ArtsLab Newsroom

ArtsLab renews leadership and strategy development program for arts nonprofits

Sharon Rodning Bash — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:29:12 -0600

We are pleased to announce the next phase of ArtsLab and its placement as a permanent program of Arts Midwest. With the generous reinvestment of the five foundations that have supported the program over the past three years: The McKnight Foundation, The Saint Paul Foundation, Mardag Foundation, F. R. Bigelow Foundation, and Bush Foundation, we recognize a continued need in the arts sector for training on how to cultivate relationships, adapt to environmental changes, and adopt sustainable business practices. Both parties are also invested in the unique approach of the ArtsLab program—including its multi-year commitment to organizations and its blend of quarterly retreats, technical assistance, and modest grants.

“Artists and the organizations that serve them are essential to the fabric of our communities,” said Kate Wolford, president of The McKnight Foundation. “ArtsLab has demonstrated its ability to extend the reach of artists and our arts and culture sector, and hence our quality of life in our region. We are very pleased to support our regional arts and culture community by enabling access to the leadership training, resources, and opportunities ArtsLab provides to help our artists succeed.”

Download the press release for more information.

New Perspectives, Growing Impact

Sharon Rodning Bash — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:11:43 -0600

ArtsLab has been developed as a uniquely robust program for leadership and strategy development in small and midsized arts organizations. It offers a combination of a multi-year peer learning community, mentorship and technical assistance, and modest grants to implement innovations targeted in the ArtsLab strategy development process. Please read our summary report, based on the findings of our external evaluator, Dr. Patricia Shifferd, as well as the team of knowledge experts who have shaped the program over the past three years, New Perspectives, Growing Impact.

Great River Arts -- "We Did It!"

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 10:05:42 -0600

As an arts hub from St. Cloud to Brainerd, Great River Arts Association both initiates programs and supports the work of others. Since establishing an arts council in 1992 and an arts center in Little Falls in 2001, Great River has grown to offer a range of artistic experiences–– numerous visual art exhibitions at three gallery locations, two music series, a retail outlet for artwork, arts classes responding to community interests, and youth programs, including teen nights and a summer arts camp. Great River Arts is also reestablishing local community theater, serving as ticket outlet for Heartland Symphony Orchestra, and providing space to local public access television.

But perhaps most significant is the current sense of readiness to weather a major organizational transition. “We did it!” describes the energizing accomplishments at Great River Arts Association, including organizational plans, better brand identity, and development of paid and volunteer leadership capable of achieving organizational goals. Recently, the Board of Directors accepted the resignation of Executive Director, Susy Prosapio, with well wishes and gratitude for her six years of contribution. Instead of the typical trauma associated with leadership change, Great River anticipates a smooth succession due to a strong, involved Board and clear plans.

Professional development through ArtsLab supported the Board’s intentional effort to build a mature, working board. “A new executive might raise our already high artistic standards.” Susy says. “But key to continuity and future health in an organization is capacity within the Board of Directors.”

“Wildly Unexpected!”—The Perfect Motto for Edge Center for the Arts

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:53:01 -0600

Who could expect a $2.2 million stage and art gallery located in a northern Minnesota town of Bigfork’s size, population 369? And who could imagine that the arts center’s quality programming engages regional audiences and all 280 students? The 2010-11 schedule features a recent residency by TU Dance, a current exhibit of “This Is Displacement: Native Artists Consider the Relationship Between Land & Identity,” and an upcoming production of the Pulitzer-prizewinning drama, Wit.

A school superintendent seeking more student arts education and area advocates with extensive arts background were Edge Center’s “vision-makers.” Patty Feld, founding Artistic Director, explains: “Many in our community had never experienced the arts live. To delight and challenge, we’ve always provided the best.” After inception in 1996, Edge offered performances and art shows in various locations until a facility was built in 2005.

Another unexpected aspect of Edge –– that everyone involved is a volunteer –– led to the present goal: a paid administrator and central office. Although seemingly modest, in reality, it’s “a substantial dream to improve community access and organizational stability,” as Patty conveyed through a curtain speech before an Edge Wild Players production. Inspired, a cast member donated a three-year match for other support, including from ArtsLab. By enabling volunteers, including the Artistic Director and the Gallery Manager, to cease secretarial tasks and use their best gifts for the organization, this new infrastructure will sustain programming quality that’s now an expected hallmark of Edge.

