Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2021 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$45,783
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
July 2020
End Date
June 2021
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Carver
Cass
Crow Wing
Dakota
Hennepin
Ramsey
Scott
Washington
Anoka
Carver
Cass
Crow Wing
Dakota
Hennepin
Ramsey
Scott
Washington
Project Overview

Operating Support

Project Details

Illusion Theater's mission is to create theater that illuminates the illusions, myths, and realities of our times, and to catalyze personal and social change.

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
No
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
$45,783
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,006,460
Direct expenses
$1,006,460
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
1
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Provide Minnesota audiences with relevant theater experiences that help them better understand other communities and important societal issues. Illusion will maintain records of the number of audience members, maintain records of the number and demographics of artists that work with the theater, and capture feedback from participating artists and audience members on their experiences. 2: Provide underserved Minnesota youth and adults with high-quality arts experiences to help them make healthy life decisions and give voice to their communities. Illusion will track reviews in the media and social media by critics and audiences, maintain records of number of programs conducted and the number of participating youth and adults, and conduct surveys and interviews with participating youth and adults.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Illusion provided MN audiences with relevant theater experiences that helped them better understand other cultures & important societal issues. Illusion 1) Produced content that featured diverse cultures & difficult community issues, 2) Conducted post-show discussions following performances, 3) Conducted debriefs with participating artists, and 4) Tracked audience attendance at performances. 2: Illusion gave underserved MN youth & adults high-quality arts experiences that encouraged personal growth & allowed them to speak their truths. Illusion 1) Conducted pre- & post-program surveys & interviews with youth participants, 2) Conducted post-program discussions with students & adults, 3) Maintained accurate records of programs conducted and the number of participating youth & adults.

Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Stan Alleyne, John Beal, Anthony Bohaty, Willie Bridges, Barbara Brin, Lisa Cotter, Dani P. Deering, Pat Dunleavy, Whitney Taha Frakes, Keith Halperin, Catherine Ahlin-Halverson, Tim Johnson, Maureen Long, Lori Liss, Christopher Madel, Vivian Martin, Bonnie Morris, Emily Palmer, Jeffrey Rabkin, Ann Rainhart, Michael Robins, Santiago Strasser, Rebecca Schiller, Susan Shapiro, Tracy M. Smith, Robin Stein, Susan Thurston Hamerski, 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