Arts Learning

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$150,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
CLIMB Theatre, Inc. AKA CLIMB Theatre
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
September 2015
End Date
August 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Becker
Beltrami
Cass
Chisago
Douglas
Fillmore
Hennepin
Hubbard
Kanabec
Kittson
Lake of the Woods
Mahnomen
Marshall
Martin
Morrison
Mower
Murray
Pennington
Polk
Roseau
Scott
St. Louis
Wright
Anoka
Becker
Beltrami
Cass
Chisago
Douglas
Fillmore
Hennepin
Hubbard
Kanabec
Kittson
Lake of the Woods
Mahnomen
Marshall
Martin
Morrison
Mower
Murray
Pennington
Polk
Roseau
Scott
St. Louis
Wright
Project Overview
Arts Learning
Project Details
CLIMB works with 3,500 preschoolers who learn about character, ensemble, and plot so they can create and perform their own play. Kids get inspiration from the characters and plots of Faraway Woods©, a podcasted audio drama.
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; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Alyssa Baguss: Arts programming coordinator, Three Rivers Park District/Silverwood Park; visual artist; Scott Bean: Retired elementary art teacher; practicing artist; David Beard: Associate professor of rhetoric, writing studies department, University of Minnesota, Duluth; Jeffrey Bleam: Chair, department of theatre and film studies, Saint Cloud State University; Joan Eisenreich: Retired director, Mankato Public Schools Community Education and Recreation program; Robert Ouren, Dr.: Retired music educator
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2015 Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Education

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$150,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$22,204
Direct expenses
$172,204
Administration costs
$33,613
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.61
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

During six classes with Actor-Educators, partner preschools’ kids learn six theatre terms and develop storytelling, ensemble and characterization skills. Preschoolers show increased knowledge of terms via pre/post tests. Using standards-based rubrics, teachers evaluate skills on first and last visits. Third-party arts educators review filmed plays. 2: 500 kids/parents not enrolled in partner schools hear two plus podcasts; 250 do one plus podcast art activities. 50% of parents say their kids know more about art. Via online surveys, preschool teachers, parents report the number of podcasts and completed arts activities children do. Parent, teacher survey responses indicate quality of engagement/arts learning.

Measurable Outcome(s)

3,012 Preschoolers developed skills in characterization, storytelling, and ensemble and learned six theatre terms. To evaluate this outcome CLIMB used: Pre- and post-tests evaluated students' understanding of six theatre terms; Pre/post rubrics completed by teachers evaluated theatre skills growth; Evaluations completed by third party theatre for youth experts to evaluate the artistry of the student's skills; Actor Educators' journals tracked students' growth; Teacher surveys monitored class quality; and Pre/Post evaluation occurred in the 1st and 6th class. Third party experts watched six videos of final plays. 2: 719 people listened to at least two podcasts and 62% of completed surveys say their kids know more about art. CLIMB used google analytics and tracked listens/downloads of the podcast on our distribution platforms. To distinguish between Minnesota State Arts Board partner schools and generally audiences, CLIMB created a webpage only accessible to schools as part of this grant. A digital survey was placed on the website to retrieve more specific data about the podcasts effectiveness, whether the follow-up activities were used, and if people felt the program taught about art. These surveys were incentivized, but the return rate was low.

Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
James Gambone, Representative Joseph Atkins, Bonnie Matson, Milan Mockovak, James Olney, William Partlan, Christine Walsh, Peg Wetli
Project Manager
First Name
Lauren
Last Name
Diesch
Organization Name
CLIMB Theatre, Inc. AKA CLIMB Theatre
Street Address
6415 Carmen Ave E
City
Inver Grove Heights
State
MN
Phone
(651) 453-9275x 19
Email
lauren@climb.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