You are invited to join us in celebration of the arts and artists of our 18 county region!

1-4 pm, An Arts Day in and Around Olivia, MN

~Experience art and visit artists participating in the HINTERLAND ART CRAWL. The 1 st Annual Hinterland Art Crawl is designed to showcase the work of artists and craftspeople living in the region who desire to show, demonstrate, perform, or sell their works to the public. This crawl goes from 9 am – 6 pm on Saturday, September 28th. More details:
  • A free, self-guided studio tour. At your own pace discover artists from Lower Sioux and Redwood Falls to Windom and Currie to Lamberton
  • Nearly 30 artists registered – visit the website listed below for additional details and maps (coming soon)

  • Family friendly: some locations will have children’s activities

  • Visitors will experience an eclectic array of art and have the opportunity to watch the artistic process and perhaps even create some of their own art!
*Hinterland postcard image made by David KelseyBassett, bird image by Oak Kelsey.
~Back in Olivia, visit art installations produced in conjunction with Olivia Main Street Project:

  • Mural, permanent games & art in Dowling Square, south of Dirks Furniture on 9th Street, Olivia

  • Kindness Challenge box (location TBA!)

  • Cornelius & Maizy photo ops, outside Master’s Coffee Shop/Dirks Furniture

  • Peace Art Poles, Lincoln Ave/Highway 212 and west of the 212 /9th street lights

  • Corn Capital Commerce Mural, 909 W Depue Ave

  • Pond Park Community Box, south of the Natural Playground on South 15th St
~View Chamber of Commerce mural outside and step inside to enjoy work on display from the ‘Painting with Friends’ arts group, as well as works by Jim Brooks

~The works of Adam Preuss, Jessica Gorman (pictured left contributing to the Chamber of Commerce mural), Dona Larkin, and Jim Brooks displayed at Masters Coffee Shop (Coffee shop will be open for business 8am-12pm–artworks will still be available to see after business hours)
  
~Artworks by local artists at the Olivia Armory, located at 910 W Lincoln Ave
~Stop by the Bird Island Cultural Center (5 miles away) to view the outdoor SMAC funded mural and continue inside to see the exhibit by ‘ Gathering Friends’ Quilt Club. If any participants are interested in pursuing further information on quilting, the Gathering Friends Quilt Shop will be open from 1-4 as well, located at 101 S Main St. in Bird Island. There will be a drawing at the store for any SMAC attendees to win a “Quilted Fall Table Runner”! This winner will be announced along with the “Spirit of the Region” raffle winners.
Social Hour begins at 4:00pm at the banquet room in Max’s Grill. At 5pm SMAC will host a brief annual meeting, an award ceremony for 2019 SMAC Prairie Disciple Linda Clarksean, and guests will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for our annual “Spirit of the Region” raffle.

Stick around to enjoy a delicious meal served by Max’s Grill catering. During your meal, enjoy TWO performances from artists in our region!

1.) Actor and singer Paul Knapper will do a short performance, written by playwright Patricia Buschette, based on the Dowling Walking Theatre Project.
2.) Guests will be treated to highlights from Over the Barrel: A Prohibition Musical! This production was produced from a partnership of the Granite Falls Historical Society, PlaceBase Productions, Bluenose Gopher Public House, The YES! House and other Tiger Productions for a space and time-traveling event! The original production takes place in downtown Granite Falls as a musical theatre adventure exploring three generations of liberation, libation, inhibition (or lack thereof), history, the future and of course, Prohibition. The making of this musical was also funded in part with a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Arts Council made possible by the voters of Minnesota thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Socialize and celebrate with artists and arts supporters across the Southwest Minnesota region and learn about the grants and activities SMAC has funded in the past year.

Join the Celebration!
TICKETS:
Just $25/person  Advance ticket purchase required by SEPT 16.

Payment options:

1)  CHECK: Complete the online registration form below and send a check for tickets to the SMAC office: PO Box 55, Marshall, MN 56258 

2)  CREDIT CARD: Complete the online registration form below and then click the credit card button to pay online.
 
~ No physical ticket will be sent or given, instead your name and information will be kept on our reservation list – ready to welcome you at the event. ~
EVENT DETAILS:
*” Spirit of the Region” Raffle : A $10 raffle ticket will get you the chance to win a basket of specialty goods made in the SMAC Region (from wine to honey, beer to fudge). Raffle tickets available in advance at the SMAC office or through a SMAC Board Member. Raffle tickets also available onsite at the dinner.
 
* Awards : 2019 Prairie Disciple Award – Educator: Linda Clarksean, Alpha. This award is to recognize a person who has been instrumental in promoting the arts in the 18-county area of southwestern Minnesota. Clarksean’s nominator, Kathleen Fransen, had this to say about her, “As a lifelong teacher, Linda has always had a passion for encouraging and growing creativity in children…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. When Linda retired from over 30 years of teaching, she continued to feel a need to teach Art. That passion has resulted in the creation of Jackson Center for the Arts. 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 the revitalization of the ‘downtown’ economy in Jackson. 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.”
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council Awards $79,744 to local arts organizations

SMAC awarded $38,480 to local organizations for Art Project grants

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.

Crow River Youth Choir , Hutchinson, $2,470 to present a concert to the public on Thursday, February 27, 2020, 6 pm at the Vineyard United Methodist Church in Hutchinson. The concert will feature a variety of styles, including folk songs, contemporary music, movie or show tunes, world music from diverse cultures, countries and languages, and other children's choral literature. Funding will go towards rental space and equipment, advertising and programs, choir supplies, guest musician fees and hororariums to directors, administrators and an accompanist.

