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• In the SMAC Gallery
• Join us for the SMAC Annual Celebration!
• Virtual Work of Art Workshops for Artists coming up
• Upcoming grants: Q & A Sessions, deadlines, videos & grant assistance options
• Join us in Hutchinson for a Grant Workshop for Individual Artists!
• & More!
| | Pictured: Art Study for Youth grant recipient Mara Flesner painting after one-on-one instruction from artist SammyJo Miller. | | In the Gallery: Brian Jeremiason | | In 2025 Brian Jeremiason of Minneota received a SMAC Artist Growth grant for attending a one-on-one photography workshop with Brian Hansel, focusing on Lake Superior landscape photography. The grant was also used to purchase a wide-angle zoom lens and tripod. Brian's exhibit at the SMAC Gallery will go through August 28, 2026. You can find out more on our website: swmnarts.org/brianjeremiason | | | | |
Join us for a
Virtual Artist Talk & Gallery Tour
with artist Brian Jeremiason
Thursday, August 20
5:30 pm on Zoom
Email info@swmnarst.org for zoom link to join
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Next in the Gallery: John Munson
John Munson of Marshall received a SMAC Quick Support for Artists grant in 2025 for purchasing supplies to make more oil paintings for his "Dog Walking" series.
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Please let us know of any accommodations needed for you to enjoy any of our events, virtual or in-person: info@swmnarts.org. Visit SMAC's Access Page for more information and resources.
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These activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Funding provided by the McKnight Foundation. Minnesota thrives when its artists thrive. The McKnight Foundation supports working artists to create and contribute to vibrant communities.
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Join us for our annual celebration of arts and artists, being held in Madison on Saturday, September 26th
You are invited to join us in celebration of the arts and artists of our 18 county & two 2 sovereign nation region; this year we're showcasing Lac qui Parle County with a gathering & official meeting at Madison Mercantile followed by performances at the Prairie Arts Center in Madison. No tickets are required & all are welcome! This year's event is a free-will donation to cover food costs. Donations welcome here.
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~Schedule of Events~
• 4:30 pm SMAC Social Hour & Networking at Madison Mercantile
- With heavy appetizers, cash bar and desserts; Catering by LqP Kitchen!
• 5:30 pm SMAC Annual Meeting on the Madison Mercantile stage
• 6:00 pm Performances at the Prairie Arts Center by:
•7:00 pm “Spirit of the Region” Raffle Winners Announced
(event closes afterward)
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“Spirit of the Region” Raffle
$10 raffle ticket is chance to win a basket of art & specialty goods made in the SW MN Region. Tickets sold in advance and at event. Tickets can be bought through the SMAC office (509 West Main St downtown Marshall) or through your county board representative. SMAC Board Representatives
*Need not be present to win* *Must be 21 to purchase*
| | It's time to celebrate the art & artists of Lac qui Parle County! | | |
Save the dates! Thanks to Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) sharing resources, SMAC is able to offer 3 virtual workshops for Artists & Culture Bearers in our region! These workshops are from Springboard for the Arts "Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists" series and topics include:
*Recordkeeping - Wednesday, September 9, 2026 | 6-8p CT
*Legal Considerations - Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | 6-8p CT
*Funding - Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 6-8p CT
These workshops will be presented by Kandace Creel Falcón: www.kjcfalcon.com
Stay tuned for more information, including how to register, in our next newsletter and on our socials!
Springboard’s Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists is a professional development curriculum designed to teach business skills to artists and culture bearers in all disciplines – visual, performing, and literary arts. It starts with career planning and moves through topics like pricing, marketing, funding, and business plans. Work of Art can be helpful if you are just starting your creative career, or if you need a refresher as you advance your work.
Springboard’s Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists curriculum is available as a free workbook and downloadable from their website as a helpful reference during or after the workshops. Learn More: springboardforthearts.org/programs/work-of-art/
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In-Person Sessions
Schedule an in-person grant session in your community: If there are multiple interested individuals or organizations in your community, contact us (info@swmnarts.org) to schedule a workshop at your location to learn about grant programs for FY2027 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027).
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Join SMAC Grants Administrator in Hutchinson for a Grant Workshop for Individual Artists!
Thursday, September 3, 5:30-7:00 pm at Hutchinson Center for the Arts: 218 Main St S, Ste 100 in Hutchinson
This session was requested by the Hutchinson Merging Business & Arts (MBA) group, but it is open to all!
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Upcoming Virtual Grant Workshops
**Workshops are free, but registration is required**
Q&A Sessions
Join us for an overview of SMAC grant opportunities for Fiscal Year 2027 (July 2026 – June 2027) and learn about important grant changes for this fiscal year, with time to ask questions about any of the grants or your specific projects. Register for the session you prefer by clicking on the linked dates:
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Other options for Grant Assistance: Visit SMAC's Workshop & Assistance page
SW MN Arts Council grants administrator Caroline Koska is available to meet with you by phone, web conference, or in person to answer your questions on grant eligibility and using the application system or to review a draft of your application. Schedule a time with Caroline Koska.
Every month we hold "Open Office Hours" for grant support, usually on the second Tuesday of the month, so the next one is August 11th from 10 am to 2 pm. You can use this time with SW MN Arts Council staff to talk through project ideas or get help with finding the right grant program, filling out your application, preparing work samples or budgets, or completing your final report.
