At the April 9, 2026, meeting, the Central MN Arts Board (CMAB) awarded $24,000 in Arts Access Grant to area organizations.

The Arts Access Grant program provides up to $5,000 in funding to cultural community groups and nonprofit organizations for events and activities that engage underserved audiences and increase access to arts and cultural expression. Funding for this program is made possible by the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

The following organizations were awarded:
• Anna Marie’s Alliance, $4,000, in support of a Nature art and healing experience for residents at Avon Hills Folk School in Avon, MN.
• Heijeu Arts, $5,000, in support of Dream Out Loud, a pilot youth arts program designed for middle and high school youth centered on visual arts, performance in Summer 2026 at partner sites in Saint Cloud, MN.
• Higher Ground Church of God in Christ, $5,000, to support artists and performers during the Saint Cloud 30th Annual Juneteenth Celebration at Lake George, Saint Cloud, MN.
• Paramount Center for the Arts, $5,000, in support of Empowered Stars theatre program, in partnership with WACOSA, serving adults with disabilities at Paramount Theatre in Saint Cloud, MN.
• Youth Chorale of Central MN, $5,000, to support two semesters of rehearsals for Resounding Voices community choir, serving adults living with memory loss and their caregivers, held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Saint Cloud. Each semester of 13-week rehearsals culminates in a public performance.

The Central Minnesota Arts Board supports collaborative and innovative arts opportunities through partnerships and financial investments in Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright counties as one of eleven Regional Arts Councils designated by the Minnesota State Arts Board working with community partners to increase access to the unique cultural assets of Minnesota.