CMAB Awards Project Grants to area organizations

At the December 9, 2021 meeting, the Central MN Arts Board (CMAB) awarded $220,556 in support of thirty-one regional arts 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 includes pandemic sustainability & diversity, equity & inclusion, artistic quality & merit, demonstrated need, outcomes & evaluation and ability to complete the proposal.

Organizations may apply for up to $8,000 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

The following organizations were awarded:
1. 4 Community Theatre, $8,000, for “She Loves Me” Musical performance July 2022 in Delano and Rockford, MN.
2. Art Experiment 56340, $5,450, for Art on the Roll: Drop-in Art Education program held weekly beginning Memorial Day weekend through October 2022 at Art in Motion on the Lake Wobegon Trail in Holdingford, MN.
3. Avon Hills Folk School, $6,554, for art instructors to engage children ages 8-12 in understanding, embracing and practicing folk art during Youth Hand Camp held in the summer of 2022 at Avon Folk School in Avon, MN.
4. Ballet Folklorico Rosa Quetzal, $8000, for a Showcase Spectacular that highlights traditional Mexican and Latin American folk dance in Spring 2022 in Waverly, MN.
5. Boys & Girls Clubs of Central MN, $8000, for the Youth Arts Initiative’s 2022 Spring Showcase “Whatever it Takes to Create” empowering youth through intentional projects that conclude in an exhibit and performance held in May 2022 at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Saint Cloud, MN.
6. Buffalo Community Orchestra, $7,418, for “At the Movies” program that features symphonic music from a variety of films in October 2022 at the Buffalo High School Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, MN.
7. Buffalo Community Theater, $8000, for the performance of “Mama Mia” including an apprentice program that encourages development in the artistic and technical aspects of the production held in July 2022 at Buffalo High School Performing Arts Center in Buffalo, MN.
8. Central Minnesota Youth Orchestra, $8,000, for the preparation and performance of “Creation: Lands Beyond” musical works inspired by nature that includes a collaboration with St Cloud State to provide a clinician with a Native American representative to discuss experiences and the influence of Music in connecting with nature. The performance will be held April 2022 at the First United Methodist Church in Sartell, MN
9. Chamber Music Society of St. Cloud, $8,000, for the presentation of three live concerts January through May of 2022. Pacifica Quartet will perform a concert honoring the memory of former Executive Director Susan Dubin January 29, 2022 at Atonement Lutheran Church in Saint Cloud. Park-Ainomäe-Balge Trio will perform March 13, 2022 at SCSU Ruth Gant Recital Hall, Saint Cloud, MN and La Grande Bande will perform May 22, 2022 at Cathedral of St. Mary.
10. City of Holdingford, $1,884, for Music of our Heartland: The Concertina held Spring of 2022 in Holdingford, MN, that will focus on the importance of the Concertina to the history and development of rural Stearns County.
11. Delano Area Council for Arts and Culture, $8,000, for the second annual Sculpture Walk held that features 12 works by Minnesota artists that will be displayed for one year beginning July 2022 in the Delano Sculpture Park along the Crow River and through historic downtown Delano, MN.
12. Elk River High School ISD 728, $2,352, for “Evening of the Arts” community event that celebrates high school student artists, musicians, dancers, poets, writers, actors and photographers of all abilities on April 28, 2022 at Elk River High School, Elk River, MN.
13. Great River Chorale, $8000, for the performance of “In Every Corner Sing” as part of a fine arts series April 28, 2022 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Minneapolis and May 1, 2022 at Saint John’s University Abbey Church, Collegeville, MN.
14. Great River Educational Arts Theatre, $8,000, for Youth Artist Project: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus where high school artists direct and design a musical mentored by theatre professionals, providing the opportunity for audiences to experience local live theatre performed Saturday, March 19, 2022 at Helgeson Learning Lab in Waite Park, MN including school matinees held March 22 & 24, 2022 and streaming on demand March 22-29, 2022.
