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• Grants Awarded: SMAC Awards $240,157 to area organizations, artists & student
• In the SMAC Gallery
• Grant changes for fiscal year 2027
• Grant assistance options
• New Opportunity: Emergency Relief Funds for Artists
• SMAC seeks board representative for Kandiyohi County & 6 others
| Pictured: The Southwest West Central Foundation for Innovation in Education received a SMAC Art Project grant in 2025 for their annual Young Artist Conference. | | | |
SMAC Awards $240,157 to local organizations, artists & student
The SMAC board voted on April 28 to award $235,657 in grant funds to 34 organizations, $4,000 to 4 individual artists and $500 to 1 student
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The following twenty eight organizations have been awarded SMAC Art Project grants. These grants provide organizations in the SMAC region with up to $10,000 to stimulate and encourage the creation, performance and appreciation of the arts.
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Al Opland Signers of Pipestone have been awarded $8,625 for two major choral productions during their upcoming season, including “Let It Be Christmas” in December 2026, followed by “Storytelling Through Song” in April 2027.
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AMP (Arts & Mentoring Project) of Pipestone was awarded $9,985 for two summer musical theater camps for youth in July & August of 2026, "Annie Kids" (K - age 18) and "Seussical Kids" (Gr 2 - age 18).
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Benson Public Schools was awarded $4,000 for a children's theater production of "Three Little Pigs", an original play written and directed by local alumni.
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The Canby Area Arts Council has been awarded $10,000 for a circus arts performance residency (June 2026), a chalk art festival (August 2026), and 10 art classes for youth, adults, and elders (July 2026-April 2027) featuring clay, jewelry-making, drawing/painting, and mixed media.
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The City of Adrian was awarded $8,650 for a mural by artist Lili Lennox as a tribute to the town's heritage and future, to celebrate Adrian's 150th anniversary.
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The City of Tracy has been awarded $5,000 for a permanent public art installation at the Tracy Aquatic Center, led by artist SammyJo Miller. Five large-scale water-themed designs created using colorful inserts will be installed into the chain-link fence. Designs will originate from youth participants and the artist.
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The Clinton Women's Civic Club was awarded $10,000 for a a mural by artist Dan Wilson, reflecting the history and community spirit of Clinton. Community members, including students and special needs adults, will help to paint the mural, which will include a hand-stamped flower garden.
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The Crow River Singers of Hutchinson were awarded $7,000 for four concert performances in Hutchinson. Two winter concerts, titled "Nordic Noel", will take place during the first weekend of December 2026. Two spring concerts, centered around the theme of a choral tapestry, will be held in April 2027.
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Dawson-Boyd Arts Association was awarded $10,000 for presenting The Quarantined Quartet, featuring Spanish classical flamenco guitar music. The group will also hold a student guitar workshop and visit the school and the senior care center for special performances.
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Discover Downtown Redwood Falls has been awarded $9,950 for a mural by artist Hannah Anema, highlighting the importance of native species, prairie landscapes, local agricultural roots, and featuring plants of cultural significance to the Lower Sioux Indian Community. The mural will serve as a focal point for a future pocket park in an adjacent lot.
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Enlazados USA of Willmar was awarded $10,000 for dance and cajon (drum box) classes in the Afro-Peruvian Festejo style, offered in English and Spanish to children and adults. Performances are planned for Kandiyohi County Fair and Willmar Welcoming Week.
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Fort Belmont of Jackson has been awarded $1,659 for expanding and enhancing their annual Pioneer Days event (August 2026) through the addition of arts-based programming that highlights traditional music.
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Kerkhoven Arts Council was awarded $10,000 for their summer youth musical theater program culminating in an outdoor musical production of "Alice in Wonderland, Jr." during the Kerkhoven Town and Country Days festival.
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The Lake Benton Opera House has been awarded $8,000 for a production of the musical "Into the Woods" in July/August 2026.
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The Madison Mercantile has been awarded $10,000 for events at the Prairie Arts Center from June through October 2026, including five music events, two Open Mic events, and a puppet show.
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Marshall Pride was awarded $5,166 for a weekend festival celebrating and lifting up LGBTQIA2S+ culture and community in June 2026, including live music and a drag show.
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Rhythm of the River in Jackson has been awarded $10,000 for their music festival at Fort Belmont in July 2026. In addition to music, the festival includes songwriter sessions and workshops, children's activities, and regional artisans.
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Southwest Minnesota Orchestra of Marshall was awarded $9,440 for a strings music camp for middle and high school students in July 2026, offering daily masterclasses, targeted sectional rehearsals, full orchestra work, chamber music collaboration, advanced technique workshops, and a public concert.
