Cultural Expression

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2025 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$25,000
Recipient
India Association of Minnesota
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
In Progress
Start Date
March 2025
End Date
February 2026
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Ramsey
Ramsey
Project Overview

Cultural Expression

Project Details

India Association of Minnesota will celebrate IndiaFest 2025, a free event showcasing the arts and culture of India with live Asian-Indian dance performances by professional and community groups on Saturday, August 16, 2025, at the State Capitol.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Carol Bruess: author, speaker, relationship social scientist, and creator; Uri Camarena: business consultant; Michael Charron: arts educator, arts and civic leader; Richard Cohen: attorney in private practice, former state legislator; Emily Galusha: arts and civic leader, former arts administrator; Anthony Gardner, healthcare consultant; Ken Martin: political strategist, campaign manager; Philip McKenzie: adjunct college faculty; Michele Sterner: higher education administrator; Dobson West: retired attorney; Christina Woods: executive director, arts organization

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Renee Cardarelle: Cardarelle is a community organizer working in rural Minnesota, doing community activities such as fire hydrant painting, multicultural events, and antiracist work to build more inclusive and welcoming communities. She has been a grant writer for twenty years and has received several arts related grants, including funding for public murals, Ballet Folklorico dance programs, and multicultural activities. Cardarelle is finishing her doctoral program in public administration. ; Alice De Yonge: De Yonge has been the program director for a south central nonprofit youth arts education program for more than 25 years. She also sits on the board and has been the service learning/volunteer coordinator for the annual Mankato powwow for more than 30 years. She graduated with a BA from Minnesota State University, Mankato.; Christy Goulet: Goulet is the executive director of Indigenous Legacy, which provides Indigenous cultural education and preservation to the urban Indigenous community in the Dilworth/Moorhead area through culturally appropriate programs. In partnership with Moorhead Community Education, Indigenous Legacy provides programs including frybread cooking, an Ojibwe wild rice cooking class, Ojibwe dreamcatchers, and Ojibwe language classes. ; Amanda Kaler: As advancement director at Springboard for the Arts, Kaler (she/her) has nearly 20 years of experience in development, fundraising, arts and culture, and nonprofit leadership. Prior to joining Springboard, she spent eight years at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in a variety of development and executive leadership roles. She is a 2021 graduate of the Rockwood Leadership Institute and holds dual master's degrees in nonprofit management and arts administration from the University of Oregon (Eugene, OR), with a focus on community arts. She currently serves as secretary on the board of directors of the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center.; Rachel Landsem: Landsem is a tattoo artist, illustrator, muralist, and social practice artist. They are Anishinaabe and Michif, a descendant of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, and a citizen of the Manitoba Metis Federation. Landsem has worked with the One Water Alliance, Madison Public Libraries, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Aliveness Project, and the North Dakota Council of the Arts to host workshops, art markets, and community events centered around increasing access to the arts for Indigenous communities. ; Anna Resele: Resele is an educator in Saint Paul Public Schools and specializes in diversity, inclusion, and equity with her company, AnnaRose LLC, presenting a cultural competency workshop nationally at the Courageous Conversation Summit. She danced professionally with Twin Cities performers like Deborah Thayer, Rosy Simas, and Alternative Motion Project for eighteen years. Now, she is learning improv and volunteers with HUGE Theater. Anna taught dance and English at Creative Arts and partnered with the Ordway and IFP MN (now FilmNorth) to create artistic and culturally immersive student experiences.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota, 2023 regular session, chapter 40, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3; Minnesota Session Laws, 2024 regular session, chapter 106, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Cultural Heritage

2025 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$25,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$0
Direct expenses
$25,000
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

This cultural event, provides a platform for 20+ community groups and 5+ professional groups (~250 artists) to showcase their culture and talent. Success is measured by attendance, participant feedback, and the event's impact on fostering intercultural dialogue and community cohesion. The growing non-Indian attendance each year enhances community visibility and understanding.

Project Manager
First Name
Srividya
Last Name
Vaidyanathan
Organization Name
India Association of Minnesota
Street Address
PO Box 130158
City
St Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55113
Phone
(612) 804-3498
Email
president@iamn.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