists qualified for up to $8,000 as part of the Legacy Individual Grant. Funds awarded will be used for projects aimed at increasing Arts Access, Arts Learning, and Arts and Cultural Heritage opportunities for all Minnesotans.
Chuck Johnson - Otter Tail County
$7,230
Chuck Johnson performing as Abraham Lincoln.
Johnson will use the grant funds to produce 9 performances in area schools, public venues and nursing homes of his one-man show, "The Night Before Gettysburg" in which Abraham Lincoln finishes writing the Gettysburg Address.
Each performance is about half an hour long, followed by a Q&A about the civil war, Lincoln, writing of the play and what Lincoln might feel if he was here today.
Christy Goulet - Clay County
$4,717
“Tiny Dancer” jingle dress by Christy Goulet.
Goulet will use her grant to keep the creation of the Jingle Dress art form alive through the experience of making these spiritual symbols and preserving the values of the Ojibwe for future generations, and the community as a whole.
Jingle dress performances are planned for the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, MN, and the Climax, MN, Public Library.
Laura Youngbird - Wilkin County
$4,590
Mishipeshu”, Mixed Media Monotype by Laura Youngbird.
Youngbird’s Legacy project is to complete an artist residence in the print studio at Minnesota State University Moorhead. During her residency, she will facilitate a series of free educational workshops and an exhibition for students and the public.
Participants will explore a variety of printmaking techniques and their work will be presented in a public exhibition and artist talks at the opening reception.
Paulette Friday - Otter Tail County
$7,950
Cast photo from “Bread and Roses”, produced by Paulette Friday.
Friday will produce and premier a story and song performance on the Lewis and Clark Great Expedition. Performances are planned for September, 2023 and will take place in Alexandria.
Her past productions have included the Civil War, the Great Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s, 19th century immigration, 19th century prairie pioneers, and the women’s suffrage era.
Michael Pettit - Otter Tail County
$734
Michael Pettit intends to open a gallery and sculpture garden in Otter Tail County.
Pettit will use the grant funds to purchase supplies for the creation of a new body of work using wood that he can exhibit in community sculpture walks, and regional public art exhibitions.
His ultimate goal is to operate a gallery and sculpture garden at his home in Otter Tail County.
Legacy Organization Grant Program Awardees
Thirteen nonprofit organizations are the recipients of funding through this round’s Legacy Organization Grant Program. Awarded funds from this grant will go towards supporting projects that focus on the arts.
All nonprofit organizations within LRAC’s nine-county region, including local governments and education institutions, are eligible for this grant.
Three Rivers Arts Council - Wilkin County
$8,474.50
Elk Woodpecker by Bryan Akipa. Photo by Jane Erickson.
Three Rivers Arts Council will sponsor a Native arts education residency featuring master flute player Bryan Akipa and the Moccasin Game duo to engage the schools and public.
Akipa will perform two lyceums for schools and public Will Crawford and Joseph Akipa will visit classrooms to present Moccasin Game, a fun, hands-on learning activity.
Otter Cove Children’s Museum - Otter Tail County
$2,220
Children creating in the Maker Shop at Otter Cove Children’s Museum.
This Legacy Project will allow Otter Cove Children’s Museum to purchase supplies to develop Music Makers programming.
This instructor-facilitated experience will be offered on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for children ages 1-6 over the course of several weeks. The program has an anticipated fall 2023 launch date.
Henning Landmark Center - Otter Tail County
$1,000
Henning Landmark Center house a new lending library of books about artists and a variety of art mediums available for community check out.
The books will encourage exploration and exposure to a variety of art, art careers, and successful artists, and also feature representation of people of various ethnicities, populations, economic situations, and disabilities who have achieved in various artistic fields.
Fargo Moorhead Choral Artists - Clay County
$12,700
The Fargo Moorhead Choral Artists will produce ‘Music of War and Peace’, a choral and instrumental concert featuring Haydn’s ‘Mass in Time of War’ and several a cappella pieces on the themes of peace and unity.
FM Choral Artists will present ‘Music of War and Peace’ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead in January 2024.
The concert will be held in January 2024 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead.
Fergus Area College Foundation - Otter Tail County
$12,350
The Fergus Area College Foundation will preserve the history of signature works in the M State Fergus Falls permanent art collection through photographs, the written word and video and increasing access through a virtual website tour and QR codes.
