NORTHERN ARTS NEWS
APRIL 2016
ART PEEKS
Sun streams
through parasols
lighting up their small world
as they cling to the rugged bark
with hope.

by Nikki Anderson-Weir
April is Poetry Month!
GRANTS
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS to all of the recent grant recipients through Region 2!
That's $51,875 in awards this spring to put art out into your world: Park Rapids Lakes Area Arts Council, The Nemeth Art Center,  Lake of the Woods Art Guild, The Depot Preservation Alliance, The Headwaters School of Music & the Arts, Bemidji Symphony Orchestra, The BSU Department of Music, Bemidji Participatory Arts Collective, Bemidji MusiCamp Bemidji, and Bemidji Community Theater.

Looking ahead for deadlines. . .
August 15, 2016: Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant for Individuals
September 15, 2016: R2AC McKnight Career Development Fellowships

Laura and Holly  have excellent insights into the grant application process at the Region 2 Arts office at The Rail River Folk School. If you are interested in funding an artistic venture, do not hesitate to contact them for grant support. Remember that the best time is well ahead of your grant deadline! The success of your grant increases if you have had time to carefully shape and test the ideas of your proposed project as well as time to edit for best impact. The Region 2 Arts Board will review all applications, allow time for discussion, and use the point system to rate each grant. For this process they will need to understand exactly what your project entails, how potential funding translates to your budget, and where the benefit lies if your grant is chosen. The Best of Luck!
EVENTS
Through April 29, 2016
Talley Gallery, BSU
The Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis is touring the ceramic work of 6 of their McKnight Fellowship and Residency Artists, with 2 of the artists from Northfield. The Talley is open M-F, 9:00 to 4:00 PM.

April 1-30, 2016
The High School Art Show is up and running at Watermark all month long.

April 23, 2016
Minnesota's 2nd Annual BemijigamaagPowwow at the Sanford Center in Bemidji from 1:00 to 10:00 PM.

April 25, 2016
The Park Rapids Area Library will host thriller author, Brian Freeman, at 2:00 PM. His recent book, Goodbye to the Dead, will be available for purchase and signing.

May 1, 2016 NOON!
The May Day Parade, Minneapolis, begins at the corner of 25th St E and Bloomington. Join your metropolitan neighbors in this brilliant celebration of the year behind and the year ahead!  CELEBRATE   

May 5-July 16, 2016
Kate Casanova and Cameron Gainer  will show at the Nemeth Art Center in Park Rapids. Reception and Artist Talks will be June 25th, 5:30-7:00 PM. SHOW Legacy funded!

May 12, 2016
Schoolcraft Learning Community  will showcase their orchestras, choirs and French program at 6:30 PM. Free and open to the public at Bemidji High School Auditorium. Thank you to support from an Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant!

May 14, 2016
MakerFaire, Minneapolis-St.Paul,  at the State Fairgrounds on Saturday from 10:00 to 6:00 PM. If you love it, gear-up and apply for your own booth or performance next year!

May 20-22, 2016
Artists of Minnesota Annual Spring Show
This year the show will be held at Chase on the Lake in Walker, with local watercolorist Jane Freeman as the juror.  ART

June 20-26, 2016
Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference, June 20-26, 2016, Bemidji State University  has a waiting list to participant though they are still accepting auditors. 

Nemeth Art Center!
NEMETH  There is a lot happening on Nemeth's calendar. Yay Park Rapids!
OPPORTUNITIES
Art in the Park Bagley
Applications to exhibit handcrafted original work in Bagley's Park, July 9th from 9:00 to 3:00 PM. $30 entry fee, contact Linda Kaul:  BAGLEY

April to October, 2016
Clear Water Life Center in Gonvick has a full array of Monday evening classes for Youth and Adults, April through October, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Classes include Painting and Sculpture with Jay Jones, Mosaics with JoAnne McFarlin, Clay with Dave Hudson, and Concrete with Leanne Walberg.  Classes are $5 /Free to studio members, thanks to the Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant Funds! Call to register 218-487-5290 x2.

April 11, 2016
Sculpture Walk St. Cloud Deadline
Twelve artists will be chosen to show their work outside for an art walk in St. Cloud. Each artist chosen will be provided with a $2000 honorarium.  WALK

April 21-22, 2016
Native Artist Professional Development Workshop
Two days of workshops focusing on arts marketing specifically for Native Artists. The sessions will be held at Seven Clans Casino and Event Center in Red Lake and are free with lunch provided. Support comes from First Peoples Fund, Red Lake Entrepreneurship Program, and Northwest Area Foundation. For more information contact Sarah Lussier 218.679.1458. CONTACT

May 1, 2016 Deadline
Bravo North, a Chamber Music Festival, will come to the shores of Bemidji State University June 12-24 with a highly respected teaching force. This camp is open to advanced string players and pianists ages 11-28. Thank you to a Region 2 grant as well as the sponsorship of Claire Givens Violins. (Scholarships are available.)  APPLY 

