Artist Initiative
Artist Initiative
Austin will create and present a solo work about caring for an ill parent. Engaging caregivers in its development, she will create a handbook documenting the needs of the community to be presented to relevant organizations.
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.; Uri Camarena: Business consultant, Metropolitan Economic Development Association. Board chair, Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Officer at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. Secretary/Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse: Mayor of Red Wing, elected 2016. Former executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Philip McKenzie, Oboe and English horn player; adjunct oboe faculty, NDSU; Mary McReynolds-Pellinen: Executive director, Lyric Center for the Arts; coordinator, First Stage Gallery; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies.; Dobson West: Senior advisor, Spell Capital Partners Fund.; Christina Widdess: Arts organization consultant; former managing director, Penumbra Theatre. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.
Jeffrey Bleam: Associate professor of costume design and directing, Saint Cloud State University; Julia Gay: Actor, dancer, playwright, and comedian; Rachel Haider: Performing arts manager, Northfield Arts Guild; founder and director, Purple Door Youth Theater program; Paul Herwig: Coartistic director, Off-Leash Area; Arts Board grantee; Rebecca Meyer-Larson: Theater arts, language arts and speech communications teacher, Moorhead High School; William Nour: Playwright; Arts Board grantee; Fathimath Eliza Rasheed: Multidisciplinary performance artist; director of school theater program; Arts Board grantee; Benjamin Thietje: Cofounder and coartistic director of DalekoArts in New Prague
ACHF Arts Access
I will expand my capacity as a solo artist by exploring experimental performance, outside of the traditional structure of the long-form monologue. I will keep a journal of my progress throughout the workshop, utilizing post-rehearsal reflections led by Gwyneth Shanks, Supergroup, and/or Chantal Pavageaux, noting all artistic feedback and tracking my work sessions. 2: I will engage with a diverse group of caregivers, to assess much-needed areas of support, as well as reflecting those needs in my performance. Interviews with community stakeholders will be reflected in the performance, and will be compiled, along with talkbacks, into a report to be presented to social service organizations for use in developing services to meet the community's needs.
Outcome 1: I expanded my capacity as a solo artist by exploring experimental performance, outside of the traditional structure of the long-form monologue. I kept a detailed record of my work with collaborators, but the emotional work of this piece taxed me far more than I imagined at the start of the process. I utilized many more complex forms than long-form monologue, which challenged me as an artist. Outcome 2: I engaged a diverse group of caregivers, assessed much-needed areas of support, and reflected those needs in performance. I was able to engage with several caregivers who all confirmed our needs: support groups specific to young adults, community, and education/resources. Instead of passing off this information, we decided to found a new nonprofit.
Other,local or private