Northern Arts News
February 2021
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R2AC Office Updates
Our office, located inside the Watermark Art Center in Bemidji, is currently open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays ONLY from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and is staffed on a rotation basis. Otherwise, staff continues to work from home and is available Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. via email.
We stand ready to answer questions, discuss ideas for projects, preview applications to make suggestions, and offer technical assistance as required. Email us at staff@r2arts.org, send us a message via facebook, or call and leave a message at 218-751-5447 (toll free 800-275-5447) and we will call you back. We can even set up a face-to-face appointment via Zoom to discuss your application. Let us know how we can help!
Below is direct contact for individual staff:
STAY CONNECTED WITH R2AC!
218-751-5447 / 800-275-5447
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Arts Access Grant
Deadline: March 15, 2021 by 11:45 pm
Maximum Award: $6,000
No cash match required this year
Arts Access Grants are open to nonprofit organizations and groups formed for non-profit purposes located in Beltrami, Clearwater, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, and Hubbard counties.
Region 2 Arts Council has $134,000.00 available to grant in this round. Up to two applications per organization will be accepted.
Arts Access funding is designated for arts creation, production, presentation, and operational support resulting in high-quality, accessible activities that help instill the arts in the community and public life across the Region 2 area.
Eligible proposals must show a commitment to expanding audiences by removing barriers to participation, and must be realistic, adaptive, and adherent to state mandated COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines.
NOTE: While we will NOT have an Arts Access Grant for Small Towns application this year, we have set up ranking parameters that specifically allocate additional funding to organizations from towns with populations of 2,000 or less in our Arts Access Grant process.
For more information, questions, or for support with registration or application, contact Region 2 Arts Council: 218-751-5447 / 800-275-5447 / staff@r2arts.org
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Region 2's Shortest Survey EVER!! |
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Take 3 minutes to help us support our communities better. Thank YOU! |
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R2AC Awards $22,823 in
Arts Learning Grants
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On January 19, 2021 the Region 2 Arts Council Board of Directors granted $22,823 in Arts and Cultural Heritage funds to the not-for-profit organizations and entities listed below. These grants support high-quality arts learning opportunities that develop knowledge, skills, and understanding of the arts for the benefit of Minnesotans of all ages across our five-county region.
Headwaters Music and Arts of Bemidji was awarded $2,973 to establish a production club for area youth to learn video, audio, and graphics production.
Clear Waters Life Center in Clearbrook and Gonvick was awarded $3,000 to offer two outdoor workshops, one teaching creative sidewalk design and poured cement creations, and another teaching found object sculpture welding and design.
Northern Light Opera Company of Park Rapids was awarded $3,000 to provide a 3-week children's theater camp, NLOKids, in collaboration with Pine Point School in Pine Point MN.
Bemidji State University Center for Extended Learning was awarded $2,000 to provide 15 writers from our region access as auditors to the virtual Minnesota Northwoods Writers Conference, as well as a scholarship for one local writer to attend a full workshop.
Bagley Area Arts Collaborative was awarded $3,000 to offer a series of three photography workshops hosted by Lowell Wolff, as well as a series of photo sessions with photojournalist Monika Lawrence to capture the stories of 10 area artists.
The Northern Artist Association of Bemidji was awarded $2,850 to offer, in partnership with Gallery North, free art classes supplemented with video tutorials and Do It Yourself Kits.
Bemidji Community Theater was awarded $3,000 to hire professional puppeteer Ezra Bartsch to video tape the construction of a large reindeer puppet to be used for outreach activities, as well as in an upcoming production of Frozen Jr. in 2022.
Bemidji Sculpture Walk was awarded $3,000 to create a series of YouTube video lessons, targeted to students in grades 7 to 12 and adult artists, about how to get started creating a metal sculpture, including equipment needs, materials, techniques and local resources to assist in development.
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Business Skills for Artists |
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WORK OF ART:
BUSINESS SKILLS FOR ARTISTS
The Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists workshops are available exclusively to artists and creative entrepreneurs in the Lakes Region Arts Council and Region 2 Arts Council service areas: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, Wilkin, Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods and Mahnomen counties.
February Workshop Schedule:
(1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
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Legal Considerations – Wednesday, February 10, 2021
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Funding – Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Workshops are held via Zoom and participation via computer is recommended; however, joining the workshop by phone is also an option if internet or computer access is a barrier. All workshops include closed captioning services.
If internet or computer access is a significant barrier to participation, contact Springboard for the Arts
at (218) 998-4037 for support.
