Art Project Grant

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$3,375
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Renegade Theater Company
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
May 2015
End Date
October 2015
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
St. Louis
St. Louis
Project Overview
Art Project Grant
Project Details
Eastland: A New Musical. Renegade Theater Company seeks Arrowhead Regional Arts Council support for their production of Eastland: A New Musical. This brand-new American Folk Musical premiered at the Lookingglass Theater in Chicago in 2013, and this would be the second production in history. Renegade seeks support to aid in the creation of orchestrations for this new musical, and to aid in their development of an orchestra featuring instruments created from found objects native to the shipping and boating industry. This production will feature the talents of an all-local cast and crew and offer both local artists and audiences an exceptionally rare opportunity to be a part of the further development of a new American Folk musical.
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; 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
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; David Beard: Assistant Professor University of Minnesota-Duluth writing studies; Mark King: actor, theater reviewer, musician; 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; Dana Mattice: Development and Communications Director of The Art Institute Duluth; Moira Villiard: visual artist and student of arts and communication at University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$3,375
Other Funds Leveraged
$17,925
Direct expenses
$21,300
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Renegade Theater Company is committed to offering unprecedented opportunities for local artists to learn and grow in their chosen fields. This production will require the creation of new orchestrations, the building and development of an orchestra from found objects and the training of a cast in not only acting, but playing the score. It will also offer them the chance to work on a brand-new script. This is the type of opportunity that wouldn't exist if we didn't. This production will offer local audiences the chance to see a brand-new musical. This type of opportunity is exceptionally rare in a community like ours and local audiences would not have this opportunity if we did not exist. Renegade will solicit audience feedback in a variety of means (online and in-person) as well as collect box office reports and analyze them against past seasons and similar productions. We will determine this production to be a success if we receive favorable audience response and see a strong box office result. We will also determine this production a success if we are able to expose our local audience to a brand-new American folk musical. We will solicit feedback from our cast and crew. We will determine this production a success if we are able to realize our production featuring new orchestrations, a score played on found objects and a cast integrated into the playing of the score.

Measurable Outcome(s)

SHORT: We anticipate audience growth for this musical production, which has historical significance and potential reach beyond our core audience. This will be measured by box office reporting. We anticipate strong audience and community engagement and awareness for this production for the same reasons stated above. This will be measured by observable social media, traditional media and web presence as well as box office reporting. We anticipate an exciting and inspiring experience for the cast and crew in the development and execution of this creative and imaginative production. This will be measured by the solicited responses of the cast and crew as they are working on the production. LONG: We anticipate this production will allow us to reach new audiences and convert them to regular patrons due to the historical significance, the timeliness of our production, as well as the fact that we are the second company in history to tackle this show that received nationwide acclaim and recognition in its initial production. This will be measured by an expected overall increase in year-to-year ticket sales. We anticipate this production will allow us to grow as an organization both in terms of box office revenue and in terms of artistic capability. We will measure this by year-to-year box office reporting as well as observations of our artistic abilities and capabilities in design, acting, directing, musicianship and marketing. We anticipate this production will allow local artists to grow and expand their abilities by developing their skills as actors, designers and musicians. We also anticipate the offering of work of this type will entice artists to stay in our community. We will measure this anecdotally by keeping tabs on local artists and their work.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Anika Thompson, J Steve Nys, Angela Shields, Kendra Carlson, Lacy Habdas, Drew Digby
Project Manager
First Name
Katy
Last Name
Helbacka
Organization Name
Renegade Theater Company
Street Address
222 Superior St E
City
Duluth
State
MN
Zip Code
55802
Phone
(218) 499-9782
Email
katyhelbacka@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
Location

424 West Superior Street, Suite 104
Duluth, MN 55802

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