Owl with Cherry Blossoms, 2026 Festival of Owls contest entry, by Celine Lee, age 16, Taiwan.

Application Opens March 1 for the Programming and Project Support Grant for Organizations

Free Step-by-Step Grant Writing Workshop

Tuesday, March 10, 6-8 pm CT, online

In this workshop, executive director Anastasia Shartin will go over eligibility and other requirements of the Programming and Project Support Grant for Organizations and will walk participants through the application offering tips and other helpful advice along the way.

This workshop will be recorded and shared with anyone who registers.

Photo of Springboard for the Arts staff members at Arts Advocacy Day 2025.

Arts Advocacy Day is March 3

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 am in the Capitol Rotunda. Meetings with legislators will be scheduled throughout the day from 11 am to 3 pm where you can ask them to support the Legacy Fund and state arts funding and thank them for their support last session.

To get the day off to a great start, anyone from southeast Minnesota who attends the rally is invited to a meet-up of arts supporters to mingle while enjoying coffee, fruit, pastries, and bagels! We will gather from 8:30 to 9:30 am at the Taher Centennial Cafe which is located at 658 Cedar Street, across the street from the Capitol.



Please rsvp for the meet-up by 4 pm on Friday, February 27 so we are sure to have enough food and, more importantly, coffee!

Work of Art Workshops Winter 2026 Business Skills for Artists

& Culture Bearers

SEMAC’s partnership with Springboard for the Arts and their Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists workshop series continues!


This final session of our virtual winter series is available to individual artists and culture bearers living in SEMAC's region - and it is free to attend!

Pricing

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

6-8:30p CT

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.

Please note that these sessions will not be recorded.
Automated Zoom captions will be available.

Organizational Skills Workshop Series

Strategy, Planning, Outcomes:
Bridging Your Strategy Work with Ground Level Impacts

Thursday, April 23, 2026
1-3p CT

Are you looking to understand how strategy, planning, and outcomes show up in your work in the nonprofit sector?


Join us for this free workshop, presented by Propel Nonprofits, to explore the connections between organizational strategy and service impacts. You will walk away from this training with an understanding of the nine gears of effective nonprofits, strategy planning frameworks, and the practical application of outcomes development.

Registration for this virtual workshop is required. Please note, this workshop will not be recorded.

This workshop is the final in a series of four professional development workshops for organizations that SEMAC offered in 2025-2026. Look for information about a new series to start this fall.

Save the date!
Workshops with Kyle "Guante" Tran Myhre

We are excited to bring Kyle "Guante" Tran Myhre to southeast Minnesota to offer two free workshops on Tuesday, March 31.

Speak Something Alive: Spoken Word Poetry, from 3 - 5 pm, is open to educators and anyone who works with youth. What Can Writers, Artists, and Other Culture Workers Offer in This Moment?, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm, is open to everyone.

These workshops will be held in-person in Rochester. Look for an e-mail and social media posts with more details to come soon!

Emergency Relief Funds for Individual Artists and Culture Bearers Available this Spring!

We are thrilled to announce that SEMAC has joined the Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network and will be launching an Emergency Relief Fund program in April. 

Through this program, we will provide one-time $500 awards in short-term assistance to individual artists and culture bearers living in the SEMAC region who are facing unexpected hardship due to loss of income, unexpected expenses, and crisis situations.

Look for more information to come soon!

The Artists Emergency Relief Fund Network is stewarded by Springboard for the Arts and supported in part by the F.R. Bigelow Foundation, the Jerome Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.

March'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. 

Wild Marbling: Experimental Aqueous Surface Design

Monday, March 2
through Monday, March 30

Winona Public Library Bell Art Room

Winona, MN

Wild Marbling is an artistic exploration of two marbling traditions—Ebru (a more figured and pattern-based style) and Suminagashi (an improvisational and less controlled marbling style)—and their convergence through experimentation. It is a discovery of inner and outer landscapes rooted in the natural world and inspired by liminal spaces and place.

Water Street Dance Milwaukee

Thursday, March 5 | 7p

Sheldon Theatre of Performing Arts

Red Wing, MN

Water Street Dance Milwaukee is a multifaceted repertory company committed to pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance. Rooted in innovation and driven by a passion for diversity – of art, artists, and audiences – they are dedicated to creating athletic, thought-provoking, and entertaining performances that resonate with all who experience them.

