Creative Support for Organizations-Round 2

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2022 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,500
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Rochester Repertory
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
May 2022
End Date
April 2023
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Dodge
Goodhue
Olmsted
Wabasha
Dodge
Goodhue
Olmsted
Wabasha
Project Overview

Creative Support for Organizations-Round 2

Project Details

Rochester Repertory Theatre will annually produce a play in its season that will promote participation by Black, Indigenous, and people of color both as theater artists and audience members.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Peggy Burnet: entrepreneur, art collector, and community volunteer; Uri Camarena: director of business consulting with Metroplitan Economic Development Association (MEDA); Michael Charron: arts educator and an arts and civic leader; Richard Cohen: attorney in private practice and a former state legislator; Sean Dowse: arts advocate, arts practitioner, and civic leader; Emily Galusha, arts and civic leader, former arts administrator; Anthony Gardner: vice president, marketing and communications at CentraCare; Philip McKenzie: team lead with Boutique Air, founder and owner of Bluedoor 74, adjunct college faculty; Mary McReynolds-Pellinen: executive director, Lyric Center for the Arts; Dobson West: retired attorney; Christina Widdess: nonprofit consultant; former managing director, Penumbra Theatre

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Rhonda Buerkle: Buerkle is the current executive director of McLeod Alliance, an established nonprofit in McLeod County. Previous positions include many years of program development for Community Health Services. Buerkle recently published her first children?s book, Woofy Toofy, and frequently volunteers for a local theater/vocal arts community. Her professional degrees include an MS in health science from Minnesota State Mankato, a BS in community health from St. Cloud State University, and a liberal arts degree from Bemidji State University.; Chandler Daily: Daily is a theater technician, stage manager, performance curator, and arts administrator. He has been a curator and producer of Queertopia since 2016, served on the board of directors of Patrick's Cabaret, and has worked backstage throughout Minneapolis focusing primarily on queer and trans performance art and theater. Chandler graduated with a degree in theater arts from Hamline University in Saint Paul.; Olivia Fantini: Fantini grew up in Massachusetts and spent six years working in public schools as an English language development teacher. She currently is a MFA candidate in fiction at the University of Minnesota where she was awarded the Gesell Fellowship. She won third place in the 2021 Marguerite McGlinn Prize for Fiction from Philadelphia Stories, and her work has also appeared in TriQuarterly.; Grace Fogland: Fogland is the development and communications assistant at Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN). In her role, she works closely with the director of advancement and other members of the communications and membership team to coordinate key aspects of MCN?s fundraising and communications, including prospect research, grant proposal and report preparation, individual giving, event marketing, and external storytelling. Additionally, Fogland helps increase participation and awareness of GrantAdvisor.org, and will coordinate the production of the Minnesota Grants Directory. Fogland has past experience in graphic design, marketing, and communications work with both Minnesota and Nebraska nonprofits. She earned a bachelor of arts in sociology and anthropology, with concentrations in film and media studies, from Saint Olaf College.; Sennami Onwubuya: Goziem is a project manager and creative producer, engaging in social outreach through digital media and community organizing. She started her career as a creative organizer, providing event planning and brand marketing services. Goziem graduated with her bachelor?s degree in mass communications from Saint Cloud State University, then later graduated with her master of international business from Georgia State University. Goziem consults and provides organizational and creative services to individuals and small businesses.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2021, First Special Session, chapter 1, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Education

2022 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$2,500
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$2,500
Administration costs
$1,500
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

To increase annual volunteer participation from two to ten people of color. To increase audience annual attendance from five to 25 people of color. Post performance: an audience survey will quantify data and reveal patterns in audience assessment; surveys to artists, staff and board will assess project processes and a focus group will evaluate the audience experience.,,,,

Measurable Outcome(s)

We were able to partner with two Black directors to form a nearly all Black cast for this production. Direct observation. We will also track attendance during the run of the performance in June.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved proposed outcomes.
Recipient Board Members
David Derby, Lisa Modry, Chris Braendlin, Sandra Nietz, Merritt Olsen, Debbie Fuehrer, Bill Schnell, Ben Hain, LaSonya Natividad, Jerry Roberts
Project Manager
First Name
Merritt
Last Name
Olsen
Organization Name
Rochester Repertory
Street Address
103 7th St NE
City
Rochester
State
MN
Zip Code
55906
Phone
(507) 226-8497
Email
mjo135@charter.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