As an ECFE teacher, she wanted every child to explore their own creativity on each surface. The impact that Linda has had on children in the Jackson school system is one that most will carry throughout their lives. Linda instilled creativity, being present, and encouraging every child to grow their artistic self through individual expression. The references included in this application speak volumes about the impact that Linda has had on children and adults in Jackson County.

When Linda retired from over 30 years of teaching, she continued to feel a need to teach Art to children. That passion and dedication of lighting an artistic spark within children has resulted in the creation of Jackson Center for the Arts. Linda continues to teach Art to all children, from Toddler Exploration, through High School students.  Once Linda became inspired with the vision of an Art Center in Jackson, she was determined that it was going to happen, and it was going to be part of a revitalization of the 'downtown' economy in Jackson. Linda pursued that dream and kept a positive attitude through all of the challenges of creating a 501(c)3. She surrounded herself with a wide variety of creative people who all saw her vision and supported her along the way. She consciously selected a board of directors who would complement her strengths and fill in where she had weaknesses.  Linda would not accept negative attitudes, and would quickly turn a nay-sayer into a believer with her determined vision. 

The impact that LInda has had on the community of Jackson is growing stronger every day. In a very short time, she has brought Art to the surface of discussions about what brings people to Jackson. Her vision, passion, and dedication is what made Jackson Center for the Arts a reality in SW Minnesota. Linda accomplished something that had never been done before; she created a healthy, vibrant Art Center in Jackson, that is open to all ages. She surrounded herself with a Board of Directors who have varied strengths and viewpoints and can encourage many aspects of The Arts in the community. 

I am recommending Linda Clarksean for the 2019 Prairie Disciple Award, because I have seen the artistic impact that has she had on the community, including my own children and grandchildren. She has changed the attitude of an entire community, and I believe that she was able to do that because many of the adults supporting her have been her students. They have been inspired, moved, and motivated to pass on the spark of creativity. 

To continue reading about Clarksean and the people who nominated her, click here .

Southwest Minnesota Arts Council Awards $3,017 to local organizations

SMAC awarded $517 to Marshall Area Arts Council for Art Project Grant

Art Project Grants Provide organizations in the SMAC region with up to $7,000 in matching funds to stimulate and encourage the creation, performance and appreciation of the arts. 20% cash match required.

Marshall Area Fine Arts Council (MAFAC) , Marshall, $517 to go towards supporting their 2019-2020 gallery exhibits. MAFAC features an exhibit program of nine six-week exhibits that show local, regional and out of region artists. The council holds a reception for each exhibit. The exhibit schedule includes seven individual artists and two group exhibits: the open Annual Photography Exhibit & Competition and the annual Lyon County High School Arts Stars exhibit.



Above left: Paul Boerboom, "No Trespassing", acrylic. Featured from an artist who will be in the MAFAC Gallery in January-February of 2020.

SMAC awarded $2,500 for Local Arts Initiative

SW/WC Service Cooperative , Marshall, $2,500 for a 2019 sponsorship to support their annual Conference for Young Artists. This year will be the 26th year of the conference, which seeks to nourishes students' creative and artistic talents by exposing them to a variety of visual, fine and performing art forms. Students are invited to choose from a very large variety of workshops throughout the day, led by qualified instructors. The conference focuses on having fun, educating, sparking interests, finding hidden talent, and possibly making connections for future schooling or job opportunities for students. This event is for all students in the SMAC region grades K-8 and takes place in the fall.

On behalf of the SW MN Arts Council (SMAC) board of directors and staff, we are pleased to share our recently adopted Equity Statement.

Through its grant programs & services, SMAC provides arts access for communities across our 18 county region. We are committed to a concentrated effort to have more diversity in both applicants and arts audiences, to practice inclusivity in our practices and to work towards building more equitable systems and processes.

SMAC’s board and staff have been working internally over the past two years to better understand our own biases, to look at our programs, practices and policies and to learn more about how we can improve our grant programs & services.

The (below) Equity Statement reflects the value that SMAC places on diversity, equity & inclusion. This statement will be available in the ABOUT US section of the SMAC website at www.swmnarts.org , as well as linked in the “Reaching the Underserved” section of each of our grant program applications.

SMAC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement

FINAL – Approved 5-28-19

We believe that all people deserve art and culture in their lives – from a moment of personal inspiration, to a neighborhood musical gathering, to a glorious production that brings thousands to their feet, to the greatest of all: uniting people through creative expression.

Tackling the issues of equity and inclusion requires commitment, respect, patience, determination, and flexibility. SMAC understands that there is no one single way to achieve equitable results, however we are committed to a sustained effort in breaking down the barriers and building bridges across communities.

The Southwest Regional Arts Council acknowledges the Dakota Nation as the original people of the land in which we live and work.

