Lake Region Arts Council Awards Over $122,000 in Legacy Grants to Artists and Organizations
Fall 2024 Legacy Grant Rounds Support Creativity and Community with Funding for 17 Projects Across the Region
Lake Region Arts Council, Fergus Fall, MN announces the results of the Fall Legacy Grant Rounds held in November 2024. $27,093 was awarded to six Legacy Individual Artist Grants, and $95,582 for eleven Legacy Organization Grants. The available amount to be awarded was $135,471 between the two funding pools, and $207,470 was requested. This Lake Region Arts Council Grant Program is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
Legacy Organization Grant Program Awardees
ArtisTree Community - $12,500, Douglas County
ArtisTree Community is a new non-profit in Alexandria, MN created to inspire and enable more people to participate in the arts, and to use art experiences to heal, bond, and improve their community - particularly among people groups whose artistic ability is often unsung or untapped. Their programming will focus on serving individuals with Alzheimer's and Autism/ADHD along with providing Caregiver/Disabled Child Bonding events. Activities will take place at the ArtisTree Café Community and Event Center. The grant will support class scholarships, supplies, and administrative expenses for six months.
Central Square - $7,500, Pope County
Central Square will present a family-centered production, The Mini Nutcracker Ballet, performed by the Twin Cities Ballet on Sunday, December 22, 2024. They are excited to bring ballet to the stage for the diversity it brings to their performance roster for their concert series. This project provides an introduction to ballet and classical performance, particularly for families who might not otherwise have access to such experiences The dancers’ expertise and the production’s artistry will provide a memorable and impactful experience for all attendees, especially for young dancers in the community
City of Fergus Falls - $9,560, Ottertail County
The City of Fergus Falls Public Arts Commission (PAC) will provide six stone and metal pedestals for the Fergus Falls Sculpture Walk (FFSW) in Downtown Fergus Falls. The FFSW is an exhibit of six outdoor sculptures loaned by the artists for year-round display along Lincoln Ave. in downtown Fergus Falls. Two sculptures will be located on opposite corners on three intersections between Union and Cascade Avenues. The sculptures will be installed in May on pedestals and removed in April of the following year to make room for new sculptures.
City of Moorhead Park and Recreation - $3,130, Clay County
Moorhead Park and Recreation will to host a festival that celebrates the rich culture of the seven Celtic Nations by highlighting authentic artists, food, and performers on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at the Hjemkomst Center. This event provides the community an opportunity to learn about the seven Celtic nations and the people who came from them. Music, dance, stories and food make this an event that is fun for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Concordia College Cultural Events - $11,940, Clay County
Concordia College Cultural Events will host the 34th annual Woodlands and High Plains Powwow in Spring 2025. This event is an opportunity for all people in the region to experience the artistry and meaningfulness of the powwow, which celebrates the culture, heritage, and traditions of Indigenous communities. The vibrant event promotes unity and sharing of traditions between tribal members, and they extend an invitation for the greater community to join and at times, participate. The sense of community is created through the sharing of traditional foods, crafts, stories, dances, and songs.
Concordia College Theatre Department - $2,000 Clay County
Concordia College will present the Opera “The Three Bears”, a 30-minute opera by American composer Jonathan Stinson, which is tailored for young audiences in February 2025. The grant will pay for bus transportation to enable Moorhead Public Schools K–5 classrooms to attend the performance. This live experience will make opera approachable and engaging, potentially sparking students’ interest in music, drama, and the technical arts and encouraging them to explore these fields further.
DLCCC Historic Holmes Theatre - $11,000, Becker County
Historic Holmes Theatre (DLCCC) will present to present three diverse national and regional touring performance artists and outreach - Kevin Kling ; Cirque Mechanics; Terrance Simien in the Spring 2025. On February 16, Kevin Kling will present “The Love Show” including a cast of performers that cover all things of the heart. On March 21, the Cirque Mechanics will be performing their acrobatic show “Pedal Punks” in the first performance of its kind on the HHT stage. On April 10, Louisiana based Zydeco artist Terrance Simien will perform Creole for Kidz for schools in the region, and a full evening concert for all ages on April 12. Simien’s goal through his performances is to teach his Creole culture and the Zydeco music he works every day to keep alive.
Fergus Falls Center for the Arts - $9,910, Ottertail County
FFC4TA will present resent Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience on April 11, 2025. Simien has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today. Their music has been placed in multiple major studio theatre release films, including Disney animated films, TV shows, and radio commercials. Patrons will be allowed to experience the history, culture, and music by attending a free performance of the Disney movie The Princess and the Frog at AC4TA the day before the concert. Simeon and the Band provide music for the soundtrack and characters based upon band members including Semeion appear in the movie.
Historical and Cultural Society of Clay County - $8,132, Clay County
HCSCC will exhibit The Unchosen Ones, a color photography exhibit by RJ Kerns, that captures the spirit and dignity of the children and the animals who compete in livestock competitions and do not win. Loveably Minnesotan, the exhibit was created from portraits taken at 10 Minnesota county fairs. This unique collection of vibrant color images will be shown at the Hjemkomst Center July 8 through September 28, 2025. The exhibit encompasses a series of portraits of young people posing with the animals they have raised, cared for, and groomed for entry into a best-animal competition with dreams of the glory of moving on to State Fair victory. No victory is shown here, however.
