Artist Initiative

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Emily C. Johnson
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
March 2016
End Date
February 2017
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Carlton
Chisago
Crow Wing
Dakota
Hennepin
Mille Lacs
Olmsted
Ramsey
Sherburne
Washington
Anoka
Carlton
Chisago
Crow Wing
Dakota
Hennepin
Mille Lacs
Olmsted
Ramsey
Sherburne
Washington
Project Overview
Artist Initiative
Project Details
Emily Johnson will create new promotional materials to better engage greater Minnesota galleries and audiences. She will offer a public workshop to share these new strategies with other Minnesota artists.
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
Pamela Davis: Visual artist who combines weaving, metalsmithing, beading, and needlework; Paige Guggemos: Freelance graphic and web designer; printmaker; Andrew Messerschmidt: Painter; Julie Sirek: Visual artist; Eun-Kyung Suh: Art and design professor, University of Minnesota Duluth; Liza Sylvestre: Visual artist and educator; Willicey Tynes: Oil painter and sculptor
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
$10,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$10,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

To create specific media kits for galleries and audiences throughout the state to create a more sustainable creative practice. Selected recipient and peer surveys will provide feedback on the effectiveness of the various individual marketing pieces. 2: To reach a greater audience for my work in greater Minnesota communities. Success will be measured by increased placement of my work in outstate galleries, and increased engagements with galleries and audiences in person and through my website and social media.

Measurable Outcome(s)

The coupon encouraged many of my greater Minnesota clients to come to the studio to visit or use my coupon with my new online store. To find out the effectiveness of direct mailings VS email, I sent out the same coupon two different ways to my current customer base in Minnesota. One was a physical coupon included with my new marketing materials sent out to 317 customers across the state. One was a digital coupon sent out to my 850 person Minnesota email list. I counted the responses and the digital coupon had a much greater response. 2: I discovered that email marketing and digital content is the best way to reach a greater Minnesota audience. I counted the number of new and returning clients in Minnesota, the Twin Cities as well as greater Minnesota. I also used my google analytics numbers to evaluate the website.

Description of Funds
Project Manager
First Name
Emily
Last Name
Johnson
Organization Name
Emily C. Johnson
State
MN
Phone
(952) 237-3765
Email
ecdesignstudio@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