Arts Matter in Fargo-Moorhead

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:46:51 -0600

Since 1970, The Arts Partnership has promoted the arts in the Fargo/Moorhead region as a member organization offering grants, advocacy, publicity and relationships with artists, their organizations, area attractions and the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. In 2008, the partnership released a local arts impact study in conjunction with Americans for the Arts.

This fall, when Moorhead City Council signaled intention to eliminate arts support from the city’s budget, The Arts Partnership rallied advocates in a successful bid that retained almost all funding. “It’s gratifying to see our community and civic leaders recognize our arts community and its value to individuals and the public,” remarks Executive Director Dayna Del Val. Currently, 68 arts organizations, arts-related businesses, and artists are members of The Arts Partnership, and their number is growing. Dayna points out that “the funding threat produced a side benefit of bringing the Partnership to the forefront and connecting us to more artists and arts activists.”

According to Carol Schlossman, Board Vice Chair, over the past year The Arts Partnership has developed an exciting new “go-getter” attitude through participation in ArtsLab. “We are becoming much more assertive in giving arts a voice in community life,” she says. Dayna notes that partnership is “on the cusp” of reciprocal collaborations with government and business that will create opportunities for artists and arts organization to engage with the public in “real and tangible ways.”

Both Old and New: Bemidji Community Arts Center

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:30:34 -0500

Bemidji Community Arts Center enjoys a 43-year track record of providing a hugely successful summer art and craft festival. This July, more than 100 artists and 4,000 participants attended Art in the Park, a two-day event at Bemidji, a northern Minnesota town of 12,000.

The enviable longevity of the Arts Center is due in part to signature programs––its annual festival and year-round art exhibitions. But an established institution risks stagnancy if it rests on its laurels. Staying strong and relevant requires renewal.. Four years ago, with hiring a new Executive Director, Lori Forshee-Donnay, the organization began a phase of revitalizing leadership, activities, and relationship with the community. The board recruited new directors, sought professional development, and eventually established a committee structure for fundraising and other engagement.

Acceptance into ArtsLab came at the perfect time to support a trajectory of change. “We soaked up learning,” Lori explained. “Webinars, workshops, colleagues, and consultants empowered and energized board and staff.” The Arts Council has added spoken word and literary arts events to its program agenda, extended time frames for visual art shows to attract larger attendance, developed off-site shows in accessible locations, and forged partnerships with Northern Clay Center and other quality organizations. This fall, a survey of artists and community members will further inform and inspire Bemidji Community Arts Center to respond to the hopes and expectations of its “customers.”

Center for Hmong Arts and Talent: Art with a Purpose

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:13:06 -0500

An activist sense of purpose is energizing the Center for Hmong Arts & Talent (CHAT). “Because we believe that life worth living includes arts, arts should include everyone,” explains Kathy Mouachuepao, Executive Director. “We’re asking artists to address both arts access and social justice for the Hmong American community.”

Hmong Americans in the Twin Cities number 70,000 plus––the largest urban population nationally. CHAT is linking arts to social change in all programs, including its Hmong Arts and Music Festival, Youth Leadership Group, and Radio Show. Professional development for artists now deals with social consciousness and community engagement in addition to business matters. Principles of social change guide these efforts: Know your community. Identify needs. Align across sectors and in coalitions. Establish trusted, long-term relationships.

CHAT is currently involved with the concern for low income among Hmong farmers, including many women, who generate over half of the produce at local farmers’ markets. CHAT has joined other professionals advocating increased revenue through involvement with the sustainable agriculture movement. CHAT will create theater illuminating the issue and introducing beneficial strategies.

CHAT develops its work through participation in two in-depth capacity-building programs––a demanding, fruitful experience, according to Kathy. She credits both ArtsLab and the Asian Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy’s Organizational Fellowship Program as catalysts advancing CHAT’s vision, leadership, and competencies. CHAT’s new website conveys the organization’s passionate intention: “Learn it. Create it. Live it. Art with a Purpose.”

Forecast Public Art: Securing a Legacy for the Field

Sharon Rodning Bash — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 11:18:56 -0500

This June, a landmark gathering of some of the world’s leading providers and brokers of online public art resources took place in Baltimore, Maryland. A well-known leader––Jack Becker, Executive Director, Forecast Public Art––convened the meeting, co-sponsored by the Public Art Network of Americans for the Arts. Attendees committed to a process of identifying needs and opportunities to advance public art by collective action. The meeting confirmed the importance of Forecast’s plans to build a bold new website.

