Art & Culture Live!: Community Collaborations
The Community Collaboration grants were set up as part of Art & Culture Live. They were a series of subgrants that SELCO awarded to qualifying non-profit organizations in the southeast region of Minnesota. These were competitive grants that were reviewed monthly by the Legacy Review Committee set up by SELCO/SELS Board of Directors.
The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, was passed overwhelmingly by Minnesota voters in November 2008. This electoral decision created new resources for land conservation, water conservation, parks and the arts. A portion of these funds has been appropriated to regional library systems to support programs and services at local libraries and to partner with community organizations to enrich the lives of Minnesota residents. Art & Culture Live! is one of a number of local initiatives undertaken by SELCO that are supported directly from this Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
Through a monthly application process for Community Collaboration projects, the SELCO Legacy Review Committee awards funds to libraries and library partners for arts and cultural projects, programs and events. Applications will be selected based on the quality of the partnerships and innovation, the ability to accomplish the proposed grant obligations, the inclusion of clear and measurable outcomes and the overall clarity of the application.
These appropriations are for grants allocated using existing formulas under Minnesota Statutes, section 134.355, to the 12 Minnesota Regional Library Systems, to provide educational opportunities in the arts, history, literary arts, and cultural heritage of Minnesota. No more then 2.5 percent of the funds may be used for administration by regional library systems. These funds may be used to sponsor programs provided by regional libraries, or to provide grants to local arts and cultural heritage programs for programs in partnership with regional libraries. The Department of Education, State Library Services Division shall administer these funds.