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• Grants Awarded: SMAC Awards $6,486 to area arts organization & school
• SMAC Annual Celebration schedule
• Give to the Max Day 2024
• In the SMAC Gallery
• Upcoming SMAC Workshops & SMAC Grant Videos
• Help us welcome 2 new board members!
• & More!
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Pictured: The Calumet Players stage production of The Addams Family musical, which they received a SMAC Art Project grant for. | |
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SMAC Awards $6,486 to local organization & school
The SMAC board voted on October 22 to award $2,500 in grant funds to one organization and $3,986 to one school
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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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Kerkhoven Arts Council was awarded $2,500 for bringing senior citizens to visit the Chanhassen Dinner Theater and see White Christmas in November 2024.
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The following school was awarded a SMAC Arts in the Schools grant. These grants provide public schools with up to$4,000 for projects such as artist residencies, arts field trips, juried student art exhibits, etc.
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Bert Raney Elementary in Granite Falls was awarded $3,986 for a Ross Sutter dulcimer building and playing residency with 5th graders. They will also expand the residency this year to include the younger students by adding some dulcimer and folk dancing sessions for grades K-4.
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Plan to attend ~ Save the Date
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council 2024 Annual Celebration
~Showcasing Nobles County~
~No tickets required • All are Welcome~
You are invited to join us in celebration of the arts and artists of our 18 county & two 2 sovereign nations of our region:
Saturday, October 26, 2024
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~Schedule of Events~
Join us at the SW MN Arts Council’s Annual Celebration as well as a grant-funded project in the Worthington community: Dia de los Muertos. Experience a full day of art activities and cultural events. Join the Celebration!
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Above: Worthington Memorial Auditorium lobby | Above: Artist Gustavo Boada next to Dia de Los Muertos Catrina sculptures | Above: Sculpture by artist Gustavo Boada | Above: "Artists & Dabblers in the Jacqueline Hambleton Family" exhibit at the Nobles County Art Center | |
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Most events are held at Memorial Auditorium (besides the 2-4 pm tours listed)
View Map+Details on locations
•Noon (12 pm): Unveiling of two larger than life-sized, commissioned catrina figures by artist Gustavo Boada
•12-1 pm: Hispanic food tastings: tamales, esquites & pan de muerto*
(*since there are not ticket registrations for this event, food availability is first-come first-serve)
•1-1:45 pm “Skeletons in the Closet: A Day of the Dead Story” by Little Coyote Puppet Theatre
•2-4 pm: Local arts organizations open for public tours/visits (various locations in Worthington): See Map + Location Details
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Minnesota West Community College Art Department: Gallery exhibit featuring Bobbie Alsgaard-Lien from Rushmore plus hallways of student artwork
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Creative Healing Space (located at MN West art classroom #413): art activity and organizational information led by their co-creators Suree Sompamitwong & Leah Gossom
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Crailsheim Bridge sculpture at Chautauqua Park
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Memorial Auditorium: Lobby gallery featuring local & regional artists from the Nobles County Art Center Collections
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Nobles County Arts Center: Gallery featuring “Artists & Dabblers in the Jacqueline Hambleton Family” plus two rooms of artists exhibiting their work including: Dawn Bishop, Kelly Henkels, Adrienne Herbert and Kimberly Jansen
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Wind Dancer sculpture and Turtle mosaic community mural at Sailboard Beach
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Celebrating Worthington Mural on the VFW building
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ArtMobile: located at the 10th Street Pavilion (corner of 10th St. and 2nd Ave.) with an art activity led by Artmobile co-creators *if weather does not permit, ARTMOBILE will be inside the Nobles Co Art Center
•2:30-4:30 pm puppet making workshop by Gustavo & Julie Boada **Class size is limited to 30 participants. Please email thememorialauditorium@ gmail.com if you intend to participate. There is also a class on Sunday if Saturday's is full. Email thememorialauditorium@
gmail.com for details!**
•4:30 pm SMAC Happy Hour cash bar (local wine/beer) and appetizers from Round Lake Vineyards and dessert pastries* from local baker, Whip & Mix: (*since there are not ticket registrations for this event, food availability is first-come first-serve)
•5:30pm SMAC Annual Meeting plus honoring ceremony for
•6:30 pm Performance from Worthington Azteca Dancers & live music from La Banda Bandante
•7:30 pm "Spirit of the Region" Raffle Drawing event closes afterward
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Spirit of the Region Raffle
A $10 raffle ticket is a chance to win a basket of art & specialty goods made in the SMAC region. Tickets sold in advance at the SMAC office (509 West Main Street in Marshall, MN), through SMAC board representatives, and at the event. Need not be present to win.