In 1978, Jack helped start Forecast in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. Forecast has grown to be a mainstay of public art through consulting, artist services, and its national journal. In 2008, following a heart transplant, Jack deepened his thinking about legacies. Likewise, the organization soul-searched as part of ArtsLab’s evaluative and reflective processes, leading to a realization of Forecast’s obligation to share its storehouse of public art knowledge and expertise.

Staff and board developed strategies to make Forecast’s resources available worldwide, using digital tools as well as enhanced communications and human connections. Major funders and public art supporters have responded enthusiastically to Forecast’s accelerated growth and expanding sphere of influence. The University of Minnesota is digitalizing and indexing the entire content of Public Art Review. NEA and the Andy Warhol Foundation funded an online version of the journal. Beneficiaries will be current and future generations of public artists, educators, policymakers, and others creating or facilitating public art. Ultimately, it’s a bequest for the public.

Testament to Bemidji Symphony Orchestra's Community Service

Sharon Rodning Bash — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:24:47 -0500

Bemidji Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has received national and local accolades and prizes during the past few months. Dr. Beverly Everett, conductor, was recently awarded the American Prize as one of six outstanding conductors nationally — a citation based on excellence in music education. The Orchestra was also a finalist for the American Prize, based on outstanding programming.

A recent honor that particularly pleases Dr. Beverly Everett, however, is the Outstanding Organization Stewardship Award bestowed by Bemidji Leads, a civic leadership group. “This acknowledges that we inspire people and improve quality of life in our area,” Beverly declared.

Since accepting an appointment in 2005 as the orchestra’s first resident conductor, Beverly implemented improvements contributing to an upsurge in orchestra development and community support. She appointed a Concert Master and section leaders, raising expectations for rigorous individual practice by all musicians. To perfect performances, she changed the rehearsal format from weekly to “a condensed, intense” schedule prior to concerts. The Board and Symphony Guild fundraised for outstanding guest artists, such as pianist André Watts and the Brubeck Jazz Trio, and for a youth symphony infusing new vitality into the parent organization.

Higher standards drew more musicians, tripling the orchestra’s size over the past five years to approximately 75 musicians. The age range now spans seven decades. Increased artistic capacity, in turn, allowed ambitious concerts for a community that responded with great enthusiasm. When BSO joined ArtsLab, the emphasis on artistry and community reinforced BSO’s direction. Audiences grew to 235 season ticket holders and over 1,600 participants annually. “Musical Testaments”––BSO’s 2010-2011 season’s theme––captures the sense of how valuable the orchestra has become to its community.

All My Relations Arts Plans New Gallery within American Indian Cultural Corridor

Sharon Rodning Bash — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:15:15 -0500

Since 1999, All My Relations Arts has developed its reputation for outstanding exhibits of contemporary American Indian fine art. Annually, thousands of guests have attended shows, such as City Indians and Hokah! featuring Julie Buffalohead, Gordon Coons, and numerous other award-winning artists. All My Relations Arts also offers spoken word, film premieres, outdoor installations, mentoring, and shows hosted in partnership. The organization’s 25th show, Original Green, begins May 20th at Mill City Museum, with a reception 6:00-8:00 p.m.

A recently formalized affiliation with the Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI), which focuses on building community assets, enables All My Relations Arts to fully participate in the neighborhood’s revitalization, and to welcome visitors from around the world. By this December, All My Relations Arts expects to open a new gallery and programming space at a prominent storefront location on Franklin Avenue within Minneapolis’ American Indian Cultural Corridor.

Many good forces converged to make “a big move” possible, according to Heid Erdrich, curator of All My Relations Arts and consultant to NACDI. She credits Shirlee Stone and the Great Neighborhoods! Development Corporation for their roles in starting All My Relations Arts, and ArtsLab for instilling confidence to mobilize current leaders to pursue new relationships and funding. The McKnight Foundation and an outpouring of community gifts are supporting initial costs related to the new gallery.

Theatre B's Year of Magical Growth

Sharon Rodning Bash — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:04:00 -0500

Explosive growth best describes Theatre B’s seventh season as a rising regional theater in the Fargo/Moorhead marketplace. Strong shows and collaborations are attracting the area’s best performers, while a growing fan base has promoted the productions. Ticket sales are off the chart.

Five plays now comprise the season. The dream of touring is being realized through regional bookings of Joan Didion’s “The Year of Magical Thinking.” Theatre B inherited a national corporate sponsorship and is now lead agency in an in-depth summer experience for teen thespians. The “explosion” began last fall with involvement in a staged reading of “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later.” Even though this meant two shows in concurrent production, the ensemble seized the chance to be involved in a simultaneous international premiere. Executive Director Carrie Wintersteen describes “a magical year” for Theatre B where “every single thing we did garnered positive response.”