SMAC recognizes we can build increased connectivity and economic strength through supporting cultural and artistic expression of all social identities including race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexuality, religion, ability, socioeconomic background and the intersectionality of these identities.

SMAC acknowledges that systems currently in place have historically marginalized and underserved indigenous people of the Americas and communities of color. We are committed to closing access gaps in the arts with urgency and accountability.

As stewards of public funds, SMAC embraces the unique opportunity to ensure that all residents of our designated eighteen county region have access to quality arts experiences. SMAC is committed to engaging in the relationship building, self-reflection, community discourse, and hands-on work imperative to make our region a place where all artistic communities can thrive. Our willingness to engage in participatory processes requires trust to be built, and that visioning, ideas, and feedback will be incorporated and credited/attributed appropriately. SMAC will focus our resources to educate ourselves, modify our practices and shift our own organizational culture to challenge disparities as we move toward equitable arts communities. We embrace our responsibility to lead equity work in funding, while informing and learning from equity and inclusion in the artistic practices and programming of our constituents.

 

DEFINITIONS

Diversity . The presence of difference within a given setting which may include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, marital status, socioeconomic status, education, geographic region, national origin, and more. 

Equity . Equity is the act of identifying and eliminating the barriers within the procedures, processes and distribution of resources by institutions or systems that have prevented the full participation of marginalized groups while guaranteeing the fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people.

Inclusion . Inclusion is the act of creating environments in which any individual or group can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued. An inclusive climate embraces differences and offers respect in words and actions so that all people can fully participate in the organization’s opportunities. 

Underserved / Underrepresented . Refers to a population of individuals who have historically been outside the purview of arts and humanities programs due to factors such as a high incidence of racial discrimination, income below the poverty line or to geographic isolation. Being underrepresented means to have insufficient or inadequate representation in decision-making or program support.

SMAC EQUITY TASKFORCE

*New Opportunity*

Do you represent an underserved community? Would you like to build relationships and increase arts access in an underserved community?

First, maybe it’s best to define what “underserved” or “underrepresented” means:

Underserved refers to a population of individuals who have historically been outside the purview of arts and humanities programs due to factors such as a high incidence of racial discrimination, income below the poverty line or to geographic isolation. Being underrepresented means to have insufficient or inadequate representation in decision-making or program support.

SMAC recognizes we can build increased connectivity and economic strength through supporting cultural and artistic expression of all social identities including race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexuality, religion, ability, socioeconomic background and the intersectionality of these identities.

We are starting an EQUITY TASKFORCE to work with our board and staff members on bridging the gaps and improving our systems and processes. We are searching for s ix individuals to fill paid positions that will meet 4 times over the course of a year starting in August 2019.  We are seeking arts-leaders and/or culture-bearers from underserved communities in our 18 county region as defined above.

If interested, please contact SMAC Director Nicole DeBoer at [email protected] or 800-622-5284.

In the gallery: Elisabeth Fondell

Elisabeth Fondell's work (pictured above) is currently in the SMAC gallery. The exhibit focuses on a creative partnership of her photography and writing. Fondell received a SMAC Individual Emerging Artist grant in 2018. She says "I developed a body of work celebrating the emotion and story in food by exploring the intersection of food and culture through photographs and essays."

Next the gallery: Cole Behrends

Cole Behrends of Lakefield will be exhibiting work from his zine project, titled "The Paintbrush Graveyard". Behrends said, "This project stemmed form drawings that were created due to the lack of a painting studio during a Minnesota winter. I set a goal to draw 100 drawings on these four by six inch cards I found. I wanted people to see these drawings as a set and I thought a free zine would be the perfect format to present them. Four zines in total. Each holding 25 drawings." Behrends received an Emerging Artist grant in 2018 for some art supplies and to aid in the printing of his zines. Behrends' exhibit will run from July 11 through August 30, 2019. Please join us for an artist reception on Thursday, July 11 from 5-7 pm with a live performance. More details to come!

These activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Additional 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.

The Fiscal Year 2020 Grant Calendar is HERE!

Click here to view, print, or save.

July 24, 4:30 pm, 2019: Art Project Grant & Art Legacy Project Grant Applications Due  

Art project grants provide organizations in the SMAC region with up to $7,000 in matching funds to stimulate and encourage the creation, performance, and appreciation of the arts (pre-packaged theatre residencies limited to $2,500). Grantwriting webinar: June 11, 2019, for more information click here

 

Art Legacy Project grants provide organizations in the SMAC region with up to $25,000 in matching funds to stimulate and encourage the creation, performance and appreciation of the arts through large-scale projects that will leave an arts legacy in southwest Minnesota. Grantwriting webinar: June 11, 2019, for more information click here

August 1, September 1, October 1 & November 1, 4:30 pm, 2019: Monthly Arts Organization Grants (Art Legacy Project Planning Grants, Arts Organization Development Grants & Arts Organization Start Up Grants) Applications Due  

Monthly Arts Organization grants are on a first-come, first served monthly deadline until all funds have been expended. Deadline is the 1st of each month, 4:30 pm, August-November 2018 & January-April 2019. Earliest project start date is the first day of the following month after board action.