The activities will culminate in a reception in January 2024.
DanceBARN Collective - Otter Tail County
$8,960
Dancers in Battle Lake’s Art Stream Alley, participating in the annual DanceBARN festival.
DanceBARN Collective will produce the 9th annual DanceBARN Festival, including connecting guest choreographers with local visual and performing artists to create a performance for the community in Battle Lake, MN.
Exact dates and times of performances and classes to be announced, however, the Festival will take place in July, 2023.
Kicks Band of Fargo Moorhead - Clay County
$4,834
The Kicks Band hopes to increase awareness of big band jazz through swing dancing nights.
The Kicks Band will increase college age awareness and participation in the jazz arts through big band swing dances held at the Minnesota State University Moorhead Ballroom.
The dances will be open to the general public, with dates forthcoming.
College for Kids & Teens (MSUM) - Clay County
$6,500
Youth participating in the 2022 College for Kids & Teens program.
Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM)’s College for Kids & Teens program will use the funds to provide funding for need-based scholarships for K-12 students interested in taking summer program courses in the Arts.
This grant will allow the College for Kids & Teens program to remove economic barriers for youth participation.
Kaddatz Galleries, LTD - Otter Tail County
$12,956.50
Detail from “The Mirror” by Michael Weatherly. Weatherly will teach printmaking workshops at the Kaddatz Galleries.
Kaddatz Galleries will continue and expand the Kaddatz's Art Reach program serving underserved populations in community with classes and a public exhibit.
Course subjects and instructors include: Ceramics (Blayze Buseth), Printmaking (Michael Weatherly), Oil Painting (Jona Brown), Mixed Media Arts (Karan Ouren) and 2D & 3D Media and Techniques (Naomi RaMona Schliesman).
CornerStone - Becker County
$12,310
Emerging organization CornerStone will purchase a t-shirt printing station, photography/post card equipment, sticker/label printing, expansion tools for a laser engraver, and clay making supplies to expand their new Youth & Community Center Makerspace to improve arts access for all ages and abilities in Frazee, MN.
Theatre L'Homme Dieu - Douglas County
$16,500
Theatre L’Homme Dieu will premier “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” in the LRAC region.
Theatre L’Homme Dieu will produce the regional premier of "Beautiful - The Carole King Musical" to open at Theatre L'Homme Dieu August 1, 2023. The show is marketed as “the inspiring true story of one woman’s remarkable journey from teenage songwriter to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
Tickets are available on the Theatre L’Homme Dieu website.
Pelican Rapids Multicultural Committee - Otter Tail County
$3,354
A dancer from Afoutayi. The group will perform at the International Friendship Festival on June 24, 2023 in Pelican Rapids.
The Pelican Rapids Multicultural Committee will present the annual International Friendship Festival on Saturday, June 24, 2023 in Sherin Park, Pelican Rapids MN, from 11 am to 5 pm.
The event will include performances by 4 - 6 music or dance groups presenting music from different cultures - Mexico, Somalia, Vietnam, Haiti, Bohemia, and the Native Americans of the US.
Nordic Culture Clubs - Clay County
$274
The North Star Nordic Dancers will perform at the Annual Nordic Culture Clubs Scandinavian Festival.
Nordic Culture Clubs will use the grant funds to fund the North Star Nordic Dancers at the 46th Annual Nordic Culture Clubs Scandinavian Festival held at Hjemkomst Center, Moorhead, MN on June 23-24, 2023.
The group will educate and entertain Scan Fest attendees with narrative about the dances they are performing from the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
Begin Your Application for the Next Grant Round
It’s never too late to start writing your next grant application! LRAC is proud to offer a variety of different grant opportunities for both individuals and organizations throughout our nine-county region.
For those interested in applying for the next round of Legacy Grants, the Fall Legacy Grant Round will begin accepting applications starting Monday, August 21, 2023.
Upcoming Fall Legacy Grant Round
Dates to Remember
Applications OPEN: Monday, August 21, 2023
Application DEADLINE: Thursday, October 5, 2023 by 5pm
Grant Review Dates: November 21 and 28, 2023
(depending on application volume)
Awarded projects may begin in mid-December of 2023.
Looking for Grant Writing Assistance?
LRAC Legacy Grant instructional videos are available online and may be watched at any time. For additional information about Legacy Grants and other funding programs available to you, please visit our grants page.