Granite Falls Living at Home , Granite Falls, $4,000 to bring in teaching artist (and past Individual Artist SMAC grantee) Lauren Carlson of Dawson, to the Granite Falls Block Nurse Program. Lauren is part of the COMPAS artist roster. COMPAS is is a nationally-recognized leader in arts education that offers programs in literary, musical, visual and performing arts genres. They partner with schools, older adult residences, & other community sites to enrich people’s lives through the arts. Learn more at www.compas.org . The Granite Falls Block Nurse program's participants and volunteers will have the chance to take part in a writing class designed to prompt stories from clients about significant life experiences, while also providing an opportunity for volunteers to sharpen their writing skills. There will be 8-12 sessions, each 1-1.5 hrs long. Meetings will be held at the Granite Falls senior center and possibly other locations. Lauren will assign a writing prompt at each class. Clients will tell their story to a volunteer who will put it to writing. Together the client and their volunteer partner will enhance the writings through revision: adding description, imagery, structure, and detail. COMPAS will design and print a booklet for each client to keep. The applicant said this project will "benefit clients and volunteers of GF-LAH/BNP, by providing access to a quality arts experience." In order to remove any financial barriers for participation, the events will be free of charge for participants. The applicants explained, "the COMPAS residency is designed to increase elders’ access to quality, participatory arts; help them increase social connections; and increase our relationships with older adult communities."
Hutchinson Center for the Arts , Hutchinson (HCA), $2,000 to aid in their 2020 Visual Arts Exhibition Series. Funds will go towards artist stipends, exhibit installations, receptions, and marketing costs. The series will present five professional exhibits featuring seven Minnesota artists and two community showcase exhibits - the Annual Youth Art Exhibition for area school age children and the Annual Community Showcase exhibit open to artists/craftspeople/makers/musicians ages 17 and older and residing within the SMAC 18 county region. The applicant said that the center holds an annual call for proposals for the Visual Arts Exhibition Series and that the series is "intended to present to our audience a rich variety of artistic voices showcasing a variety of subject matters and materials. Final selection is determined by quality of work and ability for HCA to professionally present the work in the venue. The series is organized in a manner to support local artists and bring new artists and ideas to the community. The 2020 exhibition season offers strong professionalism, broad geographic, and diverse aesthetic range of works. The series includes; ceramic sculpture, painting, mixed photography, encaustic photography, sculpture, beading, and installation." Pictured is work by Liz Miller, an installation artist of Good Thunder, who will be exhibiting with Chris Allen (sculpture/beading) of Rochester from September 21-November 6, 2020.
Meander Art Crawl , Upper Minnesota River Valley, $7,000 to support their 2020 tour of artists' studios and galleries in Chippewa, Big Stone, Swift, Yellow Medicine, and Lac qui Parle counties. The three day event involves the nine communities of Clinton, Ortonville, Odessa, Appleton, Danvers, Milan, Dawson, Montevideo, and Granite Falls. The applicant wrote that "Meander" is "an appropriate name for the event, since people who attend wander from studio to studio, and also through the landscape of the Minnesota River Valley." Funding goes towards rental fees, publicity such as printing, mailings, ads & web hosting fees, transportation, insurance and event supplies. Pictured to the right is work by artists J. Berndt and K. Lohse , artists on the Meander at studio #18 this year.
Pipestone Civil War Days , Pipestone, $7,000 to support arts events during this year's Civil War Days, which is "a living history portrayal of an event that occurred in Pipestone in 1886, when the Grand Army of the Republic held a reunion on what is now the Pipestone National Monument grounds. The two day event includes musicians, artists, actors, demonstrations, and a portrayal of life during the American Civil War. All participants provide historical correct performances, with no modern revisionist interpretations of this time in our history. The event is an attempt to educate and expose the visitors to the lives of women, children and soldiers, their culture, and the various arts during a difficult time in our nation's history." The Pipestone Civil War Days will be on August 15-16, 2020, at the Hiawatha Park, located on North Hiawatha Avenue. The gate opens at 8 am each day with the event ending at 10 pm on Saturday and 4 pm on Sunday. Left: Civil War Days participant teaching violin to an attendee, photo by Mark W. Persons
Prairie Arts Chorale , Marshall, $3,265 for their spring concert season in 2020. This concert theme will be "Forty Years on the Prairie". This is the first part of a two-part concert series where the members will explore genres that the Chorale has made standards in the forty years of the group's existence. The applicant says that "this will include old favorites, while exploring new music and bringing the history of the Prairie Arts Chorale to life." There will be five concerts: April 25 at the Brau Peforming Arts Center (Willmar High School) at 7:30 pm in Willmar; April 26 at the SMSU Theater, 4 pm in Marshall; May 1 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 7:30 pm in Redwood Falls; May 2 at the Dawson-Boyd Arts Association Memorial Auditorium, 7:30 pm in Dawson; and May 3 at Faith Lutheran Church, 4 pm in Spicer.

Prairie Dance Alliance , Marshall, $7,000 to continue its biennial tradition of presenting Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet. The applicant said that "fresh choreography will lead professional, student and community performers in an updated version of this classic. Coupled with involvement from local visual artists and students, we will offer this classic ballet experience to audiences in Southwest Minnesota in December of 2019." Funds will go towards principal dancers, choreographers and staging director, stage supplies and props, advertising, programs, and rental fees.
Tyler Arts Council, Tyler, $1,600 for it's fall programming & events. The Tyler Arts Council plans to provide a number of fine art events and activities the fall of 2019 for residents of Tyler and the surrounding area. These events include two visual art classes: Alcohol Ink Tiles with Melanie Gabbert-Gatchell in October and Wood Chip Carving with Joe Hauger in November. The Council will also sponsor two "Coffee House" events: A concert in October with Kindred Spirits and a Holiday event with story teller Richard Siemers and group singing in December. Funding will go towards paying teaching and performing artists, class materials, advertising fees (ads & printing costs), and space rental fees. Right: Chipped carved coaster set by Wood Chip Carving instructor Joe Hauger.