 

Art Legacy Project Planning grants provide organizations with up to $2,500 to plan for a specific large-scale project or activity that will create or advance a strong arts legacy in Minnesota.

 

Arts Organization Development grants provide arts organization in the SMAC region with up to $5,000 in matching funds to increase their long-term stability and capacity through organizational development and management projects.

 

Arts Organization Start Up grants provide arts organizations with at least two years of programming up to $2,000 to develop articles of incorporation, by-laws, and apply for their 501(c)(3) status.

 

August 14, 4:30 pm, 2019: Individual Emerging Artist Grants, Individual Established Career Artist Grants, & Individual Artist Community Collaboration Grants Applications Due    

Individual Artist grants for Emerging Artists provide up to $2,500 to aid emerging artists at an early stage of their career development with projects that will advance their career. Grantwriting webinar: July 2, 2019, for more information click here

 

Individual Artist grants for Established Artists provide up to $7,000 to aid established career artists with the advanced stage of their career development with projects that will advance their career. Grantwriting webinar: July 2, 2019, for more information click here

 

Individual Artist Community Collaboration grants provide up to $10,000 to artists to create a major new work while collaborating with the community, introducing community members to the arts in a new way. Grantwriting webinar: July 2, 2019, for more information click here

September 11, 4:30 pm, 2019: Equipment/Facilities Improvement Grant Applications Due

Equipment/Facilities grants provide arts organizations with up to $10,000 in matching funds for the purchase of equipment items and specific improvement that will strengthen the organization's capacity to serve the arts needs of the SMAC region. Grantwriting webinar: August 1, 2019, for more information click here

September 18, 4:30 pm, 2019: Operating Support Pre-Application Deadline

Operating Support Grants are two-year grants for arts organizations that have been designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) for a minimum of three years. For organizations with an average operating budget of less than $25,000, this grant provides up to 35% of the organization's average operating budget each of the two years. For organizations with an average budget more than $25,000, the grant provides up to 15% of the organization's average operating budget for each of the two years. Required Pre-Application Deadline: September 18, 2019 (Submit financial information to determine your request amount.) Grantwriting webinar: July 16, 2019, for more information click here

October 9, 4:30 pm, 2019: Arts in the Schools Grant Applications Due

Arts in the Schools Grants provide grants to schools for artist residencies or field trips that include educator training and community involvement, juried student art exhibits, and prepackaged theatre experiences. Up to $2,500 (field trips, juried exhibits, or prepackaged theatre), or $4,000 (artist residencies). Grantwriting webinar: August 29, 2019, for more information click here

October 16, 4:30 pm, 2019: Operating Support Grant Deadline

Operating Support Grants are two-year grants for arts organizations that have been designated by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) for a minimum of three years. For organizations with an average operating budget of less than $25,000, this grant provides up to 35% of the organization's average operating budget each of the two years. For organizations with an average budget more than $25,000, the grant provides up to 15% of the organization's average operating budget for each of the two years. Required Pre-Application Deadline: September 18, 2019 (Submit financial information to determine your request amount.) Grantwriting webinar: July 16, 2019, for more information click here

Click on the links for more information ! 

Southwest Minnesota Arts Council to offer grant information sessions in multiple locations

 

This June, SW MN Arts Council (SMAC) will be offering free grant information sessions in several locations around the SW MN region. The sessions will include an overview of all SMAC grant programs for our new year, which starts July 1, 2019. We will introduce you to our grant opportunities for organizations, schools, and individuals, walk you through our grant application process, and answer any questions you may have.

 

There are still two opportunities for you to attend this information session:

 

Wednesday, June 5

7:00-9:00 pm

Bird Island Cultural Centre

640 Dogwood Ave, Bird Island

Register Here

 

Wednesday, June 12

5:30-7:30 pm

Coffey Contemporary Arts

113 Main St, Luverne

Register Here

 

Although these sessions are free, registration is required.

 

Registration is easy! To register online, click on the above links. You may also register by calling the SMAC office at 800-622-5284 or emailing your contact information, along with which session you plan to attend, to: [email protected]

 

We look forward to seeing you!

SMAC recipient artists on featured image, from left to right: David KelseyBassett, Lois Haak, Cole Behrends, and Tammy Grubbs.

2019 SMAC Artist Gathering 

Join fellow artists for an evening of learning & networking!

