Artist Initiative

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$9,970
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
William P. Hommeyer AKA Will Hommeyer
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
March 2016
End Date
February 2017
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Hennepin
Ramsey
Hennepin
Ramsey
Project Overview

Artist Initiative

Project Details

Hommeyer will complete Buoyancy, an intimate portrait of a woman with a rare diagnosis, in a film about cancer, courage, and chemotherapy. Screenings will take place at various locations in the Twin Cities.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Ardell Brede: Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet: Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Rebecca Davis-Lee: Touring pianist, piano and music theory teacher; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; David Glenn: Executive director of the Minnesota Project, ceramic artist; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist; Dobson West: Senior advisor, Spell Capital Partners Fund

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Layla Dowlatshahi: Playwright and Arts Board grantee; writing instructor at Normandale Community College; Denise Fick: Artist Initiative grantee; illustrator/animator/graphic designer; Dain Ingebretson: Freelance teaching artist, writer, producer; Peter Nelson: Assistant professor of new media art at Saint Olaf; Kevin Obsatz: Filmmaker and video artist; Arts Board grantee; Frank Sander: Filmmaker and multimedia artist

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2015 Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$9,970
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,500
Direct expenses
$11,470
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

I will complete a new work for exhibition in galleries, wellness centers and film festivals with the intent to generate a dialogue about illness, loss and healing. The evaluation process will include a short written audience evaluation form, Q and A session and group discussion. Facebook and web blog will also be used to generate comments about the film. 2: Because screenings will be open to the public and held in many different venues, the artists involved in the project will have an opportunity to expand their audience base. Artists will be encouraged to attend screenings and participate in Q and A. The community impact will be evaluated by written audience evaluation forms from public screenings and social media.

Measurable Outcome(s)

The grant allowed me to produce a poetic and evocative 54-minute feature documentary film. Oral and written evaluations from the audience have been my guiding marker. Following the screenings, people started to share their own stories about illness, disease, treatment, caregiving, and recovery. The honest and evocative narrative of the film seemed to both compel the audience to share their personal stories and provide a safe place in which to share.  2: Diverse audiences across the state have been introduced to the poetry and music of several Minnesota artists they were not previously familiar with. One key factor in the evolution of the project was working with two subjects who were facing significant health challenges and were not available to fully participate. Moving forward, screenings will include literary publications and music by the artists.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Project Manager
First Name
William
Last Name
Hommeyer
Organization Name
William P. Hommeyer AKA Will Hommeyer
State
MN
Phone
(612) 280-3282
Email
willhommeyer@gmail.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