Arts Access

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$85,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Mixed Blood Theatre Company
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
January 2015
End Date
July 2015
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Dakota
Hennepin
Le Sueur
Nobles
Ramsey
Sherburne
Stearns
St. Louis
Washington
Anoka
Dakota
Hennepin
Le Sueur
Nobles
Ramsey
Sherburne
Stearns
St. Louis
Washington
Project Overview
Arts Access
Project Details
Pursuing its role as an anchor in its Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, Mixed Blood will produce, present, and host new plays by, about, for, and with Africans and Muslims in America, in its historic firehouse theater and throughout the state of Minnesota.
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.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Rebecca Davis-Lee: Touring pianist, piano and music theory teacher; Wendy Dayton: Arts and community leader and philanthropist.; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; David Glenn: Executive director of the Minnesota Project, ceramic artist; Ellen McInnis: Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Susan Berdahl: Director of marketing and communications, St. David's Center; Laurel Bradley: Director and curator, Perlman Teaching Museum, Carleton College; Mary Flicek: Arts administrator, board member, River Junctions Arts Council; Scott Gilbert: Theater artist and educator, director and producer, Segue Productions; Nicole Helget: Memoir and fiction writer, Mankato; Elizabeth Larson: Arts administrator, Bach Society of Minnesota, freelance musician; Larry Retzlaff: Landscape painting artist, portrait photographer, cofounder of Third Life Studio, and founder, Q1 Gallery, Minneapolis; Emily Wright: Managing director, Minnesota Guitar Society
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$85,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$130,716
Direct expenses
$215,716
Administration costs
$8,717
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Mixed Blood Theatre draws 300 self-identified Africans and Muslims to the seven featured plays. Audience survey will query for race, religion, previous experience with theatre; tally of African/Muslim attendance at seven plays; tally of FULL audience who come to Mixed Blood Theatre for first time during these shows. 2: Content of seven plays, Muslim and African actors and artist/liaison's outreach overcome barriers of cultural relevance and lack of familiarity with theatre. Record of artist/liaison outreach; audience survey queries race, religion, experience with any theatre in the past, reasons for attendance; impressions of show(s).

Measurable Outcome(s)

Approximately 2,390 guests attended the seven plays with 7% of those audiences being African/Muslim guests. Approximately 24% were first-time visitors to MBT. Since the launch of Radical Hospitality in 2011, Mixed Blood's survey methods have become a core part of institutional practice and have garnered a successful 90% return rate. Survey results are compiled, analyzed and extrapolated to give staff and board information about both quantitative and qualitative success. Like most elements of Mixed Blood's work, the process and use of the surveying tools continues to evolve to discover better, more accurate and detailed practices. 2: The content of the seven plays told relevant stories by, for, about and with Africans and Muslims in America to a total audience of approximately 2,390 people. In addition to Mixed Blood's traditional survey methods that are implemented, assessed and extrapolated, this particular effort increased its attention to qualitative results. Led by Mixed Blood's Community Liaison and Producer-in-Residence, regular conversations with community members about content, outreach methods and perceived success were institutionally internalized and documented. The sum of this data resulted in drawn conclusions about future programming and space use for community purpose.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Tabitha Montgomery, Deb Bryan, Eric Hyde, Molly Bott, Warren Bowles, Yolanda Cotterall, Sheila Gore Dennis, Pj Doyle, Diana Hellerman, K David Hirschey, Sarah Kilibarda, Nancy Koo, Robert Lunning, Susan P. Mackay, Jack Reuler, Jeff Schuur, Eviano Useh, Gauri Vardhan Yedla, Charles `Chad` Weinstein, Kathleen Westerhaus
Project Manager
First Name
Whitney
Last Name
Rhodes
Organization Name
Mixed Blood Theatre Company
Street Address
1501 S 4th St
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Phone
(612) 338-7106
Email
whitney@mixedblood.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