Artist Initiative
Artist Initiative
Sibhat will complete a revision of her first novel, The History of a Difficult Child, a humorous take on the tempestuous childhood of a queer woman in Ethiopia. She will also organize a bilingual writing workshop.
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.
Judith Budreau: Writer and teacher, Arts Board grantee; Karlyn Coleman: Writer; teaching artist at the Loft; Arts Board grantee; William Durbin: Poet, essayist, writer of novels for young readers; Anika Fajardo: Writer and teacher, book reviewer; Angela Foster: Poet, memoirist; Harmony Neal: Writer; Arts Board grantee; Debra Stone: Writer and educator; board member of Graywolf Press; Sarah Warren: Children's book author and educator
ACHF Arts Access
I intend to complete revisions of my novel, The History of a Difficult Child, and prepare a query letter to send to agents. The project will be deemed successful if by the end of the grant period I have a final draft of the novel and a polished query letter to send to agents. 2: I will organize a bilingual writing workshop in Amharic and English with members of the Ethiopian community in the Twin Cities, followed by a reading. This project will be deemed successful if I am able to organize a bilingual workshop in Amharic and English with six members of the Ethiopian community in the Twin Cities, followed by a well-attended public reading in both languages.
The grantee has completed revising her novel and has signed with a literary agent. The grantee completed the revision of her novel, THE HISTORY OF A DIFFICULT CHILD, during the project period. She also sent a successful query letter to an agent. The novel is due to be published in 2023 by Viking Press. 2: The grantee organized three bi-lingual workshops (in Amharic and English) but failed to complete the public reading portion. In June 2020, six people attended three two-hour-long bi-lingual workshops led by grantee. The public reading was canceled when some attendees dropped out for personal reasons. Grantee requested extension but was unable to organize another reading.