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• Grants Awarded: SMAC Awards $13,195 to area organization & artists
• In the SMAC Gallery
• Give to the Max Day
• Upcoming grant workshops, deadlines & grant assistance options
• SMAC Arts Organization Highlight
| Pictured: Buffalo Lake mural that the city received a SMAC Public Art grant for. | | | |
SMAC Awards $13,195 to local organization & artists
The SMAC board voted on October 28 to award $2,500 in grant funds to 1 organization and $10,695 to 3 individual artists
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The following organization has been awarded a SMAC Quick Support for Organizations grant. 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 Madison Mercantile has been awarded $2,500 for arts activities during Lac qui Parle Norsefest, including dance and music residencies at local schools; performances in the community; dance, fiddle, and storytelling workshops; and visual art shows.
| | The following three artists were awarded SMAC Artist Equity grants. These grants provide up to $4,000 to aid Black, Indigenous, and other artists of color with projects that will advance their skills and artistic career. | |
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Andrea Duarte-Alonso of Worthington has been awarded $2,695 for creating a professional, comprehensive website that effectively showcases her identity and her work as a writer, storyteller, and organizer, and purchasing an iPad to serve as a mobile and accessible workspace.
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Daniel Jimenez of Madison was awarded $4,000 for creating an album of original compositions and arrangements, as a creative exploration of how jazz interacts with global musical traditions.
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Suree Sompamitwong of Round Lake has been awarded $4,000 for completing and publishing her first book, "Broken Heart into Art", a memoir that interweaves personal narrative, poetry, artwork, and reflections on healing.
| | In the Gallery: Kelly Henkels | | Kelly Henkels of Worthington received a SMAC Quick Support for Artists grant in 2024 to create abstract wall hangings and 3-D creatures by exploring sewing, hand stitching, embroidery, fabric paints, gelli printing, felting, different textures of fabric and other supplies. Henkels will be exhibiting in the SMAC Gallery November 6 through December 19, 2025. You can learn more on our website: swmnarts.org/kellyhenkels | | | | |
Exhibit Events
• In-Person Artist Reception
with art activity: mini collages!
Thursday, November 6, 5-7 pm
• Virtual Artist Talk & Gallery Tour on Zoom
Thursday, December 4 at 5:30 pm on Zoom
Email info@swmnarst.org for zoom link to join
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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. | |
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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The giving can already begin November 1st!
Join SMAC in fundraising and giving to the non-profits and schools that mean so much to us on Give to the Max Day this year: Thursday, November 20th!
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With your support, we can provide more arts opportunities and grants for students, artists and organizations bringing us the arts in rural SW MN.
What IS Give to the Max Day? It is a Minnesota-based initiative started by GiveMN in 2009 to help raise money for participating nonprofit organizations and schools. GiveMN adds incentives starting on November 1st, and especially on Give to the Max Day itself (Thursday, November 20), for giving to your favorite MN causes. Each time a gift is made during Give to the Max, it is eligible to help organizations win part of the $100,000+ Prize Pool. In fact, there are nearly 150 chances to win during Give to the Max Day and Early Giving, beginning November 1. The Bush Foundation is sponsoring the prize pool again in 2025. Learn more about the prize incentives, such as Golden Tickets and Power 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 FY2026 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026).
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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 2026 (July 2025 – June 2026), 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 (pictured left) 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, but in November that is a holiday, so it will be on the first Tuesday (November 4th), 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 2025 through May 2026 or until funds are expended: | | All applications are due by 4 pm on the deadline date. No exceptions. | | We know that the whole grant process can be intimidating and confusing. We've made two new videos that should help! 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! Check out the many options: | | |
For more opportunities and resources be sure to check out our latest news posts on SMAC's website.
| | Both Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) and the Minnesota State Arts Board (MSAB) visited southwestern Minnesota in October. SMAC hosted the visit to Marshall and SMAC Executive Director also attended the Willmar session, which was hosted by The Barn Theatre. This was an opportunity to connect directly with state arts leadership and advocate for the arts in our region. Participants shared impact stories of how essential state funded arts are to our region, and to the lives of rural people. It is clear that arts funding has created positive impacts for individuals, organizations, communities, families, and the health and vibrancies of our towns. Thanks for coming out and making your voice heard to support rural arts! | | | | |
Grantmakers in the Arts Visits MN for their National Conference this year
In October SMAC's executive director Nicole DeBoer attended the GIA (Grantmakers in the Arts) Conference held in Minneapolis; she was also joined by SMAC Board Chair Kristine Shelstad. Pictured left: Nicole DeBoer with other regional arts council directors attending GIA conference.
The GIA Conference provides the only opportunity for arts grantmakers from across the country to come together to share knowledge and ideas, develop collective strategies, and learn about the latest initiatives in arts grantmaking. The conference features plenary sessions by leaders in the field, peer-organized discussions and reports, panels investigating policies and practices in
arts grantmaking, site visits, and artist-led sessions. GIA's conferences employ the unique arts and cultural resources of each host city to inform and illuminate topics in arts and cultural philanthropy.
A highlight of the conference was a bus trip to Waseca, MN to explore rural arts and impact that funding has in small towns. Pictured bottom left is a public art mural on a local grain bin, which was included included in a walking tour to visit local public art pieces. Below: Panel held at the Waseca
Arts Center.
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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!
Panelists are compensated $75-$125 for a panel (depending on the number of applications reviewed). More details on being a SMAC panelist
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Looking for arts events to attend? Check out our regional arts calendar!
We are continuing to 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 2 board members! SMAC is seeking community members from the two sovereign nations in our region to serve on our board of directors: 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 two vacant board seats. We are seeking a community member from each of the sovereign nations 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 a year to evaluate applications, attending a yearly board retreat in January, learning opportunities and trainings on Access, Equity, Inclusion & Diversity and more!
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SMAC Arts Organization Registry Highlight: Demo, Inc.
In our new fiscal year (which started July 1st) we introduced quarterly Artist or Arts Organization highlights from our website registries! By highlighting these, we hope to grow awareness of our registries and encourage expansion; sign up on our Artist or Arts Organization registries today if you haven't already!
| | | | This time we're highlighting DEMO, Inc., located in Svea MN (Kandiyohi county). You can view their SMAC Arts Organization page here. DEMO stands for Developing, Exploring & Maintaining Originality through the Arts. In 1987 this tired, worn out, four level school house sat abandoned amongst the corn and soy bean fields, but along came two visionary creative teachers who saw possibilities! The building has been going through restorations ever since, all while also holding classes for adults and youth. | | |
You can learn more about the classes and the history of the building (and all the levels of restorations) on their website: www.demo-inc.org
You can also keep up with their journey on the DEMO Inc. Facebook Page
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Memberships
From September 30 to October 31, 2025
Contributors: Minnesota Pottery Festival, Hutchinson •
Supporters: Madison Art & Innovation Center • Carol Purrington, Marshall • Milan Village Arts School • Reggie Gorter, Pipestone • Ana Serrano, Willmar •
Sustainers: Al Opland Singers, Pipestone • Pipestone Performing Arts Center • Beth C. Shipman-Habicht, Worthington •
General Donations
Ann Lamecker, Hutchinson • Katherine Gallagher, Worthington •
Art Study Opportunity for Youth Donations
Anonymous Donors
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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! | | 2025 SW MN Arts Council BOARD OF DIRECTORS | | |
Big Stone - Krista Hartman
Jackson - Eunice Woodberry
Lincoln - Mark Wilmes
Meeker - Darlene Kotelnicki
Pipestone - Mark Thode
Rock - Shawn Kinsinger
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Chippewa - Georgette Jones
Kandiyohi - Ana Serrano
Lower Sioux/Cansa'yapi - OPEN
Lyon - Tetta Askeland
Murray - Tiffany Holmes
Redwood - Charlene Graff
Swift - Jessica Mata
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Cottonwood - Michelle Hooker
Lac qui Parle - Kristine Shelstad
McLeod - Lisa Hill
Nobles - Cheryl Avenel-Navara
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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