Theatre’s B’s positive changes, including a Board-projected balanced budget with a 75% increase over the previous year, could swamp an organization unprepared for the variety and extent of growth. Wintersteen credits consistent emphasis on artistic quality, value of art as inspiration for social action, community collaborations, hard work, and openness to new opportunities. She also indicates that ArtsLab helped Theatre B’s leadership team deepen its community focus, anticipate growth, and plan for a sustainable future. She is confident that Theatre B is prepared to “enjoy the upsurge.”

One Voice, One Message

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:04:07 -0500

By far the largest group persecuted during the Holocaust was Jewish. But others perished at the hands of the Nazis, including some of the most creative voices of Europe from the gay/lesbian/ bisexual/transgender community. Honoring those voices with its UNsilenced performances in January 2010, One Voice Mixed Chorus––Minnesota’s GLBTA Chorus––touched audiences in ways that transcended words. The performances broke all previous attendance records and engendered audience response on a scale never before experienced.

According to Artistic and Executive Director Jane Ramseyer Miller, the organization experienced “a breakthrough” while planning UNsilenced. To address the possibility that difficult subject matter would deter audiences, Kathy Graves, a partner at Parenteau Graves Communications, worked with the organization’s staff to convey the show’s essence. Together they perfected an appealing description focusing on “hope and resistance.” The powerful message—just three sentences—consistently appeared prior to the concerts in e-blasts, posters, Facebook, Twitter, paid MPR advertisements, pod casts, and singers’ distribution to their social circles. Jane believes that the strong unified message along with creative and compelling programming contributed to record ticket sales.

Jane credits ArtsLab’s philosophy, training, and materials for encouraging the chorus to enhance interaction with its current and potential community. The consultant, funded by ArtsLab, taught One Voice the value of a pithy, repeatable message, a lesson that will influence the way all future concerts are communicated to a widening audience.

You may hear more about this event at Minnesota Public Radio as well as at One Voice Mixed Chorus.

UNsilenced. GLBT and Jewish Voices of the Holocaust

Sharon Rodning Bash — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:12:25 -0600

Alison Young, Minnesota Public Radio
St. Paul, Minn. — By far the largest group persecuted during the the Holocaust was Jewish.

But countless others perished at the hands of the Nazis — gypsies, communists, the mentally and physically handicapped — as well as those deemed degenerate — some of the most creative voices of Europe from the Gay/Lesbian/Bi-sexual/Trans-gendered community.

On January 30th and 31st One Voice Mixed Chorus will honor those who suffered and died in the holocaust with a very unique and important choral concert. Best hurry to purchase tickets. This concert may sell out.

Turn to Minnesota Public Radio for a feature story, audio sample, and images from both the holocaust as well as One Voice Mixed Chorus.

Laramie Project

Sharon Rodning Bash — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:27:21 -0600

This ninety-minute staged reading will be presented by the EdgeWild Players at the Edge Center for the Arts in Bigfork, MN on January 29th & 30th at 7pm and on Sunday January 31st at 2pm.

Twin Cities director, Aaron Gabriel, and a cast of four Twin Cities actors and four local actors are collaborating in this production. Gabriel and actor Andrea Cole are originally from Bigfork. Barbra Berlovitz from Theatre de la Jeune Lune in Minneapolis, Tod Petersen, also from Jeune Lune who wrote the Ordway’s favorite, “A Christmas Carole Petersen,” and Gregg Peterson will join local actors, Patricia Feld, Pastor John Hanson, Zachary Madsen, and Kimberly Powell.

The Blandin Foundation of Grand Rapids, MN is underwriting this production. A documentary being made of this production is being subsidized in part by the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

Tickets will be available at Cenex Two Rivers Convenience Store, online at The Edge Center, and at the door. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children, and Student Rush is $3 ten minutes before the curtain.

Hokah! Ten Years of Art

Sharon Rodning Bash — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:49:11 -0600

Hokah! Ten Years of Art at Ancient Traders Gallery December 11, 2009 – January 30, 2010. Exhibit hours: Thursday-Sunday, 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. and by appointment. Artists Panel Q & A on January 23, 6-9 p.m. Hokah! features more than 30 artists including: Carolyn Anderson, Jim Denomie, Gordon Coons, Tiffany Eggenberg, Carl Gawboy, Kevin Pourier, Mona Smith, Catherine Whipple, Jonathan Thunder, and more.

