Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$54,622
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
VocalEssence
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
July 2012
End Date
June 2013
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Hennepin
Isanti
Itasca
Mower
Ramsey
Rice
Scott
Sherburne
Washington
Wright
Anoka
Carver
Chisago
Dakota
Hennepin
Isanti
Itasca
Mower
Ramsey
Rice
Scott
Sherburne
Washington
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
Sara Buechmann: Executive director, Mankato Symphony Orchestra.; Lawrence Gorrell: Program director, Master of Arts in Human Development; associate professor, Master of Arts in Arts and Cultural Management, St Mary's University.; Paula Justich: Program director of arts and cultural management, St Mary's University of Minnesota.; Elisa Korentayer: Artist and consultant. Founder, Geekcorps, and E.K. Consulting.; Linda Nelson-Mayson: Director, Goldstein Museum of Design.; Cuong Phan: Associate professor of visual arts, St John's University. Filmmaker and educator.; Melisa Riviere: Professor of anthropology, Hamline University, and University of Minnesota. Director and Co-founder, B-Girl Be summit. Founder, Emetrece Productions.; Christi Schmitt: Teacher, L'Etoile du Nord French Immersion School. Executive board member, St Paul Federation of Teachers.
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
$54,622
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,513,489
Direct expenses
$1,568,111
Administration costs
$10,741
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

More than 6,000 students in grades 2-12 will be engaged in our educational outreach programs, WITNESS and Cantaré. Our WITNESS program has an evaluation system that was implemented more than 10 years ago and has recently been enhanced by independent evaluation consultants. A staff person conducts classroom observation of each Teaching Artist and evaluates teacher involvement to assess future partnership opportunities. A formal process of program assessment and evaluation of the program is in place, focusing on student and teacher response to the curriculum and impact of the teaching artists. Teaching artist feedback is required at the completion of each session and is gathered through a written evaluation and an end-of-year focus group. The level of satisfaction from participants is high and continually improves. Likewise for Cantaré, a professional evaluation firm has developed a logic model, and VocalEssence implements surveys and focus groups to evaluate the program. The Director of Community Engagement also regularly conducts classroom observations of each Cantaré Composer. 2: More than 1,000 adults will attend one of our community outreach activities. A formative and summative evaluation of the Choral Pathways program was completed by an independent consulting firm. A formative evaluation was completed in December 2012 and consisted of qualitative research including observation of workshops, and focus groups or interviews with participants and activities directors. The summative evaluation was completed in March 2013. Data collection for the summative evaluation included the following components: 1) A participant survey by 83 participants at 5 of 8 facilities, a 20% return of spring participants. 2) An online survey was completed by 10 activities directors at participating facilities. 3) An interview with the education manager after the concert. Informal evaluation of other workshops and programs was based on staff observations and participant comments and feedback.

Measurable Outcome(s)

VocalEssence offered 4,410 students of all ages, ethnicities, and abilities the opportunity to participate in the arts. Participating schools were from the Twin Cities Metro and Greater Minnesota. A third of schools reported a less than 50% white student body, and about half reported a free and reduced lunch rate above 50%. Through WITNESS, students in grades 4-12 were inspired by the story of legendary singer Marian Anderson. Due to a restructure of staff resources, we presented only two of the planned four Young People's Concerts, which contributed to missing our goal of 6,000 students. However, the program was successful and included workshops and two performances. The 5th year Cantor program included 2 composers from Mexico who visited to work with more than 400 students at local elementary and high schools. The CantarΘ Community Concert was attended by 1,200 people and included student and VocalEssence performances of music by the Mexican composers. The 5th year Cantor program included 2 composers from Mexico who visited to work with more than 400 students at local elementary and high schools. The CantarΘ Community Concert was attended by 1,200 people and included student and VocalEssence performances of music by the Mexican composers. 2: Through concert conversations, the Choral Pathways Program and presentations in conjunction with the OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute, VocalEssence ensured 1,836 adults of all ages, ethnicities, and abilities participated in the arts. VocalEssence reached 600 older adults in assisted living facilities through the Choral Pathways Program. Participants had the opportunity to attended workshops and a VocalEssence concert. The interactive nature of the workshops were designed to help older adults participate in, not just attend, these events and to enhance their concert experience. Other opportunities for arts participation included teacher seminars, five pre-concert conversations, and three OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute presentations.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other

Recipient Board Members
David Mona, Paul Pribbenow, Mike McCarthy, Susan Crockett, Ann Barkelew, Warren Beck, Bruce Becker, Uri Camarena, Karen Charles, Debbie Estes, Jamie Flaws, Kristen Hoeschler O'Brien, Art Kaemmer, James Odland, Kathryn Roberts, Cay Shea Hellervik, Don Shelby, Debra Sit, Peter Spink, Jenny Wade, Mary Ann Pulk, Philip Brunelle, Brock Metzger
Source of Additional Funds

local or private

Project Manager
First Name
Elissa
Last Name
Weller
Organization Name
VocalEssence
Street Address
1900 Nicollet Ave
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Zip Code
55403
Phone
(612) 547-1452
Email
eweller@vocalessence.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