You can download the NEW AND UPDATED TOOLKIT for free from Springboard for the Arts HERE
Funding for this series is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and support of the West Central Initiative Fund.
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Next R2AC Board Meeting:
February 16 (Tuesday) – 6:00 p.m.
Business Meeting (Biennial Planning)
Please contact us for meeting details if you would like to attend.
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2020-2021
Region 2 Arts Council Board
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Executive Committee Members
Chair: Gayle Gish (Mahnomen)
Vice Chair: CT Marhula (Lake of the Woods)
Treasurer: Shannon Lucas-Westrum (Beltrami)
Secretary: Rebecca Colebank (Clearwater)
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Board Members
Pam Janssen (Clearwater)
Michael Schlemper (Beltrami)
Katie Larson (Hubbard)
Vacancy - Mahnomen County
Vacancy - Lake of the Woods
Vacancy - Hubbard County
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Strengthen the Arts in your Community
Join our team!
We currently seek one new board member from each of the following counties:
Mahnomen
Lake of the Woods
Hubbard
We have a dynamic Board of Directors comprised of artists and arts appreciators that work hard to make arts funding equitable and accessible to all.
Join our team!
No prior board experience is required.
Terms end in June 2022.
Learn more about this opportunity HERE
Please contact laura@r2arts.org if you have any questions or would like more information regarding this opportunity.
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Next AAI Council Meeting:
February 10 – 6:00 p.m
AAI Grant Application Review
The AAI Council reviews all applications
within the AAI program.
About the Council
The Anishinaabe Arts Initiative (AAI) Advisory Council offers support and guidance to improve and strengthen the needs of Anishinaabe artists served by Region 2 Arts Council, and is comprised of Native American artists and arts appreciators from the regions served by the AAI program, which include the counties of Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, and Roseau.
AAI Council Members
Delana Smith (Red Lake Band) … Red Lake
Genny Lowry (Leech Lake Band) …Bemidji
Bernice Mitchell-Diver (Leech Lake Band) … Cass Lake
Debra Warren (White Earth Band) … Bemidji
Mary Ringhand (Red Lake Band) … Ponemah
David B. White (Fort Peck) … Ponemah
Kent Estey (White Earth Band) ... Naytahwaush
The Anishinaabe Arts Initiative (AAI) program is made possible through support from Region 2 Arts Council and with funding from the McKnight Foundation
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Region 2 Arts Council staff are available
Monday through Friday.
Contact us via email, Facebook messenger, or phone.
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The recipient of the R2AC 2019-2020 Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Fellowship, Delina is a contemporary artist who does contemporary work based on traditional design.
Congratulations Delina!
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Honoring the most recent MSAB grant
recipients from Region 2
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FY 2021 MSAB
MN CARES Act Grants
Bemidji Community Theater in Bemidji was awarded $5,000 to provide theater education and an opportunity for people to pursue their interests in theater through acting, directing, and stagecraft support activities in productions by and for community members.
Nemeth Art Center in Park Rapids was awarded $5,000 to continue its focus on offering contemporary art exhibits from emerging and recognized artists in rural northern Minnesota, while making space for exploring varied perspectives through visual art, music, literary performance, and youth arts education.
FY 2021 MSAB
Creative Support for Individuals
Amy R. Beaulieu of Ponsford was awarded $6,000 to teach beading to the youth and community.
Neegonee B. Brunner of Ponsford was awarded $6,000 to explore ways to teach surrounding communities about her Native American culture with her artwork, and will set up online and in person classes.
Delina L. White (Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe) of Walker was awarded $6,000 to explore the seven Anishinaabe values through her wearable art designs inspired by the Great Lakes Woodlands culture in a video featuring the breathtaking seasonal landscape of Minnesota.
Karen E. Goulet of Bemidji was awarded $6,000 to explore experiences with culture, land, and history through New Tributaries on My Misiziibi Detour–visual arts and written word.
Congratulations to all MSAB grant recipients!
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Join Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, Region 2 Arts Council, and fellow arts appreciators, leaders, and artists during Virtual Arts Action Week from February 16-19 to advocate for arts funding in the State. Participation is completely online.
Your time commitment will be limited to
- An opening rally and brief advocacy training
- Two fifteen-minute Zoom meetings with your state legislators
Help legislators understand the role the arts have in bringing economic vitality and vibrancy to their hometowns. Thank them for their support of state arts funding and let them know that their constituents support the arts to help guarantee funding at this critical time.
JOIN US!
