Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council
January News & Events
| | Melissa Wray, from her project Homecoming: A Poetry & Quilt Project, 2025. Photo by Jacquelline VanRavenhorst | | SEMAC Project Support for Individual Artists & Culture Bearers Grant Application Now Open - January 19 Submission Deadline | | The application is now open for SEMAC's Project Support for Individual Artists & Culture Bearers grant. The submission deadline is January 19, 2026, with funded projects able to start as early as April 18, 2026.
These project grants provide financial support for individuals ready to experiment, tackle new challenges, or deepen their practice. Whether you work in painting, photography, printmaking, textiles, music, dance, theater, performance, storytelling, literary arts, intermedia arts, traditional arts, or other creative disciplines, you're encouraged to apply.
Emerging artists and culture bearers can apply for grants ranging from $2,000 to $4,000, while Advancing creatives (those who can demonstrate regional or national recognition for previous work) may apply for $3,000 to $6,000. | |
Work of Art Workshops Winter 2026 Business Skills for Artists
& Culture Bearers
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SEMAC’s partnership with Springboard for the Arts and their Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists workshop series continues.
This winter, three more sessions will be offered virtually to individual artists and culture bearers living in SEMAC’s region -- and they are free to attend. Sign up for one, two, or all three!
Please note that these sessions will not be recorded. Automated Zoom captions will be available.
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Marketing
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
6-8:30p CST
| | Define your product, discover your target audience, make decisions about how you sell your work, and identify a budget and strategy for your artistic business. | | |
Promotions
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
6-8:30p CST
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Pricing
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
6-8:30p CST
| | These workshops are a part of Springboard's 12-part Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists series, a professional development curriculum designed to teach business skills to artists in all disciplines. The curriculum is always available for free download, or you can buy a copy of the book to support your practice. | | Organizational Skills Workshop Series | |
Mastering Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Across Generations and Diverse Populations
Thursday, February 19, 2026
1-3p CST
presented by the Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement (MAVA)
This free workshop will focus on strategies to prioritize people-centered practices for recruitment and retention of prospective volunteers. We will unlock the potential of your recruitment and retention efforts by centering your strategies in inclusive practices and approaches. This interactive workshop focuses on effective strategies to support creating a robust recruitment plan and understanding volunteer motivations linked to retention and overall satisfaction.
Registration for this virtual workshop is required.
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This workshop is the third in a series of four professional development workshops for organizations that SEMAC is offering in 2025 - 2026. The fourth, Strategy, Planning, Outcomes: Bridging Your Strategy Work with Ground Level Impacts, will be held on April 23, 2026, 1 - 4 pm by Propel Nonprofits.
Please note that these workshops will not be recorded.
| | Welcome New Arts Advisory Panel Member, Maggie Sather! | | Maggie Sather is a curator and artist based in Winona, Minnesota, committed to supporting creative communities and strengthening the regional arts ecosystem. She currently works at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum where she develops multidisciplinary projects that connect artists, local histories, and environmental storytelling. Her work emphasizes public engagement and the role of the arts in fostering community resilience along the Mississippi River. As a past recipient of a SEMAC Emerging Artist Grant, she is particularly attentive to the impact of regional funding on early-career artists and rural arts communities, as well as to supporting opportunities that enhance the vibrancy and accessibility of the arts throughout the Southeast Minnesota region. | | SEMAC's January Public Events | | January's arts and cultural events are made possible through the generous support of Minnesota taxpayers through the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. | | |
Climate Sensitive Birds of SE Minnesota by Barbara Schwenk
Friday, January 9 | 5-7p
Paradise Center for the Arts
Faribault, MN
This exhibition of 10 new oil paintings by Barbara Schwenk highlights climate-sensitive birds in southeast Minnesota. "I hope that seeing familiar birds inspires people to learn about climate change's impact on all bird species," she writes.
The exhibition will be on view in the Lois Vranesh Gallery at the Paradise Center for the Arts from January 5 through February 21, 2026.
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Can You Feel My Heart Beat?
by Martha Larson
Sunday, January 24 | 2-3p
The Northfield Depot
Northfield, MN
Join Martha Larson and friends for an exploration of rhythmic accompaniment techniques for cello. Featuring Brian Johnson (guitar), Laurie Melting-Stegner (violin), Mikey Marget (cello), and Dave Schmalenberger (percussion).
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Annual Bon Apetit Event Featuring the Film Big Night
Saturday, January 31 | 6-9p
Winona Arts Center
Winona, MN
Join the Winona Arts Center for a fun evening of food, film, wine and warm conversations. Enjoy Italian appetizers, desserts, wine, tea, and coffee while watching the film Big Night starring Stanley Tucci and Tony Shalhoub.
Doors open at 6:00 pm and the movie begins at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $25 in advance or at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite (with an additional fee) or at Music Mart.
Big Night is a film set in the 1950s and is a lovingly crafted film about two Italian immigrant brothers and their restaurant in New Jersey. “It is a tribute to food, to all things American, to immigrants trying to make it and to the love between brothers."
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Arts Advocacy Day is March 3, 2026
Register Today!
| | Join Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and arts supporters from throughout the state at the Minnesota State Capitol for Arts Advocacy Day on Tuesday, March 3. The rally will start at 10:00 am in the Capitol Rotunda. Meetings with legislators will be scheduled throughout the day from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm where you can ask them to support the Legacy Fund and state arts funding and thank them for their support last session. |
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Get Involved with SEMAC
SEMAC is committed to building bridges and nurturing meaningful relationships. We are seeking artists, arts professionals, and arts enthusiasts to join our Arts Advisory Panel and Board of Directors. The Panel is responsible for reviewing grant applications and making funding recommendations to the Board.
If you or someone you know is interested in applying for these service opportunities, please follow these links for more information:
| | SEMAC activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund. | | | | |
