Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Old Town Collaborative AKA Old Town Day of the Dead
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
October 2023
End Date
October 2023
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Le Sueur
Le Sueur
Blue Earth
Le Sueur
Le Sueur
Project Overview

Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details

They will host the A Dia De Los Muertos festival outdoors in Mankato, October 2023. There will be traditional Latino Day of the Dead activities, a vendor market, and ethnic dance and music performances. Funds will be used for artist fees.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Tom Davis Barna: writer, director, producer and actor, has created many theatrical and musical productions, staged readings, and published works as a children's author; Carolyn Borgen: musician and string bass instructor and board member of the New Ulm Figure Skating Club; 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: Web Editor at University of Minnesota Extension, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; 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 at Le Sueur Henderson schools and 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; 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; 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; Sandy Sunde: retired Language Arts teacher and high school musical director, member of Uniting Cultures Community Theater Board and CAPP-Comprehensive Arts Planning Program; Bethany Truman: southern regional representative for the Minnesota Hip Hop Coalition and serves on the board for The Mankato Makerspace; Mark Wamma: Music Director and Operations Director for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, teaches violin and viola, and a founding member of the Two Rivers Community Orchestra and River Valley String Quartet.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Tom Davis Barna: writer, director, producer and actor, has created many theatrical and musical productions, staged readings, and published works as a children's author; Carolyn Borgen: musician and string bass instructor and board member of the New Ulm Figure Skating Club; 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: Web Editor at University of Minnesota Extension, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; 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 at Le Sueur Henderson schools and 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; 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; 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; Sandy Sunde: retired Language Arts teacher and high school musical director, member of Uniting Cultures Community Theater Board and CAPP-Comprehensive Arts Planning Program; Bethany Truman: southern regional representative for the Minnesota Hip Hop Coalition and serves on the board for The Mankato Makerspace; Mark Wamma: Music Director and Operations Director for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra, teaches violin and viola, and a founding member of the Two Rivers Community Orchestra and River Valley String Quartet.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage

2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$23,220
Direct expenses
$30,220
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The number of Minnesotans who are able to participate in the arts increases. The quality, types and number of arts opportunities in our region, and the organizations or venues that offer them increases. 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. The number of Minnesotans who participate in arts festivals and folk and traditional activities increases. The variety and number of festivals and traditional arts activities in our region/state increases. The Visit Mankato organization has been helpful to us in measuring the number of visitors we have had. Collecting data from all participating parties will help the event committee learn from the survey.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Visit Mankato is producing a survey that will be distributed to help tactically decide future outcomes and strategies. Preliminary survey evaluation points to a desire to move the festival back to the street

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved proposed outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Recipient Board Members
Stephanie Braun, Martha Croyle, Alex Ek, Jennifer Ek, Justin Ek, Paul Lopez, Casey Nietzel, Reyna Thomas, Julio Zelaya
Project Manager
First Name
Justin
Last Name
Ek
Organization Name
Old Town Collaborative AKA Old Town Day of the Dead
Street Address
629 N Riverfront Dr
City
Mankato
State
MN
Zip Code
56001
Phone
(507) 382-9017
Email
justinek90@yahoo.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
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