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SWWC Foundation for Innovation in Education of Marshall has been awarded $10,000 for a conference for K–8 students from southwest and west central Minnesota, providing immersive, hands-on experiences led by active professional artists in visual, performing, and media arts.
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Willmar Area Arts Council was awarded $9,900 for providing arts, music, and live creative experiences at three community events in Willmar: Willmar Fests Block Party, Welcome Week, and Holidaze.
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The Worthington International Festival has been awarded $10,000 for their festival in July 2026, 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.
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Yellow Medicine County 4-H of Clarkfield was awarded $9,182 for summer youth classes in ceramics, acrylic painting, miniature safe spaces, and felt sewn horses.
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The following six organizations were awarded SMAC Quick Support for Organizations grants. These grants provide organizations with up to $2,500 for activities such as planning for an Art Legacy project, strategic planning or board training, costs to apply for 501(c)(3) status, small equipment purchases, or small arts projects.
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The City of Slayton has been awarded $1,500 for commissioning a large-scale painting interpreting Slayton and Murray County by MN artist Derek Meier. The finished painting will be displayed in Slayton City Hall, where residents and visitors gather for meetings, services, and community events.
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The Tracy Public Library was awarded $2,500 for a three-day visual art camp and a three-day theater camp in July 2026, each led by artist SammyJo Miller and designed to provide accessible, skill-building creative experiences for youth in their community.
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DEMO Inc. of Svea has been awarded $2,500 for summer and fall 2026 workshops on mandala drawing and colored pencil techniques (Pauline Donahue, ages 11-adult), book arts and printmaking (Monica Villars, ages 11-adult), and theatre arts (Nikki Bettcher Erickson, ages 7-16).
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Montevideo Creatives were awarded $2,500 for planning for a mural on the wall of the Montevideo Chamber of Commerce. This planning process will engage the broader community, representatives from Montevideo's youth, Native, immigrant, and business communities and include a request for proposals from Minnesota artists.
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Bauman Hall Arts of Jasper have been awarded $2,500 for summer youth arts programming led by artists Shay Knobloch and Nichole Cross, focusing on land art, eco art, functional art, community art, street art, installation art, and decorative art.
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Redwood Area Arts were awarded $2,500 for self-healing cutting mats for workstations, a mat-cutting center, shelving for basement storage area, and hospitality equipment.
| | Above: "Lost in the Woods" intuitive painting by Mary Haberman. | Above: Jim Krueger's "Dance Partners"; Mating dance of the Sandhill Cranes, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24", 2023 | Above: Acrylic painting exploring light and color from SammyJo Miller. | | |
The following four artists were awarded SMAC Quick Support for Individual Artists grants. These grants provide artists with up to $1,000 for activities such as purchasing supplies, attending classes, and small artist-led community projects.
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Mary Haberman of Lucan was awarded $1,000 for producing 10 new intuitive acrylic paintings to be donated to local charitable organizations, beginning with elements of each of the organizations for whom she is painting and allowing the paint to tell a story. She will also record her process and post it for the new owners to watch.
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Jim Krueger of Brownton has been awarded $1,000 for producing four new paintings that highlight the diversity and beauty of birds in their natural habitat during different seasons of their life.
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SammyJo Miller of Marshall has been awarded $1,000 for a participatory art experience during the Marshall Pride Festival. Attendees of all ages and artistic skill levels will be invited to draw self-portraits while looking at themselves in mirrors, encouraging creative expression in a welcoming and relaxed environment.
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Sheila Tabaka of Marshall was awarded $1,000 for visiting tartan mills and designers in Scotland to further her knowledge and practice of traditional kiltmaking.
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The following student was awarded a SMAC Art Study Opportunity for Youth grant. These grants provide up to $500 to allow young artists entering grades 5 – 12 to attend an enrichment camp or specialty study.
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Emily Rosenboom of Marshall was awarded $500 for a weeklong summer intensive dance camp held at the Balleraena Dance Studio. Instructors in various styles of dance will include Eric John Campros, Tracy Stanfield, Madison Paulson, and Jarrod Paulson.
| | In the Gallery: John Salgado Maldonado | | | | |
Events
• In Person Artist Reception
Thursday, May 7 from 5-7 pm
With music from Purpose Artisans!
• Virtual Artist Talk & Gallery Tour
Thursday, June 11 at 5:30 pm on Zoom
Email info@swmnarst.org for zoom link to join
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Pictured left is John Salgado Maldonado with State Representative Mary Frances Clardy.
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Did you miss our last exhibit with Kerry Kolke Bonk?
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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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SMAC Seeks Board Member from Kandiyohi County!
