Artist Access Grants (INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS ONLY)

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Kayla G. Elefson AKA Kayla Schiltgen
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
May 2020
End Date
January 2021
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Lake
St. Louis
Hennepin
Lake
St. Louis
Hennepin
Project Overview

Artist Access Grants (INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS ONLY)

Project Details

Restaging of duet choreography "My I's" to be presented for performance and potential comissions.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Tammy Mattonen: visual artists, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Kayla Aubid: Native American craft artist, writer, employee at MacRostie Art Center; Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Ron Piercy: jeweler, gallery owner; Emily Swanson: arts administrator at Oldenburg Arts and Cultural Community.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Tara Makinen: Executive Director of Itasca Orchestra and Strings, musician; Amber Burns: choreographer, dancer, actor, middle school art teacher; Tammy Mattonen: visual artist, co-founder of Crescendo Youth Orchestra; Kayla Aubid: Native American craft artist, writer, employee at MacRostie Art Center; Ron Piercy: jeweler, gallery owner.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2019 First Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$1,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$1,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

1. Re-stage the duet "My I's" as a way to research the following: *How does the meaning of the work change when performed by bodies of the same gender expression? *How does costuming influence how the viewer interprets the work? *How has my voice and own journey with identity over the past eleven years impacted my choreographic lens' 2. Present "My I's" for performance 3. Continue developing my rehearsal process 4. Share and highlight professional concert dance in the Arrowhead region 5. Conduct a one hour and thirty minute dance class for the community that focuses on partnering using phrase work and concepts from the duet 6. Host a community in-progress showing of the duet that includes viewer feedback and a question and answer session 7. Create audience and artist connections in the Arrowhead region, Twin Cities, and larger Minnesota community 8. Evolve my artistic voice and communication skills 9. Have a work sample ready to submit for commissions, choreographer showcases, and funding. I will know I have been successful by: 1. Presenting "My I's" at Dances on the Lakewalk in Duluth and at "Good Night" at The Southern Theater in Minneapolis (see letters of confirmation from Doris Ressl regarding my presentation of the duet at Dances on the Lakewalk, and Sequoia Hauck from The Southern Theater regarding my presentation of the duet at "Good Night.") 2. Maintaining a rehearsal journal that includes what happened in rehearsal, successful points, and things that did not work, as well as videos of progress 3. Attendance and participation in my class and in-progress showing, recording attendance numbers at these events 4. Considering the feedback from the in-progress showing and using it to complete the duet for performance 5. Working with community members to secure rehearsal space, organize the in-progress showing, and class (see letters of confirmation from Amber Burns regarding use of the Duluth Playhouse studios for my community class, in-progress showing, and rehearsals) 6. Reflectively comparing "My I's" from 2009 and 2020 through journaling 7. Capturing high quality video and photos of performances 8. Submitting a final report to ARAC.

Measurable Outcome(s)

My project allowed me to accomplish several of my goals including re-staging the original work in order to examine my own choreographic journey, presenting my choreography for an audience, and continuing to develop my rehearsal process. By hosting a virtual screening along with a Q and A I was able to connect with the Arrowhead region, Twin Cities community, greater Minnesota and a national audience introducing them to screendance, creating connections, and highlighting artistic work happening in the Arrowhead. Holding rehearsals, production meetings, and the premiere on-line grew my communication skills immensely helping me become articulate with my artistic vision accomplishing another goal. A final goal was to have work available for potential commissions, showcases and funding. By creating a screendance I now have material on-hand to submit to both film and screendance festivals vastly broadening the audience who will see my work gaining visibility and growing my resume.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved Proposed Outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Kayla
Last Name
Elefson
Organization Name
Kayla G. Elefson AKA Kayla Schiltgen
State
MN
Phone
(651) 353-6387
Email
kayla.schiltgen@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

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