R2AC Awards Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Grants

The Region 2 Arts Council (R2AC) awarded $3,750 through the Anishinaabe Arts Initiative (AAI) Program. Monies awarded are for arts activities related to its mission of supporting, maintaining, and promoting traditional and contemporary Native American arts in North Central Minnesota. The Anishinaabe Arts Initiative grants program is supported by a grant from the McKnight Foundation. Current AAI Council members are Tom Buckanaga, Mary Guardipee, Douglas Lee, Genny Lowry, Bernice Mitchell, Delana Smith, Debra Warren, Delina White, and Harold "Dunesy" White, Jr. The grant recipients and information about their projects are listed below.

Bonita Desjarlais, of Bena, received $1,000 to purchase tools and equipment to complete Ojibwe style stained glass projects for display in art exhibitions.

Luella M. Zimmerman, of Blackduck, was awarded $1,000 to purchase materials and equipment to make star quits for sale.

Melvin Losh, of Bena, received $1,000 to purchase a laptop computer, flatbed scanner, software and accessories to digitize photographs to create an online archive of his art and quillwork from the last 37 years.

Clem May, of Red Lake, was awarded $750 to purchase a new drum set to use in performances.

The next deadline for the Anishinaabe Arts Initiative (AAI) Grant is March 6, 2012 and the next deadline for other grants available is the Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant, due on January 17, 2012.

Applications for these grants will be available in the Region 2 Arts Council Office, 426 Bemidji Avenue, Bemidji, MN 56601, or call the Region 2 Arts Council office at 751-5447 or 1-800-275-5447 or see the applications and download them at our website http//r2arts.org.