Every voice makes a difference
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Are you on Facebook? If so, be sure to like our staff page - staff regiontwoarts - where we share all that we know is relevant to artists and arts enthusiasts. It is a great way to stay informed on timely happenings! |
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First Friday Open House
February 5
2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Stop by Gallery North and meet members of the Bemidji Wood Carvers Club who invite you to learn more about this art form and try out a bit of carving yourself. This might just open an exciting new hobby for you!
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Creative Cafe
February 16
4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Join Frank Bera and the members of the Bemidji Wood Carvers Club to make a cute, mischievous looking bear using wood and woodburning techniques. Classes are geared to ages 12 and up. There is a small fee and no registration is required.
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Virtual Exhibits,
Education
&
Experiences
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Open through April 24 Photographs by Nedahness Greene, her first public exhibit of a complete body of work
Kits for cards and necklaces are free on a first-come basis between 10 and 5pm Feb. 6
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Paper Quilling
February 15, 22 &
March 1
1:00 p.m.
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Join CWLC's Connection Monday art classes!
In this series you will learn about paper quilling and create keepsake pictures and cards with instructor Nikki Shull.
To register call 218-776-2789 or email us
(registration required)
All classes are held at CWLC - Gonvick
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MN Musicians Virtual
Happy Hour
February 18
4:00 p.m.
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Join us for a casual happy hour and conversation via Zoom. We will discuss making it work as a musician in the upcoming months of the pandemic, but this is also an opportunity to network and socialize with fellow MN musicians via Zoom.
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"Red Carpet Romance"
In-person & Livestream
February 13 & 14
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The BSO goes cinematic and romantic as it performs cinema favorites with a focus on love themes for Valentine’s Day and titles that both the young and young at heart will love. You'll be treated to music from Beauty and the Beast, Grease, Schindler's List and more!
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7th Annual Sustainable Sheep Event
February 20
9:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
(Pre-register by February 13)
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This event brings together people who raise sheep and fiber, or who want to raise them, with those who are interested in fiber products. Janet McNally of Tamarack Lamb & Wool, Hinckley, MN will be the keynote speaker. Janet will be doing presentations but also taking time to answer questions and participate in discussions about regenerative grazing systems and livestock guard dogs.
To register, email us or call 218-657-2502 |
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"In the Garden"
Free Virtual Play
February 21
1:00 p.m.
This is a one-act play about memory loss by Matthew Widman. Three adult children come together to decide a cause of action for their beloved father who is struggling with Alzheimer's disease. After the performance, there will be a facilitated discussion to learn more about dementia and offer valuable resources for you, your family or friends who may be experiencing the effects of memory loss.
(reservations required)
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MN Northwoods Writers Conference
(Virtual Edition)
Scholarships Available
Apply by March 1
Free Auditor Track opportunities
Opens March 1
Conference dates:
June 21 - 26, 2021
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MNWC is offering the Auditor Track for free to the first 15 Region 2 writers who apply. The Auditor Track application will open March 1.
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"My Kid & Me"
Starting in March
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Explore different arts media with your child in this weekly program
Explore the world of pottery with a child in your life!
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Beginning/Intermediate Sami Bracelet Workshop
April 3, 2021
Instructor: Michelle Hanevold
The Sami bracelets Michelle will help you create are from the techniques passed down over hundreds of years from the people of Northern Scandinavia. Participants will explore different patterns and designs, but while each one is unique, they still follow the Sami tradition of sewing the spun tin thread on Reindeer leather. These sessions are for beginners and those familiar with the technique who wish to expand what they have learned so far.
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Work of Art+ Sessions
(all via Zoom)
Learn practical and conceptual strategies to translate your art into a mobile tool used to engage community and prompt interaction
Led by an attorney from Springboard’s Minnesota Lawyers for the Arts (MnLA) program this session covers business models from LLC’s to 501(c)3’s, including information on how to prepare, and benefits and risks.
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Work of Art Session
(via Zoom)
Obtain general information about your intellectual property, contract basics and structuring your artistic business
Learn how to think creatively about diversifying your funding streams!
More Work of Art+
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Change Lab Inaugural Research Fellow focusing on Racial Justice in Public Art
Apply by March 1
We will engage Research Fellows to catalyze new thinking, test new approaches, and creatively disrupt the status quo to advance justice in the field of public art. Change Lab National Research Fellows will go deep into an area of critical importance, and utilize the findings to create public art demonstration projects that can be put into action across the country, acting as a model of change for public art programs, policies, and processes.
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Residencies for Artists
Apply by March 1
Two new and specific programs are available.
National Emerging Artists Residency Program enables early-career artists to focus on their current work. This program subsidizes 2 one-week residencies for 5 emerging artists and/or 2 person creative teams from the United States.