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Join SMAC in fundraising on Give to the Max Day this year: Thursday, November 21st!
Plan to join GiveMN and thousands of Minnesota nonprofits and schools as we raise funds together for the organizations which make our communities stronger. If you represent a nonprofit or school looking to join in on Minnesota's giving holiday, take time to review the resources and information page to learn more. SMAC encourages you join us! Visit SMAC's GiveMN donation page
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 21), 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 2024. Learn more about the prize incentives, such as Golden Tickets and Power Hours!
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In the Gallery: Thomas Patrick Flynn | |
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Pictured: Photographer Thomas Flynn (right) talks with guests at his artist reception at the SMAC Gallery in Marshall.
Photography by Thomas Patrick Flynn of Marshall is in the SMAC gallery through October 25, 2024. Thomas Patrick Flynn received a SMAC Artist Growth grant in 2024 for equipment to advance his photography skills.
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Virtual Opportunity
Virtual Reception, Tour & Artist Talk on Zoom
Thursday, October 10th, 5:30 pm
Zoom Link
ID: 871 8233 6841
Passcode: 765416
Pictured left: "Goth Lovebirds"
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Artist Bio
Thomas Patrick Flynn is a photographer living in Marshall, MN. He is also a librarian at Southwest Minnesota State University’s McFarland Library.
Though his photography style is constantly evolving and has yet to settle down and take root, he most enjoys capturing images that truly represent a location. Sometimes, it’s a bald eagle resting atop a buoy in Alaska’s Resurrection Bay. Other times, it’s an August sunset over Grand Marais. And perhaps more often, it’s an image that represents southwest Minnesota’s LGBTQ+ community, of which he is a proud member. Learn more about this exhibit
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Next in the Gallery: Ferman Woodbury | | |
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Ferman Woodberry of Jackson will be displaying his photography in the SMAC gallery from November 7 through December 20, 2024. Mark your calendars for an in-person reception Thursday, November 7th from 5-7 pm in downtown Marshall at the SMAC Gallery and a virtual reception and gallery tour on zoom Thursday, December 12 at 5:30 pm.
Ferman received a SMAC Artist Equity grant in 2023 for photography equipment and to advance his photography skills. After completion of the grant he said, "My focus changed from looking to producing a body of single pieces to producing a body of studies depicting the many artistic possibilities of one subject matter. Being able to change the color schemes and textures has been very rewarding. I have used the digital programs to create a more abstract, painterly feel to my photographs".
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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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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 2025 (July 2024 – June 2025), with time to ask questions about any of the grants or your specific projects. This year we’ll have grant program videos available instead of interactive workshops for each grant, so these Q&A sessions are your opportunity to get your questions answered. Register for the session(s) you prefer by clicking on the linked dates:
Reaching Underserved & Underrepresented Communities (Register here)
Tuesday October 8, 7-8 pm
Organizations will learn how to approach SMAC application questions about reaching those who may be underserved or underrepresented in their communities and become familiar with strategies and resources for making connections and reducing barriers.
Grant Goals & Evaluation (Register here)
Monday November 4, 7-8 pm
Organizations and individuals will learn how to create goals for their grant projects and how to plan for measuring impact.
**Workshops are free, but registration is required**
|  | Upcoming In-Person Grant Workshops | |
Q&A Sessions
Join us for an overview of SMAC grant opportunities for Fiscal Year 2025 (July 2024 – June 2025), with time to ask questions about any of the grants or your specific projects. This year we’ll have grant program videos available instead of interactive workshops for each grant, so these Q&A sessions are your opportunity to get your questions answered.
In-person grant workshops are being planned (please refer back to SMAC's Workshop & Assistance page for updated details on specific dates & times):
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This year we have grant program videos available for each grant program instead of interactive workshops for each grant. Learn about the guidelines, application questions, online grant system, and granting process for each of our grant programs for fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025). All videos include an introduction, overview of SW MN Arts Council, grant guidelines, website resources, grant system and application questions, and the grant process.
More coming soon!