In The Circle News Carolyn Anderson commented that she sees this show as a good opportunity to combat American Indian stereotypes. Her invitation to artists states that, “American Indian people have become accustomed to outsiders portraying us in ways that are not truthful and that often create or add to romanticized and often condescending stereotypes. Self-portraiture gives us the power to reflect back what we see in ourselves, and to put ourselves within a context that the general public is not used to seeing thereby overcoming these stereotypes.” Read this feature article at The Circle.

Springboard for the Arts receives NEA stimulus grant

Sharon Rodning Bash — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:15:50 -0500

The National Endowment for the Arts today announced its FY2009 Grant Awards under the federal stimulus package, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The grants, which total $29.7 million, will go to 631 local arts organizations across the country. Visit MinnPost.com for details about this news item.

TU Dance returns to the Southern Theatre

Sharon Rodning Bash — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:31:31 -0500

The Star Tribune reports that “Summer is upon us and TU Dance is embracing the essence of this eagerly anticipated season with two very different yet altogether satisfying world premieres choreographed by Uri Sands, now performing at the Southern Theater through June 28.” Read their review at Star Tribune.

Be sure to explore TU Dance’s website for a visual display of their work and also a calendar of upcoming performances.

MinnPost.com reviews Bedlam's 'The Turducken'

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:39:42 -0600

According to the latest MinnPost.com review, “First act of Bedlam’s ‘The Turducken’ is hilarious; the second act … not so much”, by Christy DeSmith, “There are more than a few brilliant moments in Bedlam Theatre’s production of “The Turducken.” She goes on to talk about enjoying the “trio of singers” clad in Christmas sweaters and how the 3-in-1 show writer Josef Evans created a very funny script.

Read the entire review by Christy DeSmith at MinnPost.com | Published Fri, Dec 19 2008 9:47 am

Harmonic Convergence

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 09:22:40 -0600

Jane Ramseyer Miller, Director of the Chorus, lived in Haiti for years, which has provided a unique vantage point for her regarding the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

She was for this reason especially eager to work in collaboration with Titamba. Titamba, “welcoming the masters” in one of the languages of Zimbabwe, was founded by Christian Adetti, an immigrant from Ghana. Mr. Adetti was also eager to participate in a program focusing on AIDS, a significant health issue throughout the African continent.

The concert focal point was a newly commissioned work designed for this cultural juxtaposition. Christopher Gable, a professor at Macalester College, was tapped for the commissioning. His creation, “By the Fireside,” is set to poetry of Nigerian poet Odia Ofeimun and South African Ingrid de Kok. The second of the poems is a meditation on the social costs of HIV/AIDS. The work concludes with “Lux Aeterna” from the Latin Requiem.

The performances to very full houses were enthusiastically received.

Poetry in Motion: TU Dance in Performance

Sharon Rodning Bash — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:16:37 -0600

City Pages describes the latest performance at O’Shaughnessy:
The performance began with the debut of Sense(ability) Sketch 1, a tryptych of varied moods entitled Earth, Touch, and Ether (The Space in Which Everything Exists). The performance was the first series of sketches for an evening-length work that explores the relationship between the senses and the elements, taken from Ayurvedic philosophy. “Ayurveda,” writes artistic director Uri Sands, “is the belief that everything in the universe is made up of five great elements which manifest in the functioning of the five senses: earth/smell, water/taste, fire/sight, air/touch and ether/sound.” More from City Pages Review

Hallmark Event for the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra

Sharon Rodning Bash — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:18:58 -0600

Sharon Rodning Bash
ArtsLab Program Director

For me personally, November, 2008, will be held as a lifelong memory—the month that André Watts played in Bemidji, Minnesota.

The Bemidji Pioneer reported that the orchestra “brought down the house”; that they “performed masterfully.” But it was most memorable for me as an opportunity for a regional orchestra, rapidly growing in stature, to be graciously supported by an artist of profound generosity and kindliness of spirit. Beverly Everett reports that Mr. Watts gave her a “thumbs up” each time she left the stage. He showered praise on each orchestra member who spoke with him. He posed for family photos, signed autographs, and clearly reveled in celebrating the role of the arts in community.

I watched with amazement the youngest violist (age 9) playing Rachmaninoff with Mr. Watts, while her legs dangled free (visible under his piano) because her feet still could not reach the floor. It was fun to watch women in furs arriving with men in hunting caps. It was a thrill to celebrate a career milestone with “our” ArtsLab orchestral conductor, Beverly Everett. It was delightful to hear the local buzz of community pride and a new excitement for what the arts, and this orchestra, can become in Bemidji.