Water Music: Quince Ensemble

Thursday, March 5 | 4:30p and 7:30p

Minnesota Marine Art Museum.

Winona, MN

Quince Ensemble combines forces with local vocal stars to present an evening of vibrant chamber music for two to eight voices. They will offer an evening of contemplative, delightful, and haunting repertoire for women's voices, and have expanded their usual quartet roster to eight singers to celebrate songs by composers Gabriela Ortiz, Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, David Dies, and William Thomas McKinley. Whether you're a seasoned experimental chamber music aficionado, a fan of contemporary storytelling, or simply a curious soul in need of inspiring sounds, we would love for you to join us!

International Festival of Owls

Friday, March 6 | 10a-4p

Saturday, March 7 | 9a-6p

Sunday, March 8 | 9a-4p

Houston High School

Houston, MN

 Immerse yourself in owls at the original full-weekend, all-owl event in the USA. See at least six species of live owls, go on an owl prowl, dissect an owl pellet, build an owl nest box, make an owl craft, get your face painted like an owl, learn from World Owl Hall of Fame winners from The Netherlands and New York, and see amazing owl artwork created by children from all over the world.

Choral Arts Ensemble’s Singing for Life High School Choral Festival Concert

Saturday, March 14 | 3p

Bethel Lutheran Church

Rochester, MN

Don’t miss the grand finale of the Choral Arts Singing for Life High School Festival, a powerful celebration of choral collaboration and artistry. This culminating concert features performances by the choirs of St. Charles High School and Lourdes High School, alongside SE MN Honors Concert Choir, and the Choral Arts Choirs. Under the direction of esteemed clinicians Dr. Colleen Chester, Dr. Alan Dunbar, and Dr. Liz Pearse of Winona State University — who will join Choral Arts conductor Dr. Ryan Deignan for a special set of chamber selections — the concert promises an inspiring afternoon of music, mentorship, and community.

Original One-Acts by Theatre du Mississippi

Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 21

Thursday, Fridays, & Saturdays | 7-9p

Sundays | 2-4p

The ARC - Home of the Historic Masonic Theatre

Winona, MN

This showcase is an annual live performance event that celebrates new and original short plays. Featuring regionally written and locally directed one-act productions, the showcase highlights talent and creativity in an intimate, community-centered setting. It offers audiences a dynamic evening of diverse storytelling while supporting emerging playwrights, directors, and performers.

Tickets are available for pre-sale as pay what you can starting at $8,

and at the door for $20.

Creative Confidence Building with M E Fuller

Saturday, March 28 | 10a-2p

Red Wing Arts Clay & Creative Center

Red Wing, MN

Physical limitations and emotional insecurities can block creative self-expression. In this workshop, artist and author M E Fuller will give a brief presentation on creating with a chronic condition. We'll discuss what art is and why art-making is meaningful. Then we will create a "mind map" using posca markers on canvas. All materials are provided. Students will get their own set of posca markers for further experimentation.

This workshop is part of Red Wing Arts' The Artist’s Studio Series, a program designed to increase access to training and education for working artists.

Ben Gateno - Solo guitar, now with some vocals!

Monday, March 30 | 12-1p

Lips Atrium in the Charlton Building

Rochester, MN

Guitarist Ben Gateno studied vocal technique and musicality with Rochester-area teacher Vivian Lark as way to enhance his artistry beyond solely performing instrumentals. This capstone event, as part of the Harmony for Mayo concert series, will mark his public debut as a vocalist.

SEMAC Wants to Hear from You!

As we prepare for SEMAC's 50th anniversary in the fall of 2027, the Board and staff are beginning the process of reviewing our mission and vision, and of setting values.

To help us with this work, we want to hear from artists, culture bearers, arts organizations, volunteers, and other community members like you who support the arts. 

We have created a short, 5-question survey and will be accepting responses through March 18. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and help spread the word to other arts lovers you know in southeast Minnesota!

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.

We currently have vacancies on the Board for representatives from Fillmore, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona Counties.

If you or someone you know is interested in applying for these service opportunities, please follow these links for more information: