Quick Start Opportunity Grants

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$293
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Troy Rogers
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
December 2014
End Date
November 2014
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
St. Louis
Hennepin
Ramsey
St. Louis
Hennepin
Ramsey
Project Overview
Quick Start Opportunity Grants
Project Details
Travel expenses for an invited performance and workshop during Art Basel Miami. The Foundation for Emerging Technologies and the Arts Foundation, upon discovering Robot Rickshaw (a newly launched street art project that I began presenting in Duluth this fall), invited me to perform and conduct a workshop for their Street Festival, which happens at the Harold Golen Gallery in Miami's Wynwood Art District during Art Basel. This offers an excellent opportunity to present my work to an international audience of thousands of people. Given the rickshaw's size, I must drive, which I will use as an opportunity to present at other venues along the way. Funds request is for expenses (gas, lodging) incurred in travel to and from this event.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Erling Ellison: jewelry designer and creator, speech coach and judge, director of Garrison Art Fair; Ken Bloom: Director of Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota-Duluth; Janeen Carey: vocalist, retired Hibbing Community College librarian and information media specialist; Kate Fitzgerald: Program Director North Shore Music Association, writer; Peter Pestalozzi: furniture maker, wood worker; Catherine Meier: website designer, printmaker, drawer, animator; David Beard: Assistant Professor University of Minnesota-Duluth writing studies; Mark King: actor, theater reviewer, musician; Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Michelle Ronning: jewelry designer and maker; John Gregor: photographer, art educator, community art advocate; Ann Russ: music performer, community song leader, choir director, workshop leader, past director and founder of North Shore Music Association; Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Dana Mattice: Development and Communications Director of The Art Institute Duluth, Shannon Sweeney: stage manager for Duluth Playhouse and former production manager for the Minnesota Ballet; Moira Villiard: visual artist and student of arts and communication at University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Kate Fitzgerald: Program Director North Shore Music Association, writer; John Gregor: photographer, art educator, community art advocate; Peter Pestalozzi: furniture maker, wood worker; Mark King: actor, theater reviewer, musician; Dana Mattice: Development and Communications Director of The Art Institute Duluth; Adam Guggemos: graphic designer, art events promoter; Erling Ellison: jewelry designer and creator, speech coach and judge, director of Garrison Art Fair.
Conflict of Interest Contact
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Robert DeArmond (218) 722-0952
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access ACHF Cultural Heritage

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$293
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,507
Direct expenses
$1,800
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The direct goals can be simply stated as: travel to Miami, present Robot Rickshaw during the Street Festival, present workshop on robotic musical instruments, conduct at least one pop-up street performance, and any venue performances that can be scheduled on return trip to Minnesota. Also, to connect and build relationships with other artists, gallery and venue managers, and receptive fans along the way. Behind these concrete objectives lies a desire to present this work in a variety of contexts, learn from these performances, and continually improve and develop the work. Questions for evaluation and reflection on this project: Was the scheduled performance and workshop at the Street Festival in Miami a success? How many students attended the workshop? Approximately how many attendees were there at the Street Festival performance? Approximately how many people viewed and heard the work during walks through the streets of the Wynwood District? Were other scheduled and impromptu performances given in Miami and/or at other locations along the return route? What were the approximate numbers for these performances? Were new connections made with artists, venue or gallery owners/managers, and fans? Were there any commissions for new work or invitations for future performances, or was there interest expressed along these lines? Were any new opportunities for collaborations with other artists identified? Reflect upon the presentation and reception of the work during this trip. Were there adjustments, improvements, or alterations made to the instruments, music, performance, and presentation of the work for these performances? Have any future adjustments, improvements, or alterations been suggested by this experience that could be made for forthcoming performances?

Measurable Outcome(s)

Scheduled performance and workshop at the Street Festival in Miami were successful and well received. Workshop was attended by a small group of four artists. On each of two nights, approximately 250-300 people gathered on the street in front of the Harold Golen Gallery during the Robot Rickshaw performance. The second night, the police actually had to shut down the performance briefly as attendees were blocking traffic. Hundreds more were reached on walks through the streets of the Wynwood District. In addition to the planned activity of the grant proposal, additional performances were given in Miami, Tampa, Atlanta, Tuscaloosa, Nashville, and Louisville. New connections were made with artists, promoters, and gallery owners in Miami, Atlanta, Tuscaloosa, and Louisville, with interest expressed in future performances and installations. Valuable experience performing Robot Rickshaw in a variety of contexts and insightful feedback from other artists, informing future performances.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Troy
Last Name
Rogers
Organization Name
Troy Rogers
State
MN
Phone
(218) 750-4518
Email
troy@expressivemachines.com
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

424 West Superior Street, Suite 104
Duluth, MN 55802

Phone
Project Manager: Rebecca Graves
218-722-0952
Email the Agency