Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$18,823
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Lyric Arts Company of Anoka AKA Lyric Arts Main Street Stage
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2012
End Date
June 2013
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Aitkin
Anoka
Becker
Beltrami
Benton
Blue Earth
Brown
Carlton
Carver
Cass
Chisago
Clay
Cottonwood
Crow Wing
Dakota
Dodge
Douglas
Freeborn
Goodhue
Grant
Hennepin
Houston
Hubbard
Isanti
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Le Sueur
Lyon
McLeod
Meeker
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Mower
Nicollet
Otter Tail
Pennington
Pine
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Ramsey
Roseau
St. Louis
Scott
Sherburne
Stearns
Steele
Todd
Wadena
Waseca
Washington
Winona
Wright
Aitkin
Anoka
Becker
Beltrami
Benton
Blue Earth
Brown
Carlton
Carver
Cass
Chisago
Clay
Cottonwood
Crow Wing
Dakota
Dodge
Douglas
Freeborn
Goodhue
Grant
Hennepin
Houston
Hubbard
Isanti
Kandiyohi
Kittson
Le Sueur
Lyon
McLeod
Meeker
Mille Lacs
Morrison
Mower
Nicollet
Otter Tail
Pennington
Pine
Pipestone
Polk
Pope
Ramsey
Roseau
St. Louis
Scott
Sherburne
Stearns
Steele
Todd
Wadena
Waseca
Washington
Winona
Wright
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
$18,823
Other Funds Leveraged
$692,762
Direct expenses
$711,585
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Increase artistic excellence through a 10% expansion of the production budget, with a particular focus on stipends for contracted artistic personnel. We evaluated our success through post-production evaluation surveys, the completion of which was required of all contracted artistic personnel. The quantitative portion of the survey asked personnel to score the quality of lights, set, overall production, etc., on a scale from one to five. The results were compared to previous surveys. The qualitative portion asked designers to talk about their experience, how they felt about their work as part of the production team, and to give suggestions for improvement. We found the qualitative input we received to be much more useful than the quantitative results of the surveys. 2: Broaden audience by increasing individual attendees by 10% through the expansion and refinement of current marketing plans and strategies. Outcome success was evaluated by the number of individual attendees. We evaluated the success or failure of the planning efforts through staff and board conversations, both group and individual.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Lyric Arts increased its total production budget by 39%. Stipends for contracted directors, designers, and other artistic personnel increased by 42%, making our rates more equitable with what is offered in the rest of the seven-county metro area and allowing us to hire highly qualified personnel for every production in our season. We were also able to spend more on supplies and equipment. Based on feedback from the artists involved in the season, many of whom were of a higher caliber than in previous seasons, artistic excellence increased substantially. That same feedback pointed out opportunities for improvement in our production process. This led to changes in our artistic staff and a reorganization that will lay the ground work for future growth and success. 2: Lyric Arts saw no substantial increase in the number of individual attendees from year to year through the expansion of current marketing plans. In the evaluation of our limited success this area, it was noted that while the expansion of marketing plans was easy to implement, refinement of the plans was more difficult to accomplish due to the structure (and the very small size) of our staff. As a result, Lyric Arts has reorganized the administrative staff to create departments for specialists instead of collaboration between generalists. It is our hope that this change will allow us to refine our strategies organization wide and provide a foundation for future growth.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other

Recipient Board Members
Debbie Swanson, Leanne Hyde, Mike Laudenslager, Linda Schmidt, Joan O'Sullivan, Chris Geisler, Tracy Kelly, Chad Unger, Michael Lillequist
Source of Additional Funds

local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Laura Tahja
Last Name
Johnson
Organization Name
Lyric Arts Company of Anoka AKA Lyric Arts Main Street Stage
Street Address
420 E Main St
City
Anoka
State
MN
Zip Code
55303-2341
Phone
(763) 433-2510x 103
Email
laura@lyricarts.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