Winsted Arts Council, Winsted, $4,145 for a music event featuring Le Vent du Nord , a Canadian-based folk music band. The applicant said the now 17-year-old band "has its musical roots steeped in the Quebec tradition. Their performance is high-spirited and entertaining. The band will play two shows at Winsted’s Blue Note Ballroom. The afternoon show will be geared toward school-age children and the evening show will be for all ages." The events will take place on January 10, 2020 at 1 and 7 pm. Funding will go towards artist and sound technician fees, hospitality (meals and lodging for traveling artists), rental & facility fees, and marketing.
SMAC awarded $41,000 to local organizations for Art Legacy Project grants

Art Legacy Project Grants Provide organizations in the SMAC region with up to $25,000 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. 20% cash match required.
City of Madison, Madison, $25,000 to hire artist Tim Adams to create a public art piece referred to as a "Biome", a spiral sculpture that is 22 feet in diameter and will reach 8 feet tall in the middle (design pictured to the left) . This sculpture will be made of steel with cutout prairie plants, highlighting the native prairie and natural world around Madison. This light-based sculpture will be located at a grassy area near the VFW and the Flags of Honor monument on the corner of Highways 40 and 75 in Madison, Minnesota. The applicant said, "the spiral form of "Biome" represents passing of time from pre-settlement until today. Weathered steel represents down-to-earth, resolute, and generational strength. Internal LED lighted prairie plant cutouts around the perimeter of the spiral serve as a reminder of the former landscape and learning tool for the future." The seat-wall design creates the opportunity for passive interaction, there will be a crushed granite path around the sculpture, and the sculpture will be lit from the inside so it will show at night and during the day. The applicant said, "this project will transform a space and will leave the gift of arts to the community as the piece will be there for a long time, leaving a legacy. Public art is a symbol of a city’s maturity. It increases the community’s assets and expresses the community’s positive sense of identity and values. This project does that as it honors the prairie grasses and agricultural crops in and around Madison. It adds a peaceful element to the park where the Flags of Honor are located: The art will help our community celebrate rural life, because the them is Prairie. The project will hopefully help inspire interest in adding more art to the city in the future." The City of Madison previously received an Art Legacy Project planning grant from SMAC to do the necessary planning research for this project, including choosing the final artist and design. If you are interested in planning grants, which have a deadline of the first of most months, visit: https://swmnarts.org/grants/smac-grants-for-organizations/arts-legacy-planning-grants/
Worthington Area Symphony Orchestra , Worthington, $16,000 to work with Paul LaRoche, founder and producer of the award-winning Native American music group, Brulé, on a series of engagements with Worthington. (The image to the right is of a Brulé performance, from their website www.brulerecords.com .) According to Brulé's website, the group is best known for "thrilling audiences with a mergence of cultural rock and theatrical instrumentations, with the emotional impact of the American Indian culture". Silent Star Night is the theme for this year's Worthington Area Symphony Orchestra (WASO) Holiday Concerts. The applicant said, "two stunning shows are planned for Memorial Auditorium in Worthington, MN on November 23 & 24, 2019 as WASO joins with the award-winning Native American group Brulé and their dancers in full regalia. Preceding these two performances, four community events will be held to include, educate and inform the public. First, WASO will participate in Worthington's annual King Turkey Day Parade in September where Paul LaRoche of Brulé will be the keynote speaker. In October, food & fellowship at Phileo's Coffee & Eatery will offer the public a chance to meet, greet and hear from Paul LaRoche about his endeavors and upcoming concerts with WASO. In November a reception will be held that invites local business owners to connect with Brulé's musicians & dancers and WASO's Leadership Team. Lastly, two school programs will offer students the chance to hear about Paul LaRoche's life and music. WASO holds a unique connection with Brulé: Worthington, MN is where Paul LaRoche, founder and producer of Brulé, grew up and learned his first notes of music. It has been four years since WASO and Brulé collaborated for their first concert together for a sold-out performance in November 2015. It seemed to be an appropriate and fitting project to invite Brulé back to share this experience again with a bigger audience through two concerts that will be offered to celebrate the orchestra's 10th Anniversary season!"
In the gallery: Robyn Sand Anderson
Pictured above: "Death of Åse", an interpretation of Edvard Grieg's 'Peer Gynt"

Robyn's exhibit will run from September 19 through October 23, 2019. You are invited to attend the artist's opening reception on Thursday, September 19 from 5-7 pm.

