Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$18,689
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Fergus Falls Center for the Arts AKA A Center for the Arts
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2012
End Date
June 2013
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Otter Tail
Wadena
Todd
Douglas
Grant
Clay
Becker
Anoka
Ramsey
Hennepin
St. Louis
Otter Tail
Wadena
Todd
Douglas
Grant
Clay
Becker
Anoka
Ramsey
Hennepin
St. Louis
Project Overview
Operating Support
Project Details
General operating support
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Judson Bemis Jr., Actor, arts administrator, founder and principal of Clere Consulting. Secretary, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Ardell Brede, Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet, Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron, Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.; John Gunyou, City manager, Minnetonka.; Benjamin Klipfel, Board member, Minnesota State Arts Board. Executive Director, Alexandria Area Arts Association, Inc. Director and arts educator.; Ellen McInnis, Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Pamela Perri, Executive vice president, Builders Association of Minnesota.; Margaret Rapp, Former educator, Saint Paul Academy and Summit School. Officer at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Anton Treuer, Professor of Ojibwe, Bemidji State University.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Judson Bemis Jr., Actor, arts administrator, founder and principal of Clere Consulting. Secretary, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Ardell Brede, Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet, Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron, Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.; John Gunyou, City manager, Minnetonka.; Benjamin Klipfel, Board member, Minnesota State Arts Board. Executive Director, Alexandria Area Arts Association, Inc. Director and arts educator.; Ellen McInnis, Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Pamela Perri, Executive vice president, Builders Association of Minnesota.; Margaret Rapp, Former educator, Saint Paul Academy and Summit School. Officer at-large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Anton Treuer, Professor of Ojibwe, Bemidji State University.
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2011, First Special Session, chapter 6, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$18,689
Other Funds Leveraged
$659,144
Direct expenses
$677,833
Administration costs
$1,200
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

A Center for the Arts will continue to improve as a professional organization offering only the highest quality entertainment and experiences to our patrons and performers. Our volunteers and paid personnel will continue ongoing training in phone etiquette, special needs, and box office operations as well as house management, ushering, and stage management, and we will provide technical workshops to improve the experience for patrons and performers. Our volunteer core and staff will attend no less than two training sessions each. A majority of the training will take place prior to events, making this an achievable goal. Survey monkey was used for patrons attending our major season and a vast majority who replied were pleased with the diversity, cost, and schedule of artists. We are still working on the percentages but feel we are better able to accommodate our patrons by doing fewer shows. More people are coming to fewer shows and the combination is helping our bottom line. Video of the kindergarten mosh pit during Terrance Simenon on the school Web site shows the excitement by students, teachers, staff and performers. The increase number of assistive listening devices used at every show, as well as the number of patrons using our accessible seating area, has surprised everyone. The autistic community attended the Tony Deblois concert with a block of over 20 seats. We will continue to pursue new ways to be inclusive.

Measurable Outcome(s)

From free concerts in the park to all school performances, from children's theatre to audio described performances and the hundreds of other programing choices we make we continue to increase the number of ages, ethnicities and abilities that participate both as patrons and performers at A Center for the Arts. This past year we saw an increase in the number of patrons attending performances; we did several all school performances as well as numerous workshops; we partnered with special education classes and students who performed for their classmates and the public on our stage; we saw an increase from tens to hundreds of people attending our free concerts in the park and partnered with a local company to show movies in the park after the concerts, calling it Fergus Falls biggest pajama party. We added new rehearsal spaces and are renting space to eight area artists.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other

Recipient Board Members
Deb Ferguson, Steve Rufer, Scott Wagnild, Lisa Litt, Ben Schierer, Deb Embretson, Mark Helland, Tim Hunt, Linda MacFarlane, Mark Olmsted, Nancy Straw
Source of Additional Funds

local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Michael
Last Name
Burgraff
Organization Name
Fergus Falls Center for the Arts AKA A Center for the Arts
Street Address
124 W Lincoln Ave
City
Fergus Falls
State
MN
Zip Code
56537
Phone
(218) 736-5453
Email
michael.burgraff@fergusarts.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