Creative Support for Organizations-Round 2

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$25,025
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Cultural Awareness Organization AKA Worthington International Festival
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
May 2023
End Date
April 2024
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Cottonwood
Faribault
Hennepin
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Lyon
Murray
Nicollet
Nobles
Ramsey
Rock
Sherburne
Watonwan
Blue Earth
Cottonwood
Faribault
Hennepin
Jackson
Kandiyohi
Lyon
Murray
Nicollet
Nobles
Ramsey
Rock
Sherburne
Watonwan
Project Overview

Creative Support for Organizations-Round 2

Project Details

The Cultural Awareness Organization will work with community leaders to present a multicultural festival that is free to the public and includes Minnesota folk and traditional performers, foods, artist booths, and children's activities.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Uri Camarena: business consultant; Michael Charron: arts educator and an arts and civic leader; Richard Cohen: attorney in private practice and a former state legislator; Emily Galusha: arts and civic leader, former arts administrator; Anthony Gardner: vice president, marketing and communications at CentraCare; Ken Martin, political strategist and campaign manager; Philip McKenzie: team lead with Denver Air, adjunct college faculty; Nichole Melton-Mitchell: healthcare administrator; Dobson West: retired attorney; Christina Widdess: nonprofit consultant; former arts administrator; Christina Woods: executive director, Duluth Art Institute

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Eric Anderson: Anderson consults on philanthropic services, family philanthropy, donor stewardship, and related projects. He has worked in college recruiting, alumni and development relations, and philanthropic services. Most recently, at The Minneapolis Foundation (2000-2022), he oversaw philanthropic support to more than 1,000 fund advisors. Anderson provided an optimal experience for individuals, families, and organizations advancing their charitable work in the community. His responsibilities included overseeing programs and services for donor advisor engagement, assisting fund advisors in achieving their charitable goals, grant screening and selection, and facilitating various projects as a center for philanthropy advancing an equitable community.; Gwendolyn Barber: Barber is the founder and director of Right to the Solution, a consulting agency for individuals and organizations aiding in development, improvement, and training. Barber has also been the director for Resources, Justice & Management and the Conflict Resolution Center, both nonprofits, serving the Twins Cities metro area. Barber is an honors graduate of Walden University with a master's in business administration focused on management, development, and improvement. Barber is a candidate for her doctor's degree completing all her course work with a 4.0 GPA. She has been part of the National Honor Society since 2013.; Irene Green: Green became executive director of the O'Shaughnessy in July 2022, after nearly twenty years of professional work in the arts, both as an artist and administrator. Most recently, she was the managing director at Northern Stage in White River Junction, Vermont. During her nine year tenure at Northern Stage, Green served as director of sales and marketing and worked occasionally as a professional actor in the area. She was named a "Top 40 Under 40" by Vermont Business Magazine in 2020. Green holds a master of arts with distinction in musical theater from the Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London (UK), and a BA in theater and music from Luther College (Decorah, IA).; Jlasnoti Jappah: Jappah is a singer songwriter whose musical style combines the soulfulness of R&B, the fluidity of pop, and the authentic rhythms of Afropop music. She's won the award for Female Artist of the Year at the annual Liberian Music Awards and Star Power of the year at the African Girls Rock awards hosted in Minnesota. With an immaculate stage presence, she's captivated audiences on stages such as the Poorhouse, Myth, and First Avenue. Jappah shows her versatility by including sounds from various genres while highlighting her African roots.; Thalia Kostman: Kostman is a coartistic director of Phantom Chorus Theater and has been a performer and creator in the Twin Cities theater community since 2012. During this time, she has worked with several organizations including her time coordinating with Brooklyn Center Community Center's Puppet Playhouse and serving as assistant director for American Immersion Theater's Minneapolis Troupe. Kostman also cocreated "Cecilies? with Jeesun Choi at Red Eye's Works In Progress series, produced shows at the Minnesota Fringe Festival, and performs original mime acts with the Twin Cities Clown Cabaret. She studied physical theater and mime at Macalester College, graduating with a theater major and francophone studies minor. She further trained in mime at Studio Magenia in Paris.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
Yes
Conflict of Interest Contact

Executive director Sue Gens (651) 539-2650

Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2021, First Special Session, chapter 1, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2023 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$25,025
Other Funds Leveraged
$321
Direct expenses
$25,346
Administration costs
$2,180
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Attendees will have meaningful arts experiences at the Worthington International Festival. A random survey distributed at the Festival will question whether attendees felt Minnesota communities are strengthened or enriched by arts festivals such as the International Festival.

Measurable Outcome(s)

98% of survey participants agreed that their community was strengthen through the International Festival. A random survey was given to audience participants.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved proposed outcomes.
Recipient Board Members
Kris Hohensee, Leann Zins Enninga, Lakeyta Swinea, Ricky Mojekwu
Project Manager
First Name
Monique
Last Name
Swinea
Organization Name
Cultural Awareness Organization
Street Address
700 2nd Ave
City
Worthington
State
MN
Zip Code
56187
Phone
(507) 350-4996
Email
lakeyta.swinea@isd518.net
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