Arts Tour Minnesota

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$92,556
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
VocalEssence
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
March 2015
End Date
May 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Becker
Clay
Itasca
Kanabec
Otter Tail
Becker
Clay
Itasca
Kanabec
Otter Tail
Project Overview
Arts Tour Minnesota
Project Details
VocalEssence will tour River Songs and Tales with Mark Twain to four communities in northern Minnesota. The tour will include a public concert of songs inspired by the Mississippi intertwined with the stories of Mark Twain and related community activities.
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; Ellen McInnis: Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Kaitlyn Bohlin: Development manager, North House Folk School; Brenda Brown: Member, Black Storytellers Alliance, Blues City Cultural Center, Minneapolis Arts Commission. Writer, performer, and visual artist.; Jennie Knoebel: Executive director, Austin Area Commission for the Arts; Ann Reed: Singer, guitarist and songwriter, co-owner of Turtlecub Productions; John Saurer: Visual artist using sculpture, printmaking and drawing, chair, art and art history department, Saint Olaf College; Melissa Walrath: Executive director, The St. John's Boys' Choir; Jeanne Willcoxon: Assistant professor of theater, St Olaf College.; Alexander Wolff: Trombonist and executive director of operations, The Copper Street Brass Quintet
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
Yes
Conflict of Interest Contact
Executive director Sue Gens (651) 215-1600
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$92,556
Other Funds Leveraged
$31,822
Direct expenses
$124,378
Administration costs
$13,709
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

More than 1,800 people in Northern Minnesota will have access to a public concert and community engagement activities with professional artists. VocalEssence will conduct a full evaluation of the tour to assess this outcome. Methods of data collection to evaluate this outcome will include observation, interviews, and surveys. 2: Professional artists Don Shelby and the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers will have the opportunity to tour to four communities in Northern Minnesota. VocalEssence will conduct a full evaluation of the tour to assess this outcome. Methods of data collection to evaluate this outcome will include observation, interviews, and surveys.

Measurable Outcome(s)

In January-May 2016, 2,708 people in Northern Minnesota had access to a public concert and community engagement activities with professional artists. In order to evaluate tour efforts in planning quality outreach activities and concerts, VocalEssence and UpFront Consulting, Saint Joseph Minnesota, used a series of audience, workshop, activities director, venue manager, choir director, and Ensemble Signer surveys, as well as statistical tracking, to gain insight into impact on primary audiences. The data collection instruments were designed and administered by VocalEssence and UpFront Consulting performed the data analysis and final report. 2: Professional artists Don Shelby, Sara Pajunen, and twelve of the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers toured to four new communities in northern Minnesota. In order to evaluate tour efforts in planning quality outreach activities and concerts, VocalEssence and UpFront Consulting, Saint Joseph Minnesota, used a series of audience, workshop, activities director, venue manager, choir director, and Ensemble Signer surveys, as well as statistical tracking, to gain insight into impact on primary audiences. The data collection instruments were designed and administered by VocalEssence and UpFront Consulting performed the data analysis and final report.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Kathryn Roberts, Fred Moore, Jacob Wolkowitz, Roma Calatayud-Stocks, Mary Ann Aufderheide, Ann Barkelew, Traci V. Bransford, Philip Brunelle, Debbie Estes, Ann Farrell, Rick Ford, Wayne Gisslen, Art Kaemmer, Joseph Kalkman, David L. Mona, David Myers, James M. Odland, Cay Shea Hellervik, Don Shelby, Timothy Takach, Jenny L. Wade, Dorene Wernke, Judith Drobeck, Robert C. Smith
Project Manager
First Name
Elissa
Last Name
Weller
Organization Name
VocalEssence
Street Address
1900 Nicollet Ave
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Zip Code
55403
Phone
(612) 547-1452
Email
elissa@vocalessence.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