Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$45,268
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Great River Shakespeare Festival
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2020
End Date
June 2021
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Benton
Brown
Carlton
Carver
Chisago
Clay
Dakota
Fillmore
Goodhue
Hennepin
Houston
Lyon
Martin
McLeod
Mower
Olmsted
Pine
Ramsey
Rice
Sherburne
St. Louis
Wabasha
Washington
Winona
Wright
Anoka
Benton
Brown
Carlton
Carver
Chisago
Clay
Dakota
Fillmore
Goodhue
Hennepin
Houston
Lyon
Martin
McLeod
Mower
Olmsted
Pine
Ramsey
Rice
Sherburne
St. Louis
Wabasha
Washington
Winona
Wright
Project Overview

Operating Support

Project Details

Great River Educational Arts Theatre (GREAT) brings the community together through shared theatre experiences.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Ardell Brede: former mayor of Rochester; Peggy Burnet: entrepreneur, art collector, and community volunteer; Uri Camarena: business consultant, Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA); Michael Charron: executive director of grants and sponsored programs for Saint Mary's University of Minnesota., Saint Mary's University of Minnesota; Sean Dowse: former mayor of Red Wing; former executive director, Sheldon Theatre; Anthony Gardner, vice president, marketing and communications at CentraCare; Philip McKenzie: team lead with Boutique Air, founder and owner of Bluedoor 74, adjunct college faculty; Mary McReynolds-Pellinen: executive director, Lyric Center for the Arts; Thomas Moss: consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Dobson West: retired attorney; Christina Widdess: nonprofit consultant; former managing director, Penumbra Theatre

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Kristie Buchman: Buchman is the executive director of Choice, unlimited, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting adults with disabilities who are experiencing barriers to employment and community inclusion. She has worked for the organization for over 25 years, providing career exploration, skill assessments, job development, job placement, mentoring, training, and community access.; Michael Cook: Cook retired from U. S. Bank in 2017, where he was a senior vice president. During his more than 36 years there, he also was a financial analyst and finance director, and was involved in budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis. Most recently, he was system director of a customer profitability system used throughout U. S. Bank. Prior to joining U. S. Bank, he was a junior and senior high school math teacher in Onamia. Cook is treasurer of the board for the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, volunteered for Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, was president of the Onamia Teachers Association, and previously volunteered with the Cub Scouts. Cook has served as an Arts Board panelist and artistic evaluator for the Operating Support program. In 2016, he received the Circle of Service Excellence Award at U. S. Bank. Cook has a BA in math and education from the University of St. Thomas.; Cody Henrichs: Taken from Henrich's website CV - Henrichs is currently CEO director of Coffey Contemporary Arts, a studio space offering a comprehensive, professional, creative working environment for practicing artists. Henrichs is also the curator for the Lord Grizzly Gallery and the head curator for the Washington Pavilion Visual Arts Center. In addition to his work as CEO director and curator, Henrichs has worked as a professional arts educator at the high school and collegiate level in the Mortheast as well as the Midwest.; Judith Hickey: Hickey has been an arts administrator for Rochester organizations for more than twenty years, serving as an executive and program director, grant writer, teacher, and board member. She has worked in the programming of artistic disciplines such as theater, music, dance, and visual arts. Hickey has reviewed grants as a panelist for the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council for two three-year terms. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in theater arts. In 2017, Hickey received an Ardee Award from the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust for Outstanding Volunteer in the Arts.; Rodney Nordberg: Nordberg is chair of Heartland Arts, the Park Rapids Lakes Area Arts Council, which helps to produce arts events and coordinates sixteen Park Rapids area arts organizations. He also serves on the City of Park Rapids Arts and Culture Advisory Commission and as a board member of Armory Arts and Events Center. Nordberg was previously a Park Rapids city council member, director of Red Bridge Film Festival, and taught film production at University of Southern California after his retirement from a career as a documentary film editor. Nordberg has a BA in television from the University of Minnesota and attended Harvard University's Institute in Arts Administration.; Patrice Relerford: Relerford works at the Minneapolis Foundation and directs the organization's education grantmaking and strategy. She previously worked for People Serving People, a family homeless shelter in Minneapolis; and as a reporter for the Star Tribune. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor's degree in journalism and earned a master's degree in public administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago.; Lori Anne Williams: Williams is a fundraiser for Catholic Charities and has worked in the nonprofit community, primarily as a grants specialist, for nearly three decades. She has worked with social service, arts, and education organizations and has taught grant writing at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, the University of St. Thomas, and many other organizations. She has a BA from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in liberal studies from the University of Minnesota.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
Yes
Conflict of Interest Contact

Executive director Sue Gens (651) 539-2650

Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2019 First Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$45,268
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,096,473
Direct expenses
$1,096,473
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Generate community building dialogue inside and outside the theater while modeling inclusivity and diversity to our community. Progress will be measured by the number participating in activities, media stories reflecting our themes but not necessarily our art, and by tracking the diversity and equity of the company members. 2: Increase earned revenue (now 31%) to 40% of total income, maintaining the same level of contributed support, and achieve $20,000 operational surplus. Progress will be measured by tracking monthly income against budget and by capping spending growth. New projects will require additional funding to be secured before starting.

Measurable Outcome(s)

GRSF modeled inclusivity/diversity by producing works by Black/Indigenous/People of Color (BIPOC) artists and by hiring a company that was 30% BIPOC. Weekly play readings focused on BIPOC authors leading to 3 public presentations (one commissioned). Company surveys were sent to gather racial statistics. The board created a detailed five-year plan to respond to racism within the theater industry. 2: Earned income was almost non-existent because of the pandemic this outcome will have to be carried forward to another year. Ticket sales started in February 2021 for the summer season, but only 9 performances could be held before the end of the grant period Earned and contributed revenue is evaluated by comparing to prior years.

Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Mary Alice Anderson, Marcia Aubineau, Roderick Baker, Kris Blanchard, Michael Charron, Joyati Debnath, Candace Gordon, Hayley Hornberg, Alan Leonhardt, Jonathan Locust, Jr., Beth Forkner Moe, Ken Mogren, Paul Mundt, Kelley Olson, Greg Peterson, Mary Polus, Jerry Portman, Jeanne Skattum, Jim Stoa, LeRoy Telstad
Project Manager
First Name
Aaron
Last Name
Young
Organization Name
Great River Shakespeare Festival
Street Address
121 E 3rd St
City
Winona
State
MN
Zip Code
55987
Phone
(507) 474-7900
Email
aarony@grsf.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