Arts Tour Minnesota

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$69,265
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Illusion Theater and School, Inc. AKA Illusion Theater
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
June 2016
End Date
April 2017
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Crow Wing
Faribault
Isanti
Itasca
Lac qui Parle
Rice
St. Louis
Blue Earth
Crow Wing
Faribault
Isanti
Itasca
Lac qui Parle
Rice
St. Louis
Project Overview
Arts Tour Minnesota
Project Details
Illusion Theater will tour the eye-opening production Thurgood, based on the life of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, to ten sites in Minnesota.
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; 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; Dobson West: Senior advisor, Spell Capital Partners Fund
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Dan Guida: Executive director of Red Wing Arts Association; Gina Kundan: Director, Center for Health Interprofessional Programs, University of Minnesota; Board chair, Ananya Dance Theatre; Noelle Lawton: Executive director, Twin Rivers Council for the Arts; Kathleen Ray: Former executive director, Central Square Cultural and Civic Center; theater artist and playwright; Christine Tschida: Director of Northrop, University of Minnesota
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 Access

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$69,265
Other Funds Leveraged
$24,919
Direct expenses
$94,184
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Illusion will tour THURGOOD to ten communities in Minnesota, three new to Illusion, and build relationships for future touring. Illusion will maintain records of the sites where it tours. Illusion will conduct interviews with partners to determine satisfaction with the project and desire to partner Illusion in the future. 2: 2,200 individuals in greater Minnesota will see THURGOOD in public and school performances and engage with the play in discussions. Presenter box office records at public performances; Attendance records school performances; Estimated counts of audiences who participate in facilitated discussions.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Illusion performed THURGOOD 14 times in eight communities (three communities were new to Illusion), and we built relationships for future touring. Illusion's Producing Executive Director Michael Robins and the tour booking agent, Jayne Robins, conducted debriefing sessions with each of the presenters for the THURGOOD tour to determine their interest in future Illusion productions. All conversations were extremely positive, and as the presenters in Blue Earth told us: Your cast and crew are top notch - a pleasure to work with. Thank you for your dedication and efforts in bringing your live theater to rural Minnesota! 2: 3,020 individuals in greater Minnesota saw Illusion's production of THURGOOD in public and school performances, and engaged with the play via discussions. Illusion and our presenting partners maintained accurate records of attendees (community and school shows) for performances of THURGOOD. We had discussions with the audiences and received `after-the-experience` feedback. We also conducted debriefing interviews with each venue following performances. All of this input was positive and confirmed that the tour, our relationships with the audiences and the sponsors achieved our proposed outcomes.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Stan Alleyne, Anthony Bohaty, Emily Bridges, Willie Bridges, Barbara Brin, Amy Brenengen, Danielle Marie Clarke, Mandi Crane, Dani P. Deering, Pat Dunleavy, Keith Halperin, Tim Johnson, Lori Liss, Christopher Madel, Vivian Martin, Bonnie Morris, Katie Otto, Emily Palmer, Therese Pautz, Jeffrey Rabkin, Michael H. Robins, Rebecca F. Schiller, Susan Shapiro, Tracy M. Smith, David Stamps, Erica V. Stein, Robin Stein, Susan Thurston, Christopher Wurtz
Project Manager
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Robins
Organization Name
Illusion Theater and School, Inc. AKA Illusion Theater
Street Address
528 Hennepin Ave Ste 704
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Zip Code
55403-1814
Phone
(612) 339-4944x 208
Email
mrobins@illusiontheater.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