Did you know that in our last fiscal year (July 2024 to June 2025) Kandiyohi county received $111,907 in grant funds for 22 different grants? We gave more to Kandiyohi county than any other county or sovereign nation that SMAC serves, but we're still seeking a Kandiyohi community member to serve on our board. With many grants going to to towns like Willmar, New London, Sunburg and Spicer, SMAC needs a board member that can help connect us! Kandiyohi should have a say in our voting and discussions, shaping the future direction of our organization, as well as a connection from SMAC to provide information to the community about what SMAC can offer! There are exciting arts activities happening in Kandiyohi County, and SMAC is proud to be able to support them with grants and promotion through our website and social media, bet we need commitment from the county, too! If you live or work with the arts in Kandiyohi county, please consider joining the SMAC board as a voice from your community, we need you! You can get more information about serving as a SMAC Board member in the article below or at our website: swmnarts.org/who-we-are/become-a-board-member/
Images in the above picture are from SMAC funded projects in the past year, including the City of Willmar for their Welcoming Week arts events and the Willmar Area Arts Council bringing art to local events.
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SMAC is now seeking 7 board members! SMAC is seeking community members from four counties and two sovereign nations in our region to serve on our board of directors: Kandiyohi, Meeker, Nobles, Rock, Swift, 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 seven 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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Changes to SW MN Arts Council grant programs for Fiscal Year 2027
(July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027)
See the SMAC FY27 Grant Program Calendar for deadline details
Additional groups eligible for Artist Equity grants
The Artist Equity grant program, previously only open to artists who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color, will now additionally be open to people with disabilities, those who are LGBTQIA2S+, and veterans.
Art Study Opportunity for Youth grants: early payment of registration deposits allowed
SW MN Arts Council (SMAC) will now allow registration deposits to be paid before the grantee’s start date, without those costs being excluded from the grant request amount. The actual camp or other study opportunity must still take place after the earliest allowed start date for the application round.
Contingency expenses ineligible
Contingency expenses are now ineligible in all grant request budgets, since they aren’t attributed to specific, concrete project costs.
New deadline schedules for Art Project and Public Art grants
The deadlines for the Art Project grant program for organizations will change from a schedule of three deadlines per year (July, November, March) to four deadlines per year (July, October, January, April). This new schedule will allow for project start dates of September 1, December 1, March 1, and June 1.
The Public Art deadline will now be in November (was December), with a tentative second deadline in March if funds remain.
Deadline times extended
Deadline times for applications in all grant programs will now be 11:59 pm on the deadline date, with the understanding that staff will not be available to answer questions after hours.
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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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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 May 12th 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.
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Emergency Relief Funds for Artists
SW MN Arts Council is now offering Emergency Relief Funds for artists. The program provides short-term relief to artists facing housing, healthcare, income, transportation, legal, or property loss emergencies that impact their wellbeing or ability to work, through one-time awards of $500. The application process opened on April 1, 2026, with deadlines on May 1, 2026; August 1, 2026; November 1, 2026; and tentatively February 1, 2027 (if funds remain). Awardees will be randomly drawn each round.
The Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network is stewarded by Springboard for the Arts and supported by F. R. Bigelow Foundation, Jerome Foundation, McKnight Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.
More information is available on our website: swmnarts.org/emergency-relief-funds-for-artists
| | Recently SMAC Board & Staff have strived for a more concentrated effort on doing site visit evaluations of SMAC grant funded events so grantees can see we truly do support their projects and want to be more visible the community. In April a member of SMAC staff attended one of the Prairie Arts Chorale's "The Storyteller's Songbook" concerts as well as the West Central Singers 25th Anniversary concert. Both were excellent events that were well organized, fun, and showed the abundance of talent and dedication to the arts in our region! | | |
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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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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Memberships & Donations
March 31 to April 29, 2026
Memberships Donations
Contributors: Tim Pehrson, Clarkfield •
Supporters: Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Appleton • Lake Benton Opera House, Lake Benton • Jan Craig Nelson, Redwood Falls • Kristina Swanson, Willmar •
Sustainers: Mary Meneely, Arco • Cheryl Avenel-Navara, Worthington •
General Donations
Supporters: Claire Swanson, Granite Falls•
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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 - Krista Hartman
Jackson - Eunice Woodberry
Lincoln - Mark Wilmes
Meeker - Open
Pipestone - Mark Thode
Rock - OPEN
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Chippewa - Georgette Jones
Kandiyohi - OPEN
Lower Sioux/Cansa'yapi - OPEN
Lyon - Tetta Askeland
Murray - Tiffany Holmes
Redwood - Charlene Graff
Swift - OPEN
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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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