Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Fairmont Opera House, Inc. AKA Fairmont Opera House
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
September 2019
End Date
February 2020
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Brown
Cottonwood
Faribault
Jackson
Martin
Nicollet
Waseca
Watonwan
Blue Earth
Brown
Cottonwood
Faribault
Jackson
Martin
Nicollet
Waseca
Watonwan
Project Overview

Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details

They will purchase and install a Compliance Hearing Assistance System (to maintain ADA compliance), two stage foggers, cabling, and a haze machine to enhance the patron experience at the Opera House.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Steve Davis: member of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and Minnesota State University/Community Orchestra, volunteer for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra and New Ulm Suzuki School of Music; Denice Evers: retired teacher and volunteer with the Springfield Community Theater; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Martin County 4-H Coordinator, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; Teresa Konechne: interdisciplinary media artist, co-founder of Henderson CAN (Community. Art. Nature.) and founder of Wicked Questions, a non-profit about art and conversation on climate and change; Karen Krause: a visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; Margie Larson: a visual artist and retired coordinator in the International Students Office at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Charles Luedtke: retired college Professor of Music, New Ulm and member of the Sioux Trails Chapter, American Guild of Organists; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; Liz Miller: a visual artist and college Professor of Art at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Rita Rassbach: recent interim Executive Director for the Mankato Ballet Company and past board member of Merely Players Community Theater and Creative Play Place; Dana Sikkila: a visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Carol Soma: retired Language Arts teacher and volunteer with the Kee Civic Theatre.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Steve Davis: member of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and Minnesota State University/Community Orchestra, volunteer for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra and New Ulm Suzuki School of Music; Denice Evers: retired teacher and volunteer with the Springfield Community Theater; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Martin County 4-H Coordinator, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; Teresa Konechne: interdisciplinary media artist, co-founder of Henderson CAN (Community. Art. Nature.) and founder of Wicked Questions, a non-profit about art and conversation on climate and change; Karen Krause: a visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; Margie Larson: a visual artist and retired coordinator in the International Students Office at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Charles Luedtke: retired college Professor of Music, New Ulm and member of the Sioux Trails Chapter, American Guild of Organists; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; Liz Miller: a visual artist and college Professor of Art at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Rita Rassbach: recent interim Executive Director for the Mankato Ballet Company and past board member of Merely Players Community Theater and Creative Play Place; Dana Sikkila: a visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Carol Soma: retired Language Arts teacher and volunteer with the Kee Civic Theatre.

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
$7,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$7,100
Direct expenses
$14,100
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The number of Minnesotans who are able to participate in the arts increases. Real or perceived barriers to arts participation and arts access are identified and addressed. The number of Minnesotans who are engaged in arts education and learning opportunities increases. We will create, distribute and tabulate the results of two surveys designed to measure how successfully we have met our goals. One survey will be for patrons to evaluate their experience as audience members. The other survey will be for artists and patrons to evaluate their experience with the new equipment and whether or not it has enhanced their performance.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Surveys were distributed in programs, with patrons submitting them during intermission and after the performance. ED Potthoff tabulated the results and submitted them to the Board for review. It was learned that accessibility is a priority for the audience, especially since the majority of the population attending and completing surveys were 65+. Finally, it was learned how patrons find out about the Opera House and its events which will help inform a marketing plan.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved Most of the Proposed Outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Recipient Board Members
Michael Edman, Adam Hinz, Beth Neist, Bryon Nelson, Justin Miller, Jane Reiman, Heidi Thomas, JoAnn Woodward
Project Manager
First Name
Blake
Last Name
Potthoff
Organization Name
The Fairmont Opera House, Inc. AKA Fairmont Opera House
Street Address
45 Downtown Plz PO Box 226
City
Fairmont
State
MN
Zip Code
56031-0226
Phone
(507) 238-4900
Email
director@fairmontoperahouse.org
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
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency