Artist Initiative

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2019 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
April L. Sellers
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
January 2019
End Date
December 2019
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Hennepin
Ramsey
St. Louis
Hennepin
Ramsey
St. Louis
Project Overview

Artist Initiative

Project Details

The April Sellers Dance Collective will engage with audiences about their creative process through live performance and a video blog while in residence at Tofte Lake Center in Ely.

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

Anne Adabra: Founder and chair, Minnesota Haitian Cultural Center; social studies teacher; dancer and storyteller; Ann Marie Deutz: Dancer and dance instructor; certified personal trainer; Heather Klopchin: Associate professor and chair of St Olaf College dance department; Sharika Kurumathur: Dancer trained in India and Minnesota; Rachmi Diyah Larasati: Associate professor, U of MN dance department; Jill Patterson: Teaches dance at Gustavus

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
$3,637
Direct expenses
$13,637
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

I will complete the first stage of a dance that explores gender through the notion of Hollywood Fem, deepening my process for developing character. In addition to three public performances where we will garner feedback, the process of creating the work will be measured by online feedback gained from an interactive blog. 2: I will engage meaningfully with a broad Minnesota audience via live performances and an online blog about the process of creating art. In addition to seeking input from audience members who see the work in person and through the online blog, we will conduct a survey about the effectiveness of the blog for creating discussion.

Measurable Outcome(s)

The April Sellers Dance Collective deepened their process for creating collaborative works while in residence at Tofte Lake Center in Ely Minnesota. Working in residence with my dancers sped up the process of accessing vulnerability and teaching my aesthetic this has allowed for a shorter rehearsal period ultimately having a positive impact on the cost of making the work. 2: While in residence at Tofte Lake Center, in Ely Minnesota the April Sellers Dance Collective expanded their audience through live performance and video blog. Filming daily rehearsals, interviews with the dancers and hosting online feedback forums allowed for a deepening dialogue with a greater Minnesota audience about not only the ideas of the piece but the process for creating it.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
achieved proposed outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Project Manager
First Name
April
Last Name
Sellers
Organization Name
April L. Sellers
State
MN
Phone
(612) 558-8209
Email
aprilsellersdc@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