May 1, 2016
Storybook Breakfast at Raphael's Bakery. Actors Needed! HERE

May 5, 2016 Deadline
Heard of ArtPrize in Grand Rapids, Michigan? MORE! Minnesotans have a chance to strut their stuff in the most well-attended public art extravaganza in Grand Rapids next September-October. Apply to win a spot to present your pitch at the Walker Art Center on May 26.  PRIZE

May 6, 2016 Deadline
Minnesota Emerging Writers' Grant  will be awarded to  5 writers to underwrite their own projects for $8,000 each.  EMERGING

May 17-18, 2016
Auditions for "The Calico Tiger" will be from 5:30 to 7:30 PM with Studio Works. The play will be presented at Lake Bemidji State Park in August.  BCT

June 10, 2016 Deadline
Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant
Two disciplines, Literary Arts and Performing Arts, will be due June 10th with Visual Arts due August 5th. These grants are for career building and and career development at varying stages of an artist's career. $2,000 to $10,000.  APPLY

June 13-17, 2016
Summer String Fiddle Camp at Headwaters School of Music and the Arts in Bemidji. A fun time for all.  STRINGS

June 13-17 and June 20-24, 2016
Bemidji Community Theater 's Jr Theater Camp 
Two weeks for kids to be all they can be! REGISTER 
Interns are needed for this camp, so if you're the person for this high energy job contact Mary Knox-Johnson.  EMAIL 

July 9-11, 2016
Minnesota Theater Alliance's Statewide Theater Conference will be held at St John's University. Early Bird registration is open:  REGISTER

August 1-5, 2016
Musical Theater Camp at Headwaters School of Music and the Arts!  SING

August 8-12, 2016
8th Annual Drumset Camp at Headwaters School of Music and the Arts!  DRUMS
NEWS
April 30, 2016, Saturday, 10:00 AM
Artists Count! :  Artists and Creative Workers Study by Creative Minnesota and 160 of their non-profit foundation partners
Sheila Smith, the extraordinaire of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, will be in our region on April 30th. Come to Region 2's office at the Rail River Folk School for cookies, coffee and Counts! 10:00 AM is the time and we'll have tablets available for you to hop right onto the survey to serve us all. Minnesota has committed resources to its artists and their work. If you spend time in other states you will quickly recognize, no matter what side of the arts you're on, what an amazing current and future arts direction we have in our state. This is a perfect time to come out and serve up some high-fives! SURVEY

THREE Region 2 Board Member Openings!
Currently we need a resident from Clearwater, Hubbard, and Beltrami counties to participate in board functions. This is a great opportunity to understand the workings of the granting process, to be more involved with the art and artists of your county, and to enjoy a measure of camaraderie. Please call the Region 2 office and speak with Laura or Holly for more information and to apply for a position. Fulfillment will be on a rolling basis through the end of June. 218.751.4557

Stay Tuned!
May and June will bring professional development opportunities right to your door. Region 2 Arts will be offering workshops for both artists and art organizations that will broaden the scope of what is possible in our region. 

Holly and Laura  did what they do best on-air at KBXE. Here's their interview about the important ins and outs of Arts Advocacy Day! LISTEN

Springboard's "Work of Art," the 10 session workshop, is now in digital format. There are also some excellent tiny vids on all kinds of artist-related stuff!  TOOLKIT 
CALENDAR UP
Here's a few events from the month behind us. . . Pine to Prairie Trail Weekend */ Watermark's Native American Textile Arts and Dance Exhibition */ BSO's "Peter and Prokofiev" */ "The Pillow Man" by Martin McDonagh at The Rail /  Poetry Slam!  */  "Needles and Thread" White Earth fiber arts / Woodwind Day at BSU */ "Enchanted Sleeping Beauty" * 
( * denotes Legacy grant funding)

Our next public board meeting  for Region 2 Arts is May 9, 2016 at 4:30 pm at the Region 2 office at the Rail River Folk School, 303 Railroad St SW, Bemidji. Review of the Arts Project Grants begins at 6:00 PM. 
GOOD ART STUFF
COMICS! Check out Eva Rose Cohen's strip on livin' the life as an artist. Yay MnArtists.org!

SHANTIES! And have you been to White Bear Lake for the Art Shanty Project? You're just in time to wrap your brain around next year's proposal for your own. . .
ART PI
Any futures winking at you from the pictures you stuck up on your fridge over the winter? Taking stock of the outside of the fridge is as creative as what has grown on its own on the inside of the fridge.

And while you're after your spring cleaning, think about CANDY CHANG. . . 
Before I die I want to __________________________________________________________.

mmb Newsletter Editor
We serve Beltrami, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Hubbard and Clearwater Counties!

REGION 2 ARTS COUNCIL -  303 RAILROAD ST SW BEMIDJI MN 56601
218.751.4557 -  STAFF@R2ARTS.ORG