R2AC Awards Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants

Region 2 Arts Council (R2AC) recently awarded $58,161 through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants Program, to arts organizations and non-profits in Beltrami, Hubbard, and Lake of the Woods counties. The funds will be used to create opportunities for arts access, arts education, and cultural heritage activities that build bridges between Minnesotans. These funds are made available through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund passed by Minnesota voters on November 4, 2008. The grant recipients included:

Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, Bemidji, was awarded $6,000 to focus on Native American music and culture in its March concert and its biennial children’s concert, as well as provide educational activities in area schools.

Nevis High School, Nevis, received $6,000 to hire Copper Street Brass to perform a two-day residency including 8 educational sessions and one full-length evening performance.

Bemidji Community Theater, Bemidji, was awarded $5,560 to produce the musical “Peter Pan” in April of 2013.

Headwaters Center for Lifelong Learning, Park Rapids, received $1,970 to present four educational programs that will examine artistic elements and forms that are common to America’s shared cultural heritage and values.

Bemidji State University English Department, Bemidji, was awarded $6,000 to host the Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference at their campus during the third week of June 2013.

Pequana Playhouse, Baudette, received $2,990 to contract with Prairie Fire Theatre to provide a children’s theater production of “Alladin” the week of July 8-13, 2013.

The Nemeth Art Center, Park Rapids, was awarded $4,690 to bring Ester Partega and Brad Kahlhamer to Park Rapids as part of the Nemeth Art Center Visiting Artist Series.

Headwaters School for Music & the Arts, Bemidji, received $6,000 to present a professional high quality concert series for residents of north central Minnesota.

The Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, Red Lake, was awarded $6,000 to promote and develop emerging artists with an arts festival.

Lake of the Woods Art Guild, Baudette, received $2,625 to update the newly acquired Baudette Arts Center and make the space usable for studio and exhibit purposes.

The Nemeth Art Center, Park Rapids, was awarded $4,326 to partner with the Minneapolis Institute of the Arts to bring the Minnesota Artist Exhibition Program to Park Rapids.

ACLU MN Greater Minnesota Racial Justice Project - North, Bemidji, received $6,000 to mount the exhibition Art From Within.

The next Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant deadline is January 17, 2013

Applications are available in the Region 2 Arts Council Office, 426 Bemidji Avenue, Bemidji, MN 56601, or for download from our website, http://r2arts.org. Please call us at 751-5447 or 1-800-275-5447 for more information.