Beyond simply “bringing down the house” with their lengthy standing ovation, I would describe the audience exuberance as akin to having just won the Stanley Cup. As the Bemidji Pioneer reported: “Cheers! Symphony wins!”

Catching the Red Eye to Theater Innovation

Sharon Rodning Bash — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:30:00 -0500

Over the years, the Red Eye Collaboration has developed a who’s-who of theater talent. Miriam Must, Managing Director, ticks off local actors, playwrights, and visual artists who have worked at the Red Eye in one capacity or another. There are more than a hundred names on her list, including such local heavyweights as Open Eye Figure Theatre’s Michael Sommers, Frank Theatre’s Wendy Knox, and the crew from Bedlam. The acting roster includes such recognizable big-stage names as Luverne Seifert, Tracey Maloney, and Jim Lichtscheidl.

But the Red Eye is resolute in looking forward rather than to the past. Read their recent accolades in City Pages.

ArtsLab Collaborative Names 17 Grantee Organizations

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:47:09 -0500

July 14, 2008, Minneapolis — ArtsLab, a collaborative of major foundations that support the arts, today announces the 17 Minnesota organizations selected for participation in its three-year training and development program. The 17 arts nonprofits were selected from a field of nearly 70 program applicants; a full list of program participants follows this release.

ArtsLab is a $1.85 million venture of the Bush Foundation, the F. R. Bigelow Foundation, Mardag Foundation, The McKnight Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation. Going beyond traditional capacity-building approaches to strengthen operational management, the ArtsLab program was holistically designed to also improve individual leadership capacity and to bolster the region’s arts sector within a community context. ArtsLab seeks to:

increase the leadership pool for tomorrow’s arts sector;
strengthen the presence of visionary small arts organizations in both urban and rural communities; and
use the power of the arts to enhance community vitality and engagement.

“With increased capacity, these exceptional organizations will be better equipped to serve their own audiences and our entire community,” said Peter C. Hutchinson, Bush Foundation president. “By focusing on visionary leadership, as well as artistic excellence and community connections, ArtsLab will enable these institutions to nurture current and future cultural leaders.”

In addition to providing modest grants to support operations, ArtsLab will provide technical assistance and peer learning opportunities to cultivate leadership skills, strategic thinking, community impact and adaptability to change, as well as more traditional management tools and systems. “Such promising, smaller organizations are worthy of both our attention and our investments,” explained Carleen Rhodes, president and CEO of The Saint Paul Foundation. “By allowing them to bring their missions fully to life, ArtsLab’s programs and professional team also empower them to have increased presence and engagement in their communities. In partnership with our committed colleagues, we are pleased to support these organizations as invaluable regional assets.”

To assist with the program’s curriculum and coaching design, training and development, ArtsLab has retained a diverse team of experts. Areas of expertise covered by the curriculum planning team include board development and governance, executive assessment and coaching, staff and volunteer skills-building, conflict management, organizational effectiveness, fundraising, evaluation and strategic planning, financial management, social change and community engagement, community development, marketing and communications and media relations.

Program participants were chosen because of their demonstrated ability to creatively explore their own artistic path, while also probing a deeper understanding of engagement with audiences and their civic community. Reflecting a depth of experience in arts administration and capacity-building in communities of all sizes, the selection panel included Barbara Davis, arts consultant (panel chair); Janet Brown, arts department chair, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; John Davis, executive director, Cornucopia Art Center, Lanesboro; Cinda Holt, Business Development Specialist , Montana Arts Council; Herman Milligan, Jr., PhD, Wells Fargo & Company, Minneapolis; Linda Myer, arts consultant, Minneapolis; Rick Shiomi, artistic director, Mu Performing Arts, Minneapolis; Bonnie Steward, vice president of outreach & advancement, Northland College, Thief River Falls; Chris Widdess, managing director, Penumbra Theatre, St. Paul.

The 17 arts nonprofits selected by the panel cultivate new artistic aesthetics, reach a breadth of diverse audiences, serve both emerging and mid-career artists, challenge traditional organizational structures and meet a wide range of regional needs. Altogether, the organizations taking part in the unique three-year program represent cultural activity in four regions of Minnesota: Minneapolis/Saint Paul; Fargo/Moorhead; Bemidji; and Little Falls.

See a full list of the grantees