TUESDAY, June 18

5:00 - 8:00 pm

Granite Falls: 3 locations

Join artists from across the SMAC region for a friendly, casual, networking event in Granite Falls that would include a visit to the Granite Area Arts Council located downtown in the historic KK Berge Building , a visit/tour just down the block of the Yes! House and a wrap-up with networking dinner at Bluenose Gopher Public House .

5 pm   Meet at the Granite Area Arts Council , 807 Prentice Street

6 pm   Walk 1/2 block down the stree to the YES! House , 726 Prentice Street

7 pm   Travel another 1/2 blcok down the street to the newly-opned Bluenose Gopher Public House , 681 Prentice Street

* This FREE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY is open to artists in the 18-county region of the SW MN Arts Council.*

Although free, you must register to be included in the catered dinner.

Registration is easy! To register online, click on the above link. You may also register by calling the SMAC office at 800-622-5284 or emailing your contact information to: [email protected]

We look forward to seeing you!

You are invited to join us in celebration of the arts and artists of our 18 county region! This year our annual celebration will be held in Olivia at Max's Grill with a delicious meal, local entertainment, the award ceremony for this years SMAC Prairie Disciple Linda Clarksean , a review of what SMAC has done in this past year and more! We hope to see you there!

SW MN Arts Council Offering Rural Arts and Culture Summit Scholarships

Scholarships are available for individuals from the SW MN Arts Council region to attend the 2019 Rural Arts and Culture Summit in Grand Rapids, MN on October 3-5, 2019 . Funding is made possible by the voters of Minnesota thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Organized by Springboard for the Arts, the Summit is a practitioner-driven gathering that celebrates and expands the field of rural arts-based community development by providing a space for learning, relationship building and celebration about the role of art and creativity in building strong, healthy and resilient rural communities. For more information, visit  www.ruralartsandculturesummit.com .

Applications go through our online grants system, which can be accessed here or through our website by logging in under "Grants" .

SMAC accepts Scholarship applications through July 15, 2019 at 4:30 pm.

What you need to know:

Limited funds are available.  Applications will be scored on the likely impact of the goals applicants have described, including what they hope to take back to apply to their own art and/or community and how they plan to measure their success. Equity and geographic distribution of the scholarships will also be taken into consideration.

Scholarship Application Deadline: July 15, 2019

Remember to check out our regional arts calendar!

 

Click here to see the many arts events happening in our community! 

 

If you would like your arts event to be listed on our calendar, submit here .

Left: New London-Spicer Public Schools received a SMAC Arts in the Schools grant for a Field trip to Chanhassen Dinner Theatre.

Continue to keep up with news about the arts in our region!

Click the links below to read about:

Above: Worthington Area Symphony Orchestra's November 2018 Holiday Concert, which they received a SMAC Art Project Grant .

Nothing other than the title has changed about this grant, but our board and staff realized that the description of our "Developing" artist grant used the word "emerging" multiple times, but never actually used the word "developing". So in the spirit of consistancy and keeping confusion to a minimum, it was voted to change the title of the grant. Click here to learn more about our Emergining Artist Grant.

Above: Culture United Club performing a musical piece at the welcoming orientation.

Above: Karen presentation on history.



Above: Hmong language presenters sharing a Hmong story quilt.

In May two members of SMAC Staff attended the first annual Culture Conference held at the Marshall Middle School. The conference highlighted four cultures: Hispanic, Hmong, Karen, and Somali in the ares of history, language and celebrations. What a valuable experience; we hope these conferences will continue to flourish in the future and we encourage our communities to attend!

The monthly segment where you can hear from SMAC grantees, participants, and members about their experiences! Thank you, Jerry. The SMAC board and staff are honored to be able to offer area artists like yourself opportunities and support.

Would you like to become a contributing member of SMAC or renew your membership?

You can do so online or by mail, for an individual membership, business membership, or organizational membership. For more information, visit:

swmnarts.org/opportunities/become-a-contributing-member-of-smac/

 

Memberships

From April 22 to June 1

Contributors: Mary Meneely, Arco • Deb Connolly, Danvers • Lois Haak, Echo • Gossman Pottery, New London • Prairie Winds Concert Band, New London • Sandra Saulsbury, New London • Mary Jane Mardesen, Rushmore • Jon & Ruth Hoyme, Slayton • Marilee & David Strom, Windom •

Supporters: Buffalo Ridge Chorale, Hendricks • Joe Paddock, Litchfield • Larry & Jane Lanphere, Luverne • Craig & Lynn Edwards, New London • Worthington Federal Savings Bank, Worthington •

Sustainers: Rolland Digre D.D.S., Hendricks • Jean Replinger, Marshall •

Patron: Gary & Nancy Geiger •

Benefactor : Lincoln County Commission, Ivanhoe •

2019 SW MN Arts Council BOARD OF DIRECTORS