MSAB Residency* supports 6 Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or Middle-Eastern artists of color who live in Minnesota. We seek to provide a brave space for artists from different disciplines to balance personal work time with community interaction and optional sharing of work or performance.
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A Call to ALL Rural Communities!
Apply by March 12
The Citizens' Institute on Rural Design released a Request for Applications, offering two programs for rural communities with populations under 50,000. Design Workshop communities will receive technical assistance and a $6,000 stipend towards a community-engaged design workshop, and Design Learning Cohort members will join a national network of peers engaged in online learning.
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Resilience Webinar Series
This Webinar Series is a way for us to continue our work to enhance the business and entrepreneurial skills of Native artists and culture bearers, as well as expand our virtual community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Resource Library
Whether applying to a fellowship or looking for some advice from fellow artists, this library offers videos to provide you with some inspiration and guidance.
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GIG Fund
Apply by May 3
These $2,500 grants provide support to Midwestern arts organizations as they re-build and re-imagine during the continued uncertainty caused by COVID-19. Funds support costs associated with engaging artists in community experiences as safely as possible given the current circumstances of the pandemic. Grants can be also allocated be towards capacity building work.
Information Webinar
March 2
11:00 am CST
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Grant opportunity for organizations in Clearwater, Hubbard, & Mahnomen Counties
Through the Rural Arts Initiative, the Laura Jane Musser Fund hopes to assist nonprofit arts organizations to develop, implement or sustain exceptional artistic opportunities for adults and children in the areas of literary, visual, music and performing arts.
The Fund hopes to encourage and excite a wider population to appreciate, learn, and participate in the arts. General operating grants of up to $10,000 will be considered for this initiative.
Applications will be accepted online through the Fund’s website from February 10 – March 10, 2021.
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Community Innovation Grants
Open Year-Round
Up to $200,000
Community Innovation grants are meant to be transformation capital. They are an investment in an equitable future where every person has the opportunities and the support they need to thrive.
The Bush Foundation provides Community Innovation grants of $10,000 to $200,000. Grants under $20,000 are available from our intermediary partner organizations.
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The Minnesota Music Coalition is a statewide network for independent musicians who care about creating and sustaining a vibrant popular music community. They offer education, advocacy, and communication, and create access to resources / professional development services.
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Toolkit on creative alternatives to in-person arts-based activities, for artists and administrators
Artists and communities need the transformational power of creativity now more than ever. Forecast recognizes the economic crises facing artists during this pandemic and we want to provide guidance on how to keep arts projects active and moving forward, even as we physically isolate.
In response, we created a toolkit with artists, arts organizations, presenting organizations, and others collaborating with artists in mind.
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Artist Opportunities
This page offers information on artist opportunities for public art. Organized by region, it includes Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), grants, other calls for entry, as well as employment, fellowship, workshop, conference, and volunteer opportunities. Our best practice is to post Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) for artists/artworks, rather than Requests for Proposals (RFPs).
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Call for Artists
Submission deadline: March 1
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Seeking artists to paint a mural in Downtown Park Rapids with completion as early as May 31 but no later than July 4th, 2021. The artist selected will be notified in early March and must be willing to work with a steering committee on a final design. A full RFP with details is available. If interested, contact Lu Ann Hurd-Lof at luann47@gmail.com.
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Park Rapids Sculpture Trail entries invited
Entry deadline: April 30
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Artists will be notified of selection committee results by May 15 and have until May 21 to install their works. Artists receive a $350 honorarium for installation and $150 for sculpture removal. Questions? Contact City Planner Andrew Mack at 218-732-3163 or at a.mack@arvig.net.
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Open to All Artists!
Entry deadline: April 30
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Call to Artists for our annual juried art exhibition at the Stevens County History Museum in Morris, Minnesota. The exhibit runs June 17 – Nov 12, 2021. Any artist residing in a US state or Canadian province with a prairie can enter their original work.
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Call for Artists Continues:
The Bemidji Anishinaabe Arts Expo, A Celebration of Indigenous Arts
4-Directions Development has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to host a new art festival called, "The Bemidji Anishinaabe Arts Expo, A Celebration of Indigenous Arts."
The festival is scheduled to debut on July 9-10, 2021.
The committee consists of the core partners, art organizations, local artists and community members. They are actively searching for artists and community members to be a part of this project and serve on the committee. They are also looking for experienced artists to serve as mentors to new and upcoming artists.
The project will choose a group of 12 Native artists to receive training, technical assistance and access to financial support to prepare for participation with various art events to expand their market.
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