At the May 14, 2020 meeting, the Central Minnesota Arts Board (CMAB) awarded $158,386 in support of twenty-seven regional art projects. Applications are scored by a panel of artists, nonprofit administrators and members of other community groups. Panel scores are provided to the Board of Directors and used in determining how to allocate funds. Criteria used in evaluating applications include: artistic quality & merit, demonstrated need, outcomes & evaluation and ability to complete the proposal.
Organizations may apply for up to $7,000 for any one project or combined projects in a grant round. Funding for these CMAB Grants is provided through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the state’s general fund, and its Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund created by the Voters of Minnesota.
1. African Cultural Organization, $525, to share and showcase African Culture during the annual festival in August 2020 at Northway Park in St. Cloud, MN.
2. Avon Hills Folk School, $7,000 to develop and build greater awareness of both Avon Hills Folk School and Hand Camp in addition to new experience from two international artists that will provide a two-day workshop for Hand Camp 2020.
3. Buffalo Community Theater, $7,000, for the production of the musical “Mamma Mia!”, August 2020 at BHS Performing Arts Center that will involve artists, technicians and volunteers from Buffalo and surrounding communities.
4. Buffalo Community Orchestra, $6,574, “Happy Birthday, Beethoven!”, a program featuring the music of Beethoven as well as music that influenced and was influenced by Beethoven in celebration of his 250th birthday in November 2020.
5. Central Minnesota Youth Orchestra, $7,000, “Shine: Dance the Night Away!”, music performance inspired by the art of dance that will span across different eras focused on dance styles that have been influences in culture in December 2020.
6. Chamber Music Society of St. Cloud, $7,000, Argus Quartet concert and community outreach in St. Cloud, MN
7. City of Monticello, $6,269, The Community Portraits Project with Wing Young Huie. Wing will provide educational workshops and share his experiences creating community portraits with area artists and the Humans of Monticello Project Team with a community exhibit in November 2020.
8. Delano Community Band, $1,797, for community performances held in celebration of July 4th, Delano PAC’s Anniversary and Delano’s annual Old-Fashioned Christmas.
9. Foley Elementary PTO, $2,000, Foley Elementary School Mural to reinforce the school’s teachings of kindness on a daily basis created by artist Helene Woods installed by December 2020.
10. General Federated Women’s Club of Delano, $2,375, Delano GFWC 2020 Concerts in the series held on Wednesday evenings in July and August 2020 featuring a variety of performers.
11. Great Northern Theatre Company, $7,000, to present the musical “Anything Goes” September 2020 in the Glanville Smith Auditorium at Rocori High School in Cold Spring, MN.
12. HLWW Theatre Arts Boosters, $7,000, to present “Anything Goes” (Beaumont 1987 version), July 2020 at Laker Theater in Howard Lake, MN.
13. Millstream Arts Festival, $7,000, Millstream Arts Festival 2020 a family friendly outdoor juried art festival held September 27, 202 0in St. Joseph, MN.
14. Minnesota Dance Ensemble, $6,990, to perform “Love from Beyond the Grave, a Halloween theme about how love conquers all for a groom and his new bride who dies after the wedding, October 29, 2020 at Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud, MN.
15. Mississippi Strings Camp, $7,000, Mississippi Strings Camp week-long, half day orchestra camp for 3rd-12th grade students who participate in rehearsals and group instruction ending in a concert June 2020 at Technical High School in St. Cloud, MN.
16. Monticello Community Strings, $3,202, Celebrating 20 Years of Summer Strings Music, for community string players featuring 3 levels of orchestra, seven weekly rehearsals, a newly commissioned music and an end-of-session free concert in July 2020 at Monticello High School Performing Arts Center.
17. Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society, $7,000, Music in the Gardens summer series of six free chamber music concerts presented on Sunday afternoons in the Munsinger Gardens on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Cloud.
18. Paramount Center For The Arts, $7,000, Better Together, a school district wide initiative for 6th grade students to acquire new skills for embracing social and emotional learning through an interactive residency with CLIMB Theater in April 2021.
19. St. Cloud Film Festival, $7,000, 2020 St. Cloud Film Fest to celebrates independent, local, and global cinema. We will show a combination of features and shorts from November 7-14, 2020 in St. Cloud, MN.
20. St. Cloud State University, $7,000, 2020 Lemonade Concert and Art Fair that will feature more than 200 art vendors and 10,000 participants from around the region June 26, 2020 in St. Cloud, MN .
21. St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra, $2,654, Music for Seniors free concert that will provide increased access to musical enrichment for Central Minnesota seniors June 25, 2020 at Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud, MN.
22. Sinclair Lewis Foundation, $7,000, Sinclair Lewis 2020 Writers Conference that will offer writers at all levels a chance to hone their craft and to form networks through workshops, key speakers and conversations October 2-3, 2020 at Sauk Centre High School, Sauk Centre, MN.
23. SOAR Regional Arts, $7,000, Teen Intensive Summer 2020 two-week day camp intensive where Instructor Gabrielle Dominique and participants, ages 13 to 19, will produce the high school version of “Grease” July – August 2020 in Otsego, MN.
24. The St. John’s Boys’ Choir, $7,000, Boys on Broadway 2020 annual musical theatrical performance that engages boys in exploring artistic elements like choreography, staging, & acting under the guidance of theater professionals and presented October 2020 in Collegeville, MN.
25. The Yes Network, $7,000, Intercultural Harmony Through the Arts where teaching artists create art experiences that increase respect towards different cultures as well as deepen positive identities about one’s own culture for children and teens in low-income neighborhoods June – August, 2020 in St. Cloud, MN.
26. Unite Cloud, $7,000, “What I Fought For” photo essay exhibit by Tanika Roy, Los Angeles-based photographer and Marine Corps veteran that features veterans alongside refugees. The exhibit will travel from World Refugee Day in June 2020 through Veterans Day November 2020 to locations around Central MN.
27. Wirth Center for the Performing Arts, $7,000, to offer Discounted Lessons for Students in Fall Semester 2020 based on financial need in an effort to increase performing arts education access to low income families in St. Cloud, MN.
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.