Creative Support for Organizations-Round 1

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$30,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Franconia Sculpture Park
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
December 2022
End Date
November 2023
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Beltrami
Blue Earth
Carlton
Carver
Chisago
Cook
Dakota
Faribault
Freeborn
Goodhue
Hennepin
Isanti
Itasca
Kanabec
Lake
Mille Lacs
Nicollet
Pine
Ramsey
Scott
Sherburne
Stearns
Steele
Washington
Winona
Wright
Anoka
Beltrami
Blue Earth
Carlton
Carver
Chisago
Cook
Dakota
Faribault
Freeborn
Goodhue
Hennepin
Isanti
Itasca
Kanabec
Lake
Mille Lacs
Nicollet
Pine
Ramsey
Scott
Sherburne
Stearns
Steele
Washington
Winona
Wright
Project Overview

Creative Support for Organizations-Round 1

Project Details

Franconia Sculpture Park will host artist residencies and public programs celebrating diverse Minnesota artists and narratives, serving a growing audience of nearly 200,000 annual visitors.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Uri Camarena: business consultant; Michael Charron: arts educator and an arts and civic leader; Richard Cohen: attorney in private practice and a former state legislator; Emily Galusha: arts and civic leader, former arts administrator; Anthony Gardner: vice president, marketing and communications at CentraCare; Ken Martin, political strategist and campaign manager; Philip McKenzie: team lead with Denver Air, adjunct college faculty; Nichole Melton-Mitchell: healthcare administrator; Dobson West: retired attorney; Christina Widdess: nonprofit consultant; former arts administrator; Christina Woods: executive director, Duluth Art Institute

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Kimberly Blievernicht: Owner of HR Smarts a just in time HR service provider in the Twin Cities market. She has been in business for 6 years serving small to medium privately held businesses. She was on the board of Director for 6 years of Stevie Rays Improv Company as a volunteer. She had been for the last 10 years the President of the St. Johns?s Foundation based in Mound, MN. She has a degree in Marketing and Distributive education from the University of Wisconsin Stout with a minor in Business Administration.; Maria Groth: Currently serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA member at Community Action Duluth, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower and engage our community to eliminate poverty. Groth previously was attending secondary education at the University of Minnesota Duluth where they graduated with a BA in economics. They also have formal performance experience with the Augsburg University Concert Band as a clarinetist.; Mary Ann Laxen: Now retired, Laxen was Chair and member of the Board of the Northwest Council for the Arts. Laxen presently Chairs the Board of the East Grand Forks, Friends of the Campbell Library. As Director of the Physician Assistant Program at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, they wrote and received many grants. Laxen has a Masters in Health Care Administration from the U of Wisconsin, is a Physician Assistant and Family Nurse Practitioner. ; Samuel Schultz: An attorney with experience in administration and non-profit governance. He has previously worked with non-profits?such as the Lexington-Hamline Community Council and the League of Minnesota Cities?on matters relating to the allocation of public funds. He is currently serving as a judicial law clerk for the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He received his J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and his B.A. from Luther College, where he majored in English and Political Science. He is a lifelong participant in the arts and is a member of the League of Minnesota Poets.; Keith Williams: Has been an artist and educator since the late 1970?s. His BS in Art Education is from UW, Madison. His MFA in Ceramics is from UI, Iowa City. He creates a variety of work in different media, including mural sized work. He plays jazz sax and clarinet, but primarily he loves teaching. Williams has served on the board of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Art as Director at Large, President Elect, President and Past President and helped plan the 2019 Claytopia conference in Minneapolis.; Erin Wojciechowski: A current instructor in the Social Work Department at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Prior to this, she spent 10 years working at various nonprofits in Duluth, MN focusing on the fields of domestic violence and youth services. Before her most recent work as an instructor she served as the Executive Director for the nonprofit Mentor North and helped oversee administrative aspects of the organization.

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 Access

2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$30,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$270
Direct expenses
$30,270
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Franconia will support diverse local artists through its artist residency and public programs that foster empathy between rural and urban audiences. We will evaluate this outcome by tracking visitor data through Franconia Commons and via digital ticketing, sending post-program and on-site visitor surveys to gather qualitative and quantitative information on reach, impact, and demographics served.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Franconia connected local, state, national, and international artists and audiences through residency programs, events, and free public access. Franconia used a variety of surveys, written feedback, online data, interviews, local advisory members, artists, and consultants to collect data about its programs. Staff aggregates and presents information for internal/Board and external needs.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved proposed outcomes.
Recipient Board Members
Stacy O'Reilly, Eric Bruce, Heather Rutledge, Sharon Louden, Sara Rothholz Weiner, Rosie Kellogg, Esther Callahan, Kevin Riach, Nora Kaitfors, Beth McGuire, Meena Mangalvedhekar, Sheila Mozayeny-Hale, Susan Clayton
Project Manager
First Name
Ginger
Last Name
Porcella
Organization Name
Franconia Sculpture Park
Street Address
29836 St Croix Trl
City
Shafer
State
MN
Zip Code
55074
Phone
(651) 257-6668
Email
ginger@franconia.org
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