Arts Education

Eric Anderson: Anderson consults on philanthropic services, family philanthropy, donor stewardship, and nonprofit capacity building. He has worked in college recruiting, alumni and development relations, and philanthropic services. Most recently, at the Minneapolis Foundation (2000 to 2022), he oversaw philanthropic support to over 1,000 fund advisors and stewardship of over 800 charitable funds. He provided an optimal experience for individuals, families, and organizations advancing their charitable work in the community.; Ginger Juel: Juel is a multimedia artist, sculptor, painter, illustrator, and designer. Juel incorporates nature and community into her artistic practice through both traditional artistry and multidisciplinary practice. She has received grant funding to host interactive art exhibits and workshops. In 2021, she earned a $10,000 grant from the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, resulting in the first local, real-time citizen air monitoring network leading to a collaborative musical air instrument.; Thalia Kostman: Kostman has been a performer and creator in the Twin Cities theater community since 2012. She studied physical theater and mime at Macalester College and Studio Magenia in Paris. Kostman is the logistics coordinator for American Immersion Theater's Minneapolis troupe. She cocreated Cecilies with Jeesun Choi at Red Eye's Works-in-Progress series, has produced shows at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, performs original mime acts in local cabarets, and has produced five original productions.; Dralandra Larkins: Larkins is a social worker at Hennepin County. Previously, she worked at the Metropolitan Council, managing a caseload for individuals receiving housing assistance. She oversaw data for small businesses, tracked contract compliance, and recruited underrepresented populations to sustainable careers. She is a spoken word poet, editor, and teaching artist. She's performed for the NAACP, Minnesota Black Authors Expo, Mill City Museum, and Button Poetry. She's a Minnesota Book Award poetry judge; coeditor of two anthologies, including Cracked Walnut's Rewilding Hope; and a Friends of Saint Paul Library program assistant. She graduated from Augsburg University with a degree in social work.; Theresa McConnon: McConnon is a retired Ramsey County social worker. She has served on several nonprofit community social services boards over the years as a volunteer. She is a patron of the arts, supports the arts in any way that she can, and has many years of experience performing in musicals at community theaters in the Twin Cities metro area. She took dance lessons in tap and jazz for many years as a child and young adult. She has served several times as a panelist for the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.; Filsan Said: Said is an early career director, playwright, and actor based in Minneapolis. She holds credits at the Southern Theater, Pangea World Theater, New Arab American Theater, Playwrights' Center, Guthrie Theater, and Penguin Random House. Said is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with concentrations in geography, theater arts, and African American/African studies. Currently, Said is an artistic and administrative apprentice at the Playwrights' Center and a part of Soomaal House of Art, a Minnesota based collective of Somali artists that fosters artistic community and mentorship and provides opportunities for emerging and established artists.