Minnewaska Theatre Arts - $7,610, Pope County
Minnewaska ShowStoppers will purchase new microphones, transmitters, receivers, a light board, and two LED lights; all of these items are portable. These technical upgrades will modernize their productions, allowing them to deliver more professional theatre experiences. By investing in this technology, they will significantly enhance their shows, offering clearer sound and more dynamic lighting that will improve the overall theatre experience.
New York Mills Arts Regional Cultural Center - $12,300, Otter Tail County
NY Mills Arts Center will invest in marketing/media with regional newspapers and radio stations, social media boosts, and trying out billboards as a new marketing channel. Their reach will expand to include more regional residents who will experience high-quality arts programming and have access to arts and cultural experiences. This will include artists who will represent everything from local musicians (Longest Night Music Fest) to traditional elements of Jazz and rhythmic dance (Dawson Redenius Septet); an urban/eclectic mix of pop/folk/rock (Jesse Anderson Band); an Irish concert that will include a fusion of world folk, Celtic, bluegrass, American Old-Time, original compositions, and folk dance music (Caleigh); and Americana/Folk with Swedish Roots (Sofia Talvik).
Legacy Individual Artist Grant Program Awardees
Christy Goulet - $5,735, Clay County
Goulet’s grant will keep the creation of the Jingle Dress art form alive through the experience of making the Jingle Dresses that symbolize the preservation and values of the Ojibwe for future generations, and the community as a whole. It will be a collaboration with Cultural Diversity Resources who will provide technical support for Virtual-real time recording of the process of making a Jingle dress/Drum along with the origination story of the jingle dress. These educational series which will take place on a monthly basis, (more in the summer) will be available on a YouTube channel. Local youth will be mentored by local elders in the art of sewing beading, dancing and singing for the jingle dress in addition to the art of drum making, playing and composition.
Lyssa Lovejoy - $6,000 Douglas County
Lovejoy will offer 14 classes to youth ages 8-12, using various mediums to explore themes around "Empowering Young Minds through Civic Engagement and Mental Wellness" at her studio and the Evansville Arts Center in Spring 2025. The project is designed to equip middle school students—ages 8-12—with artistic tools and coping strategies that promote emotional well-being. Recognizing the invaluable role that creativity plays in mental health, this project aims to create an inclusive environment where students can freely explore their emotions through art while learning essential skills for mental wellness.
Michael Pettit - $1,538, Ottertail County
Pettit will purchase hand blown glass rondels for the creation of new works. In addition, some of his existing sculptures require the replacement of the rondels. This will facilitate the expanse of his personal sculpture garden outside of Dent, MN. His goal is to create a legacy of his work as an artist. His larger sculptures are often on public display at various sculpture exhibits through out the upper Midwest.
Annett Richter - $5,950, Clay County
Richter will create and display visual art (paintings) for two open-to-the-public concerts on April 12 and 13, 2025 performed by the Fargo-Moorhead Choral Artists at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moorhead, Minnesota. In this musical-visual collaboration—one unprecedented in the local arts scene, her art will provide abstract visualizations inspired by the FMCA’s choral program centered on themes of Spring and nature. The art will engage with music and lyrics and will envelop listeners via a multi-media video presentations and screen projection and lighting. The paintings will be on view, and she will present post-concert artist talks to audiences.
Manjusha Saraswathiamma - $2,460, Clay County
Saraswathiamma will make a series of paintings on clay using traditional Indian techniques. This will be an exploration into a traditional art form incorporating drawing into clay design. She will study and work with Lori Charest from The Potter’s Daughter studio to make, fire and exhibit the clay plates during Pangea Festival in Moorhead, MN in 2025. Her display will include a demo and community painting opportunity for the festival attendees.
Jennie Ward - $5,410, Becker Count
Ward will create a new body of work, to have a show at Art Project 605 with 2 events that engage the community, to expand her art career. Her goal is to focus on abstract art to provide the region with greater exposure and understanding of the art form. During her exhibit, she will offer abstract workshops to the public. A portion of the grant will fund a laptop to expand her marketing campaign and increase her social media profile.
Twice a year, LRAC awards Legacy Arts & Cultural Heritage Grants to provide art access, art education, and arts cultural heritage to the nine county region.
LRAC Legacy Grant instructional videos for grant writing assistance will be available online for the upcoming Spring Legacy Grant programs for Individuals and Arts Organizations and may be watched at any time.
The Spring Legacy Grant Round will open Monday, January 16, 2025. Applications are due Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM. The Grant Review will take place over one-two days (depending on application volume) on April 15 and 22, 2024. Projects may begin in mid-May 2024.
The LRAC Legacy Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.
For more information contact:
Lake Region Arts Council,
133 Mill Street S.
Fergus Fall, MN 56537-2562,
Phone: 218-517-9760 or 218-739-5780
Email: LRAC4@LRACgrants.org
Website: LRAC4.org.
LRAC is a nonprofit art organization that provides grants, resources, and services to the nine county region; Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin counties. Their mission is to encourage and support the arts in West Central Minnesota.