15. Heidi Jeub, $8,000, for “Our Narratives” co-taught by hiphop artist Terrell Woods that will provide a residency type program that includes workshops, performances, exhibition, and community facilitation March 10 – 13, 2022 at The Whit Gallery in Saint Cloud, MN.
16. Lyricality, $8,000, to pay core staff and diverse literary artists to lead 2-hour long monthly small group workshop, LyricaliTea Circle, for emerging writers held virtually and at community centers in Saint Cloud and Holdingford, MN.
17. Minnesota Dance Ensemble, $7,990, for the performance of Emotion Made Visible 2022 that will showcase new and unique choreography in April 2022 at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Saint Cloud, MN.
18. MontiArts, $8,000, for Monticell-GLOW 2022 with guest artist Joel Sisson to work with teen art club, area artists, and community members to design and build new entries for glow parade on February 26, 2022 between Monticello Community Center and West Bridge Park in Monticello, MN.
19. Monticello Community Strings, $6,043, for three different ability-based multi-generational ensembles to rehearse for seven weeks concluding in a performance July 2022 at the Monticello High School Performing Arts Center in Monticello, MN.
20. Morrison County Historical Society, $3,585, for “Exploring History and Culture in Central Minnesota” event series in February 2022 that include online presentations by curators from the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library and traveling exhibits in partnership with Benton, Sherburne, and Stearns Historical societies.
21. Munsinger Clemens Botanical Society, $8,000, for 22nd Music in the Gardens performance series held on Sundays, June through August 2022 at Munsinger Clemens Botanical Gardens in Saint Cloud, MN.
22. Paramount Center for the Arts, $8,000, for the performance of “The Pirates of Penzance” comic opera by NY Gilbert & Sullivan Players March 5, 2022 at the Paramount Theater in Saint Cloud, MN.
23. Sauk Centre History Museum and Research Center, $8,000, to commissioning area artists to paint original scenes or images of people to be placed over existing boarded up windows providing a visual sign to community members that the Blue Valley Creamery building in Sauk Centre, MN is in the process of being restored.
24. SOAR Regional Arts, $8,000, to produce Mary Poppins, Jr and include an immersive flying workshop with ZFX Flying Directors. The performance will be February 25-27, 2022, at St. Michael-Albertville High School in St. Michael, MN.
25. St. Cloud Symphony Orchestra, $8,000, for “Umoja” concert and discussion on Saturday, February 26, 2022 at Ritsche Auditorium, St. Cloud State University in Saint Cloud, MN.
26. STMA Music Boosters, $8,000, for the STMA Concert Choir and guest artists to present “The Sacred Veil”, a Midwest premiere of composer Eric Whitacre’s new multimovement work, March 2022 in St. Michael, Mahtomedi, Collegeville and Moorhead, MN.
27. Talahi Community School, $7,280, for Minnesota author and illustrator Nancy Carlson to conduct a character drawing and storytelling residency with kindergarten through second grade students in April 2022 at Talahi Community School in Saint Cloud, MN.
28. Tracy Rittmueller, $8,000, will conduct “Already Here”, a collaborative intercultural literary conversation in memory of Charles Wm. Preble, with live premier performance June 23, 2022 at the Minnesota Street Market in Saint Joseph, MN.
29. United Way of Sherburne County, $8,000, for artist Paul Benfer to conduct ART BRIGHT residency that provides sensory art experiences for aging populations that show an early cognitive decline during 2022 at regional locations through Sherburne County, MN.
30. Wirth Center for the Performing Arts, $4,000, to provide “School of Rock” for students in grades 6-12 focused on all aspects of being a musician that includes a performance in August 2022 at the Paramount Theater in Saint Cloud, MN
31. Youth Chorale of Central MN, $8,000, to provide YCCM singers the opportunity to perform with Chanticleer, a professionally renowned choral group, January 26, 2022 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Saint Cloud, MN.

The Central Minnesota Arts Board (CMAB) strives to enhance appreciation of the essential economic and social roles the arts play in Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright counties by providing grants and professional development services to arts and community organizations, schools, government units and individuals.

**Event dates may change due to the current environment, visit aroundthecloud.org and organization websites for recent updates.