You can also call 800-622-5284 or email us info@swmnarts.org with your questions. Please let us know of any accommodations needed for you to attend any of our events, virtual or in-person. View SMAC's Access page for more information.
| | 1st of the Month August 2026 through May 2027 or until funds are expended: | | All applications are due by 11:59 pm on the deadline date. No exceptions. | | All applications are due by 11:59 pm on the deadline date. No exceptions. | | We know that the whole grant process can be intimidating and confusing. For understanding the whole grant process, watch our SMAC Grant Process video and to help you navigate our grants system when applying and filling out final reports, watch our Using the Grant System video. If you need more guidance or assistance, please visit SMAC's Workshop & Assistance page. Our videos are a great resource to better understand our grants, and they can be viewed anytime on your own schedule! We've updated the videos specifically for fiscal year 2027. Check out the new organization grants videos: | | |
Grant Videos for Organizations
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Grant Videos for Individuals
Grant Videos for Schools
| | SMAC Board & Staff have strived to visit more SMAC grant-funded events to connect with grantees and July was a very busy month for SMAC grant funded activities! Grant site visits were done for Benson Community Education's children's theater production of "Three Little Pigs", an original play written and directed by local alumni (pictured top left); Rhythm of the River's annual music festival in Jackson at Fort Belmont (in addition to music, the festival also included songwriter sessions and workshops, children's activities, and regional artisans) (pictured top right); Tyler Arts Council's production of the musical Anastasia (bottom left); and the annual Worthington International Festival, which includes immigrant stories with a panel discussion, folk and traditional artist performances, food vendors, artisan booths, ethnic cultural education booths, and activities for children (pictured middle and bottom right). | |
Looking for arts events to attend? Check out our regional arts calendar!
We post both in-person and virtual arts events in our region on our website calendar. If you have events to let us know about, please email the details to info@swmnarts.org! Remember, these don't have to be SMAC grant funded events, just arts events in our 18-county region!
Have something that's not an event, but an arts opportunity, like a RFP or call for local artists? We'll add it to our opportunities posts! Send us those, too!
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SMAC is seeking 5 board members! SMAC is seeking community members from three counties and two sovereign nations in our region to serve on our board of directors: Kandiyohi, Meeker, Nobles, Upper Sioux and Lower Sioux
Are you a member of these communities? Are you passionate about arts awareness & funding and where & how those funds are distributed?
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The SMAC Board of Directors continually seeks artists, arts administrators, arts teachers, arts volunteers, and arts appreciators to serve on its board and to keep all 20 board positions filled. SMAC encourages and seeks a diverse mix of individuals from across our Southwest Minnesota region, from all communities – including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color), people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals – and representing all artistic disciplines - to be present on our board. Board members share their knowledge and expertise in the arts and/or nonprofit management and their ability to grant funds equitably and fairly.
SMAC's Board of Directors currently has five vacant board seats. We are seeking a member from each of these communities listed above to serve.
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The Board meets monthly on the 4th Tuesday evening at the SMAC office in Marshall or on Zoom to set policies, make final decisions on grant awards with input from grant review panels, share ideas and information from their representative communities, and to design programs that enable SMAC to best serve our communities.
Other opportunities include serving on several grant panels to evaluate applications, attending a yearly board retreat in January, learning opportunities and trainings on Access, Equity, Inclusion & Diversity and more!
To learn more and to fill out an application visit SMAC's Become A Board Member Page. You can also schedule a meeting with our Executive Director, Nicole DeBoer, for further questions.
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Would you like to help SMAC review and score grant applications?
The SMAC Board of Directors continually seeks panels of artists, arts administrators, arts volunteers, and arts appreciators representing multiple artistic disciplines from throughout the SMAC geographic region and from all our communities including BIPOC, people with disabilities, and LGBTQIA2S+ individuals. Being a grant panelist is a positive way to strengthen your grantwriting skills by understanding the process as a whole. It's also a great way to learn and support what exciting projects are happening in rural SW MN!
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Membership Donations
July 2 to July 28, 2026
Supporters: Audrey Arner & Richard Handeen, Montevideo • Karin J Gilbertson, Willmar •
Sustainers: Mark & Kathy Wilmes, Tyler •
Patrons: Tim & Carol Ceynowa, Luverne •
Benefactors: Swift County Commission, Benson •
General Donations
Contributors: Cindy Hendrickx, Appleton •
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Would you like to become a contributing member of SMAC or make a donation?
You can help by contributing online or by mail, for more information, visit Become a SMAC member! All SMAC donors will get an "I Love Rural Arts" Sticker!
| | THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS! | | 2026 SW MN Arts Council BOARD OF DIRECTORS | | |
Big Stone - Pending
Jackson - Eunice Woodberry
Lincoln - Mark Wilmes
Meeker - Open
Pipestone - Mark Thode
Rock - Pending
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Chippewa - Georgette Jones
Kandiyohi - OPEN
Lower Sioux/Cansa'yapi - OPEN
Lyon - Tetta Askeland
Murray - Tiffany Holmes
Redwood - Charlene Graff
Swift - Cindy Hendrickx
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Cottonwood - Michelle Hooker
Lac qui Parle - Kristine Shelstad
McLeod - Lisa Hill
Nobles - Open
Renville - Joseph Evans
Upper Sioux/Pezihutazizi - OPEN
Yellow Medicine - Tim Pehrson
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Executive Director - Nicole DeBoer
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Grants Administrator - Caroline Koska
Accessibility & Marketing Coordinator - Krystl Louwagie
Communications Assistant: Jessica Stölen
Financial Administrator: LaRae Disbrow
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The Southwest Minnesota Arts Council (SMAC) is a non-profit organization committed to promoting and encouraging the development of the arts in the eighteen counties and two sovereign nations of southwestern Minnesota by serving as a source of funds and technical services which enable local organizations, educational institutions, and individuals to sponsor and/or create and promote the arts in their communities.
SMAC receives funding from individuals, businesses, organizations, schools, cities, counties, private foundations including the McKnight Foundation, an allocation from the State of Minnesota, and a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund, made possible by the voters of Minnesota.
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