Community Arts

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$5,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
North Suburban Chorus
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
January 2016
End Date
December 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Hennepin
Ramsey
Anoka
Dakota
Washington
Hennepin
Ramsey
Anoka
Dakota
Washington
Project Overview
Community Arts
Project Details
Funding for more than 50 live interactive performances by seniors, for seniors. Performances will take place in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, senior housing, and other venues throughout the metro area between January and December 2016.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Julie Andersen: Eagan Art House Executive Director; Jill Anfang: Roseville Parks and Recreation Program Director; Bethany Brunsell: Music teacher and performer; Shelly Chamberlain: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Operations Director; Marisol Chiclana-Ayla: Artist, Board Chair El Arco Iris; Anthony Galloway: Actor, storyteller, West Metro Education Program; Jamil Jude: Theatre artist; Tricia Khutoretsky: Public Functionary Curator and Co-Director; Peter Leggett: Walker West Music Academy Executive Director; Dayna Martinez: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts; Coleen McLaughlin: Arts Midwest Director of External Relations; Tom Moffatt: Silverwood Park Supervisor; Kathy Mouacheupao: Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation Cultural Corridor Coordinator; Adam Napoli-Rangel: Artist; Heather Rutledge: ArtReach Saint Croix Executive Director; Andrea Sjogren: Hopkins Public Schools Youth Programs Coordinator; Dameun Strange: Composer and performer; Melissa Wright: Twin Cities Public Television.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Cassandra Shore: Artistic, community service, general management; Melissa Bleeker: Fundraising, artistic; Kim Ford: Artistic, Community Education, community service, education; Bob Bierscheid: General management, community service, organizational development; Jen Krava: General management, community service, artistic; Liane Olson: General management, fundraising, Community Education; Sarah Wiechmann: Education; Tio Aiken: General management, audience development; Bjorn Arneson: General management, computer systems, finance.
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
$5,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$9,725
Direct expenses
$14,725
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

45 singers perform for 2000 seniors at approximately 50 venues each year. Audiences frequently ask us to return and we do repeat performances at the same places each year. We maintain a count of singers and audiences at each venue. Our director gives the singers feedback after each performance.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Our goal was to sing at 50+ venues and during the project period. We exceeded that goal by singing at no less than 54 senior sites. In addition, we sang at 6 preschool sites, a slightly different program, but equally well received ("The kids talked about our performance for many weeks afterward.") We performed music from show tunes, swing, rock and roll, old standards, polka, jazz, patriotic and holiday for senior audiences who would often comment, "This is the best program we've heard here yet!" It might be forgetfulness on their part, or, as we believe, our songs and the way they are presented touch their hearts and lighten their day. The only down side to our year was a slightly lower than normal turnout of our singers. It seemed the same small group of 20-25 showed up at performances. We have nearly 40 singers. This is always a challenge with busy senior schedules. We continue to challenge them to make the performances fun and rehearsals educational, or as one singer described them, "a free music lesson!" At each performance we saw many seniors in wheelchairs, coming to the performance in walkers and some who needed assistance, so YES, we reached the audiences we intended. Although all our singers come mostly from northern European ethnic background, the same cannot be said for our audiences, which are very diverse. Although the audiences are primarily seniors, they come from various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. For example, some sites are senior condos or cooperatives and others are low income care facilities. Minnesota is becoming more diverse ethnically, and all our sites reflect this diversity. We need to concentrate on making our own chorus more diverse ethnically. That said, we have seniors in our chorus of all levels of health--some seem easily confused and need extra help in organizing music and getting to performances. We have volunteers who drive others and help them with music, making it possible for any senior who wants to sing with us able to join us in our mission. At the Como Dockside performance on June 27, 2016 there were 187 in the audience. We handed out words to a 1919 love song, "If You Were the only Girl in the World" and many sang along, much to everyone's surprise. Our 40th Anniversary Dinner and Show on October 14, 2016 had over 200 guests who responded with over $600 in donations (after paying $30 to come). Our chorus turned out 30 singers.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Edward Breems, Roberta Williams, Janet Tietge, Jean Allen, Mary Benkufsky, Robert Schmidt
Project Manager
First Name
Jean
Last Name
Allen
Organization Name
North Suburban Chorus
Street Address
2580 Kenzie Ter
City
St Anthony
State
MN
Zip Code
55418
Phone
(612) 382-9283
Email
jallen6080@gmail.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

PO Box 14106
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114 

Phone
Project Manager: Kathy Mouacheupao
651-645-0402
Email the Agency