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1st of the Month August 2024 through May 2025 or until funds are expended: | |
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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 on the second Tuesday of the month. The office hours are from 10 am to 2 pm and the next one will be Tuesday, October 8th. 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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You can find out when you’ll hear about your pending grant application by going to the page for that program on the SMAC website (swmnarts.org). The Dates & Deadlines section lists when your application will be reviewed by the panel and when the SMAC board will make its funding decisions. The board meets in the evening on the “Board Action” date, so you will hear about your application in the next day or two afterwards. | |
Help SMAC welcome new Jackson County & McLeod County Board Representatives! | |
Pictured: Original design appliqué by Eunice Woodberry | |
SMAC's new Jackson County Board Rep is Eunice Woodberry of Jackson! Eunice was a congregational paster in SW Minnesota with diversity work through synod for fifteen years, a secondary education math teacher, a quilt guild president for three years, and a media specialist for the Jackson Center for the Arts. Eunice's art experience and interest is primarily in fiber arts, watercolor and poetry. When asked why she wanted to be a part of the SMAC board she said that through her time at the Jackson Center for the Arts she became aware of what SMAC was and the work it does for rural arts. She said, " I would like to be more involved in promoting arts & culture in SW MN, especially in rural settings." | |
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SMAC's new McLeod County Board Rep is Lisa Hill of Hutchinson! Lisa actually served on the SMAC board in the past, but moved out of the region to Minneapolis. Years later she is back in our region and back on the board! Lisa has many years experience as an attorney and lawyer, as well as being a small business owner. She is the current president of the Hutchinson Rotary Club and has served on the Hutchinson Center for the Arts Board in the past. Lisa was also part of the Crow Rivers Singers and volunteered for the Hutchinson Marching Band and Phoenix Drumline. Before Hutchinson and Minneapolis, Lisa lived in Mankato where she was actively involved with the board for the Minnesota Valley Chorale and the Mankato Area Youth Symphony. While involved with those boards, she gained experience with writing grants, fundraising, and administrative duties. She said she "looks forward to becoming further involved with volunteering on behalf of the arts in McLeod county!"
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SMAC Board: Will YOU join us and represent your county or sovereign nation?
SMAC is seeking representatives from three counties and two sovereign nations to serve on our board of directors: Big Stone, Renville, Yellow Medicine, Upper Sioux and Lower Sioux
Do you live or work in one of these communities? Do you want to volunteer in a meaningful way? Are you interested in helping your community? Are you passionate about arts awareness & funding and where & how those funds are distributed?
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SMAC's Board of Directors has seven vacant board seats. We are seeking a representative from each of the counties and sovereign nations listed above to serve. 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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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 for a panel. More details on being a SMAC panelist
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For more opportunities and resources be sure to check out our latest news posts on SMAC's website.
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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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Lets work together to create a robust arts calendar for our region!! | | |
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Memberships
From August 30 to September 26, 2024
Contributors: Bryan & Sue Nelson, Redwood Falls • Ramona Welsand Larson, Redwood Falls •
Supporters: Sandra Saulsbury, New London • Reggie Gorter, Pipestone •
Sustainers: Al Opland Singers, Pipestone •
| SMAC Members will get an "I Love Rural Arts" Sticker! (pictured left) | |
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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!
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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE ARTS! | |
2024 SW MN Arts Council BOARD OF DIRECTORS | |
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Big Stone - OPEN
Jackson - Eunice Woodberry
Lincoln - Mark Wilmes
Meeker - Darlene Kotelnicki
Pipestone - Erica Volkir
Rock - Shawn Kinsinger
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Chippewa - M E (Maggie) Fuller
Kandiyohi - Ana Serrano
Lower Sioux/Cansa'yapi - OPEN
Lyon - Dr. Erin Kline
Murray - Tiffany Holmes
Redwood - Su Kyung Lee
Swift - Jessica Mata
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Cottonwood - Anna Johannsen
Lac qui Parle - Kristine Shelstad
McLeod - Lisa Hill
Nobles - Cheryl Avenel-Navara
Renville - OPEN
Upper Sioux/Pezihutazizi - OPEN
Yellow Medicine - OPEN
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Executive Director - Nicole DeBoer
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Grants & Financial Administrator - Caroline Koska
Accessibility & Marketing Coordinator - Krystl Louwagie
Communications Assistant: Jessica Stölen
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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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