Artist Initiative

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Gao Vang
Recipient Type
Individual
Status
Completed
Start Date
January 2020
End Date
June 2021
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Ramsey
Ramsey
Project Overview

Artist Initiative

Project Details

Vang will complete a revision of her first book, The Path of Men, a Hmong-American family memoir. She will organize a writing workshop and conduct a reading within the Twin Cities.

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.; Uri Camarena: Business consultant, Metropolitan Economic Development Association. Board chair, Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, 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. Secretary/Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Mary McReynolds-Pellinen: Executive director, Lyric Center for the Arts; coordinator, First Stage Gallery. Officer at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; 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.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Venus de Mars: Multidisciplinary artist and musician; Carson Faust: Teacher with Cow Tipping Press; Arts Board grantee; Vanessa Ramos: Writer, artist, educator; Arts Board grantee; Glenda Reed: Writer and educator; Arts Board grantee; Erin Sharkey: Writer, graphic designer, cultural producer; Molly Sutton Kiefer: Poet, essayist, editor and publisher of Tinderbox Editions in Red Wing; Diane Wilson: Dakota writer and educator

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2019 First Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$10,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$10,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

I will complete a revision of my Hmong-American family memoir and draft a book proposal. I will consider my project successful if I complete my research and a thorough revision of my manuscript so that it is ready to be looked over by literary agents by the end of the grant period. 2: I will organize a workshop and public reading in the Twin Cities for diverse writers to share their work and get feedback. I will survey attendees at the workshop to ensure they are getting significant feedback for revision and creative inspiration for their work. I will track attendance at the reading and encourage audience and artist interaction.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Gao Vang gave her Hmong-American family memoir a refresh and is exploring telling the story in multiple genres. Gao Vang is using a mix of poetry, visual art, and long form narration to tell her family's story. 2: before the pandemic we had several meetings and workshops where we shared poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and screenwriting. We shifted to online. regular meetings with BIPOC writers were held.

Project Manager
First Name
Gao
Last Name
Vang
Organization Name
Gao Vang
State
MN
Phone
(612) 986-9482
Email
vangx839@umn.edu
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