Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$9,576
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Milan Village Arts School
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
January 2018
End Date
December 2019
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Chippewa
Swift
Lac qui Parle
Kandiyohi
Big Stone
Renville
Meeker
Stearns
Redwood
Lyon
Pope
Yellow Medicine
Stevens
Murray
Pipestone
Grant
Douglas
Otter Tail
Wadena
Traverse
Wilkin
Hennepin
Carver
Dakota
Todd
Rice
Wright
Wright
Chippewa
Swift
Lac qui Parle
Kandiyohi
Big Stone
Renville
Meeker
Stearns
Redwood
Lyon
Pope
Yellow Medicine
Stevens
Murray
Pipestone
Grant
Douglas
Otter Tail
Wadena
Traverse
Wilkin
Hennepin
Carver
Dakota
Todd
Rice
Wright
Wright
Project Overview

Operating Support

Project Details

Operating Support FY18/19.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

John White: writer, photographer, retired journalist; Georgette Jones: literature teacher, theatre actor, director, teacher; Marilee Strom: musician, former art teacher, business owner; Kathy Fransen: musician, theatre, Rhythm of the River coordinator; Janet Olney: visual artist, Willmar Area Arts Council coordinator; Joyce Meyer: photographer, retired art teacher, Canby Arts Council; Pam Blake: retired art educator, visual artist, Tyler Arts Council, Lincoln County Art Fair, South Dakota Arts Educators Association, Southwest Minnesota Weaver's Guild; Michele Knife Sterner: theatre actor, SMSU Associate director for Access Opportunity Success program; Tom Wirt: artist, owner Clay Coyote Gallery, Hutchinson Center for the Arts, past member Hutchinson Public Arts Commission; Joyce Aakre: visual arts, writing, Discover Dassel committee, Board member for Litchfield Community Education, Exhibit committee for Dassel Area Historical Society; Kelly Muldoon: graphic artist, Prairie Music Association, Prairie Oasis Players; Dan Wahl: writer, visual artist, director, adjunct English instructor SMSU; Anne O'Keefe-Jackson: human resources director, bead and quill work; Cindy Reverts: visual artist, Rock County Fine Arts Association treasurer, Council for Arts in Humanities in Rock County; Brett Lehman: Worthington International Festival, Worthington City Band, Worthington Concert Association; Reggie Gorter: vocalist, theatre, voice, dance teacher; Dana Conroy: producer, filmmaker; Claire Swanson: visual arts, arts teacher, Meander Art Crawl Committee.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Joyce Aakre: Visual Art, Writing, SMAC Board; Pam Blake: Visual Art, SMAC Board; Mark Bosveld: Theatre, Arts Admin; Steve Linstrom: Writing, Museum Admin; Anne O'Keefe-Jackson: Visual Art, SMAC Board; Liz Rackl: Visual Art, Arts Admin; Tom Wirt: Visual Art, SMAC Board.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2017 Regular Session, chapter 91, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access ACHF Cultural Heritage

2018 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$9,576
Other Funds Leveraged
$73,694
Direct expenses
$83,270
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Goal 1) The expansion of the classes is always a concern and a priority. The school is currently going through a transition with a number of older artists retiring. Replacing them will be a challenge and takes time. The board has started its class selection process early this year with the hope of acquiring a new batch of teachers and classes in 2018. MVAS prides itself in the quality of its classes and is not intending on adding classes simply to expand offerings. It is important the new classes are a good match for the school, our curriculum, and our students. This takes time. We are also hoping to attract more instructors from our region. Our goal is to add a further ten - fifteen classes by 2019. Goal 2) Originally a one day event, the Spoon Gathering has now grown into a full week of carving, demonstrations, workshops, presentations and pre-event classes. Every year is a growing challenge. While interest grows, we plan to keep improving the event and make it as successful as possible. Our goal is to keep growing the Spoon Gathering while branding Minnesota as the center of green woodworking in the US. Goal 3) After a year of consolidation and planning, 2019 will be a time to launch new initiatives. Our goal is to implement at least one new major project in 2019. Goal 1) A review of the classes on offer in the 2019 Class Schedule will be the best way of evaluating the growth of classes. Goal 2) We actively seek feedback from event attendees though a feedback form and consultation. There is a lot of energy from a lot of people that contribute to the success of the Spoon Gathering. The interest and support is not waning. In fact it is growing. Goal 3) Late 2018 and 2019 represent the beginning of a new phase with unlimited growth possibilities for the school. What we implement will be the evaluation.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Goal 1: Some 60 classes will be on offer this year. More importantly the classes are filling well. The only class cancelled to date was a cooking class held 2 weeks after the new schedule launch. That class was rescheduled for later in 2019. Class schedules have been distributed throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul. All Twin Cities classes have filled to date. Goal 2: Previously, the largest number of attendees at the Spoon Gathering was 160. In 2018, there were 205 registered participants. 200 was our theoretical limit based on the facilities and staffing, however the school feels it can handle at least 225 for 2019. Goal 3: The Young Artist Scholarship Fund is up and running. The school has already had 2 successful applicants. One was a 22 year old female college student from St. Paul who has a passion for wood bowl turning and the other was a 15 year old local high school student with a interest in Norwegian knife making. Several of our past young students have taken our classes and now pursuing arts careers. One is currently at college studying art and the another is in Sweden studying metal working at a famous Swedish folk school. MVAS hopes the Young Artist Scholarship Fund will help to facilitate more of these successes. MVAS has never had the budget for wide scale media promotion. The partnership with Pioneer has enabled MVAS to reach a much wider audience. One of our challenges has been that students were not aware the school existed. Once a student takes a class a the school, more often than not they return to take further classes.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved proposed outcomes.
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Recipient Board Members
Jon Roisen, John Larson, Kirstin Lindstrom, Jill Christie, Robin Moore, Jill Blom, Scott Wilson, Bob Kempe, Pauline Pate
Project Manager
First Name
Ron
Last Name
Porep
Organization Name
Milan Village Arts School
Street Address
PO Box 230
City
Milan
State
MN
Zip Code
56262
Phone
(320) 734-4807
Email
mvas@fedteldirect.net
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

509 W Main St, PO Box 55
Marshall, Minnesota 56258 

Phone
Phone Manager: Nicole DeBoer
(507) 537-1471
Email the Agency