Artist Initiative

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Nneka Onwuzurike
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
January 2019
End Date
June 2020
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Hennepin
Hennepin
Project Overview

Artist Initiative

Project Details

Onwuzurike will continue work with a mentor to complete a draft of her first book length project, a collection of personal essays focused on the displacement of children of immigrants.

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.; 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.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Rebecca Brooks: Writer and teacher; Arts Board grantee; Scott Carpenter: Fiction writer; teacher at Carleton; Martin Cozza: Fiction writer; Arts Board grantee; Margaret Newman: Writer and teacher; Arts Board grantee; Cole Perry: Northern Minnesota novelist; Robin Rozanski: Writer; teaching artist at The Loft; Molly Sutton Kiefer: Poet, essayist, editor and publisher of Tinderbox Editions in Red Wing

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2017 Regular Session, chapter 91, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$10,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

To develop the skills to write long-form personal essays that are thematic and place-based Based on my ability to write one new essay and expand two existing essay (each at least 10,000 words in length); feedback from my mentors on my ability to open up my text with more scene and useful description. 2: To develop the skills to lead a creative nonfiction writing workshop and to facilitate discussions with other children of immigrants. Based on attendance numbers and the results of a post-workshop survey that will measure participant engagement and my ability as a teacher to guide conversations, lead prompts that inspire new writing, and teach craft methods that expand writing.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Developed my skills in writing long-form personal essays and hybrid short stories. Wrote three hybrid short stories, each at about 7,500 words. Received feedback from my writing mentor on improved skills in exposition and scene-writing. 2: To develop the skills to lead a creative nonfiction writing workshop and to facilitate discussions with other children of immigrants. Prior to my workshop, I taught three other workshops in community and got great survey feedback on my knowledge of the subject; effectiveness at teaching the material; and engagement with students. I'm more confident designing curriculum and teaching.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
achieved most of the proposed outcomes
Project Manager
First Name
Nneka
Last Name
Onwuzurike
Organization Name
Nneka Onwuzurike
State
MN
Phone
(248) 376-3202
Email
nneka.onwuzurike@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