Arts and Cultural Heritage
Arts and Cultural Heritage
They will sponsor the Singing Hills Chorus for people with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias and their care partners. They have two chorus sessions, concerts, and Summer SingAlongs. Funds will be used for artist fees, rental fees, and publicity.
Steve Davis: musician and 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; Julie Forderer: retired elementary and special education teacher at United South Central Public School, Wells, choreographer for school musicals and community theater events; 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; Diana Joseph: author and College Professor of Creative Writing and Humanities at Minnesota State University, Mankato, active with Open Arts Minnesota and LitReach; Karen Krause: visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Liz Miller: visual artist and College Professor of Art at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Larry Pint: board member of the Minnesota Association of Community Theaters, member of American Association of Community Theater and New Prague Arts Council, and past board member for Curtain Call Theatre; Rita Rassbach: past Executive Director for the Mankato Ballet Company and past board member of Merely Players Community Theater and Creative Play Place; Dana Sikkila: visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Bethany Steffl: Principal, music, art, and choir teacher at St. Raphael School, Springfield, Board Member of the Springfield Community Theater, and a jewelry artist.
Steve Davis: musician and 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; Julie Forderer: retired elementary and special education teacher at United South Central Public School, Wells, choreographer for school musicals and community theater events; 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; Diana Joseph: author and College Professor of Creative Writing and Humanities at Minnesota State University, Mankato, active with Open Arts Minnesota and LitReach; Karen Krause: visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Liz Miller: visual artist and College Professor of Art at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Larry Pint: board member of the Minnesota Association of Community Theaters, member of American Association of Community Theater and New Prague Arts Council, and past board member for Curtain Call Theatre; Rita Rassbach: past Executive Director for the Mankato Ballet Company and past board member of Merely Players Community Theater and Creative Play Place; Dana Sikkila: visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Bethany Steffl: Principal, music, art, and choir teacher at St. Raphael School, Springfield, Board Member of the Springfield Community Theater, and a jewelry artist.
ACHF Arts Access
Real or perceived barriers to arts participation and arts access are identified and addressed. New relationships with members of groups that have traditionally been underserved by the arts or by the applicant organization are built. Surveys developed and used in past years will continue to be used, questions specifically related to COVID19 were added last year. These pre- and post-surveys were specifically designed for the three types of members in the chorus: People living with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, care partners and volunteers. New and returning chorus members will be invited to participate in the on-going study, each session. We believe it is important to survey returning members to explore the experiences of chorus participants, including those with Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, which are progressive diseases. Chorus members will complete surveys at the beginning and ending of each chorus session. Surveys will be administered virtually or via phone if we are not able to meet in person.
We distributed surveys at our concerts and to our students to garner feedback. The concert surveys were available in print and digitally on our website and via a QR code when scanned with a smartphone. Student surveys were sent electronically via email to students and parents. Data was collected in Google Forms. The responses evaluate the quality of the performances, the enjoyability of the musical selections, gather demographic information, and leave room for open comments. Our audience is primarily composed of our student's families. The ratio of new to returning audience members is higher than anticipated this season. This can be attributed to new families joining our organization following the pandemic. Our outreach concerts to Blue Earth and Winthrop also helped to engage a new audience.
Other,local or private