Robyn received an Individual Established Career Artist grant in 2018 to explore interpreting music with color, movement and texture. She traveled to Bergen, Norway to study Edvard Greig's music and environment that informed his choral/orchestral musical compositions. She then studied with abstract artist Jane Davies in Vermont to learn more about acrylic abstract painting and created a body of work interpreting Grige's music of a century ago with contemporary abstract expressionist painting.

More about the artist:
Robyn Sand Anderson, a native of Decorah, IA, has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art and Art Education from Luther College in Decorah. She taught high school art for four years and has been a professional artist specializing in transparent watercolor and acrylic for over 35 years. After a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis in 2008, Sand Anderson’s paintings also changed. Suffering constant pain and fatigue for over two years, she at one point believed that she would no longer be able to paint at all.

With medication and rest, she has been painting again since 2010. Moving from representational watercolors to abstract expressionist acrylics, Sand Anderson has found non-objective painting expresses those things that are hard to understand or explain. After her diagnosis she created four exhibits exploring the mystery of human suffering without becoming macabre. Her use of bright, vibrant color always moves toward hope. She is especially tuned in with those who suffer and hopes to be a visual voice for hope and healing.

Most recently, Sand Anderson has been interpreting choral and orchestral music with color, texture and movement. Robyn is currently working on a body of work interpreting the music of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg after receiving a grant to go to Bergen, Norway to study his life, work and the landscapes that inspired his music. She is also working on a collaboration with choral conductor Matthew Olson interpreting Bach’s Mass in B Minor for his first annual Bach summer music festival, Bach Roots Festival June 16-24. Sand Anderson believes that combining the arts enhances and strengthens the experience of the viewer.

Please join Southwest Minnesota Arts Council in welcoming Robyn Sand Anderson to our gallery space for her opening reception on Thursday, September 19th, 2019 from 5-7 pm.
legacy logo

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!
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.

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 seeks panelists to review grants 2019-2020

For grant programs in fiscal year 2020 (July 2019 - June 2020), the SMAC Board of Directors seeks panels of artists, arts administrators, arts volunteers, and arts appreciators representing multiple artistic disciplines from throughout the SMAC geographic region.

You may apply to serve on one or more of the following panels:

Grant review panel dates for 2019-2020

Round II: January 4, 2020
Round III: April 18, 2020

Round I: October 12, 2019
Round II: March 7, 2020

November 9, 2019

Arts in the Schools Round I: November 2, 2019
Arts in the Schools Round II: February 15, 2020
Art Study Opportunity for Youth: April 21 (Tuesday Evening)

Round II: February 1, 2020

Round I: September 7, 2019
Round II: February 1, 2020

TO APPLY:
  1. Please read the Grant Panel Responsibilities.
  2. Read and sign our Conflict of Interest policy.
  3. Download, print, or fill out a copy of the Grant Review Panelist Application (pdf) or word document (you can also fill out an online form here).
  4. Email your completed application, resume, and signed Conflict of Interest document to info@swmnarts.org or use the submit button below, or mail to SW MN Arts Council, PO Box 55, Marshall, MN 56258.
The monthly segment where you can hear from SMAC grantees, participants, and members about their experiences! Thank you, Lois! This was her response when asked why she is a supporting member of SMAC. If you're interested in becoming a member, visit: https://swmnarts.org/opportunities/become-a-contributing-member-of-smac/
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council Seeks Board Representatives

SMAC will be seeking representatives from Kandiyohi County, Lac qui Parle County, Meeker County, Lincoln County and Yellow Medicine County to serve on it’s Board of Directors. The Board meets monthly on the 4th Tuesday evening at the SMAC office in Marshall to set policies, make final decisions on grant awards with input from grant review panels, share ideas and information from their representative counties, and to design programs that enable SMAC to best serve our communities. To learn more and to fill out an application, go to www.swmnarts.org/about/become-a-board-member/
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: The cast of The Calumet Player's "The Glamour House", who received a SMAC Art Project grant to perform and compete at MACTFest. The next deadline for Art Project and Art Legacy Project Grants is December 11, 2019 with a webinar on October 29, register or find more information here .
Continue to keep up with news about the arts in our region!
Click the links below to read about:





Above : Kylie Rieke who received a SMAC Emerging Artist Grant to work on her artistic growth in pottery. The next deadline for Individual Artists grants is January 8th, 2020, with a grant webinar workshop on November 26th. For more information, or to register, click here .
Equipment and Facilities Improvement grants can be used to finance more accessible seating, ramps, hand-rails, elevators/lifts, construction of wider walkways, making bathrooms accessible, equipment that can be used to aid with hearing impairments: portable mics and open or closed captioning equipment. Equipment to help individuals with low to no vision can also be purchased, such as personal listening devices for audio descriptions. Arts Organization Development grants could finance research, workshops/conferences, or consultants working with arts organizations to asses the disability needs of the region and the ways to address them; funds could also go towards training staff and volunteers to recognize, address and aid participants and/or audiences with disabilities. And finally, our Art Project grants and Art Legacy Project grants could incorporate one time expenses for projects, such as hiring American Sign Language interpreters, audio describers, or captioners to aid in the accessibility of a project. These are all just examples! If you have questions whether something is eligible for a grant, please reach out to our staff: info@swmnarts.org, 800-622-5284.
VSA Minnesota, the State's Organization on Arts & Disabilities will be closing it's doors this year. They held multiple sessions titled "The Arts Access Download: Things to Know Once VSA Minnesota is Gone", meant to import arts access knowledge and awareness to organizations in MN so that their important work doesn't stop when they are finished. A member of SMAC staff attended and came back with some new resources and ideas to help organizations and artists in southwest Minnesota with the intersection of the arts and disabilities. For now, we will leave you with a list of useful access resources on the web for arts organizations and Access Checkpoints for People with Disabilities , which can be used by organizations to track access progress and give some ideas on where to start! Watch our news for future workshops geared toward similar topics. Pictured above (left) is Craig Dunn, VSA Minnesota Executive Director.
  Memberships
From July 28 to August 29, 2019
Contributors: Craig & Holly Dapper, Hutchinson • Rhythm of the River, Jackson • Shirley Espeland, St. Paul •
Supporters: Ruth Hamlow, Hutchinson • Lisa D. Hill, Hutchinson •
Sustainers: Redwood Independent School District #2897, Redwood Falls •
Patrons: Blue Mound Area Theatre, Luverne •

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:
2019 SW MN Arts Council BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Big Stone - John White
Jackson - Kristen Kuipers
Lincoln - OPEN
Meeker - OPEN
Pipestone - Erica Volkir
Rock - Scott Wessels
Yellow Medicine - Claire Swanson
Chippewa - Georgette Jones
Kandiyohi - Janet Olney
Lyon - Michele Knife Sterner
Murray - Emily Petersen &
Carisa Clarke
Redwood - David KelseyBassett
Cottonwood - Anna Johannsen
Lac qui Parle - Joyce Meyer
McLeod - Lisa Hill
Nobles - Brett Lehman
Renville - Anne O'Keefe-Jackson
Swift - Alison Nelson &
Lynette Swenson
SW MN Arts Council STAFF
Executive Director - Nicole DeBoer
Grants/Financial Administrator - Caroline Koska
Marketing Coordinator/Receptionist - Krystl Louwagie