Operating Support

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,489
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Willmar Area Arts Council
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
January 2014
End Date
December 2014
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Kandiyohi
Kandiyohi
Project Overview
Operating Support
Project Details
Operating Support
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
John White: writer, photographer, retired journalist; Jane Link: visual artist , Milan Village Arts School founding member, Milan Community Education, Greater Milan Initiative; Marilee Strom: musician, former art teacher, business owner; Kathy Fransen: musician, theatre, Rhythm of the River coordinator; Janet Olney: visual artist, Willmar Area Arts Council coordinator; Randy Meyer: visual artist and farmer, former art teacher; Kate Aydin: retired educator, developed a curriculum focused on the visual arts, literature, and modern and traditional music of Spain and Latin America, Lincoln County Pioneer Museum board; Paula Nemes: musician, librarian, former coordinator of the Marshall Area Fine Arts Council, Vice President of Marshall Area Stage Company; Tom Wirt: artist, owner Clay Coyote Gallery, founding member and president, Hutchinson Center for the Arts, past member Hutchinson Public Arts Commission; Susan Marco: writer, High School English and creative writing teacher; Kelly Muldoon: graphic artist, board member Prairie Music Association, Prairie Oasis Players; Ellen Copperud: retired language arts teacher, theatre director; Emily Olson: writer, musician, educator; Dan Wahl: visual artist, musician, theater, adjunct English instructor at Southwest Minnesota State University; Dan Connolly: musician, music educator, board Renville Friends of the Arts; Cindy Reverts: visual artist, Rock County Fine Arts Association treasure, Council for Arts in Humanities in Rock County board; Sydney Massee; visual artist, theatre, Lac qui Parle Valley School Districts board; Audrey Fuller; writer, arts advocate, tribal planner, grant writer.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Kathy Schaefer: musician, photographer, Southewest Minnesota State University business professor; Dan Connolly: musician, music educator, board Renville Friends of the Arts; Barb Nelson, art teacher, vocal musician, children's theatre director; Cheri Buzzeo; production manager, Willmar Community Theatre; board member Willmar Area Arts Council; Cheryl Avenel-Navara: retired counselor, arts advocate, former fund raiser and musical performances coordinator for Worthington International Festival; Christa Otteson: Owner of Make.Do.Workshop, nonprofit consultant, former Regional Coordinator Minnesota Council of Non-Profits.
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
Yes
Conflict of Interest Contact
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, Greta Murray (507) 537-1471
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2014 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,489
Other Funds Leveraged
$50,886
Direct expenses
$58,375
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Our top goal is to make a regional arts center in the Barn Theatre building a reality. The first phase of this, probably taking the better part of the first year, perhaps longer to realize will be to get our educational outreach arranged. We would like to have our Kids’ Art Club attended by at least ten students at each session. We would like to hold an average of one adult class or workshop per month and have a minimum of six students enrolled in each one. Another goal is to have our new, themed exhibits at the Barn Theatre continue to grow. We had twenty-five entries by fourteen artists for our first one and we would like to keep the level of participation at least that high, preferably higher, for all future exhibits. It is our hope that because of our work people of all ages, ethnicities, and abilities will participate in the arts in the greater Willmar area. By offering arts activities for children we will expose these students to a variety of art forms at an early age. The Barn has an active children’s theatre program so adding a visual art component is the logical next step. By offering adult art instruction, we will make it possible for more people to experiment with art forms or improve skills they are interested in. We plan to offer different levels of instructions so more people will participate. And finally, it is our hope that because of the location of the art center, in downtown Willmar, we will eventually be able to reach out to the immigrant community. Many of the artists we send into the classrooms for the Artist in the Schools program report that the minority children are often the most enthusiastic about art. Hopefully we can get some of them to attend the Kids’ Art Clubs and perhaps eventually reach out to other family members.We have always had artists, food vendors, performers, and demonstrators at Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! fill out an evaluation at the end of the festival. We compile the information we receive on those and review it at the follow-up meeting. Visitors to Studio Hop can pick up a prize card to be stamped at all the studios they visit to qualify them for one of two gift certificates. We have a brief survey on the back that they fill out. We ask how they heard about the Hop and similar questions. We use this information to help us evaluate if our promotional materials are effective. We also have a follow-up meeting with all the artists and make notes on their experience. We have a guest book at the exhibits and Board members attend the receptions and pick up comments from attendees. We will have the instructors record the kids’ responses to the Art Club after each session. We will periodically ask the parents to fill out a survey recording how their child benefited and suggestions for future sessions. All participants in the adult art classes will be asked to fill out a survey. We will ask how they heard about the class, their rating of the instruction, and suggestions for future classes.

Measurable Outcome(s)

We were extremely pleased by the results of all our evaluations. Both Studio Hop and Celebrate Art! Celebrate Coffee! were ranked very highly by all the responders. The students' responses to the classes were also very positive. The themed, invitational exhibits at the Barn have been extremely popular with never fewer than 15 entries, usually more. While we are looking for ways to improve our projects, we are satisfied that we are achieving our goals of providing high quality arts experiences to the region.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Cheri Buzzeo, Violet Dauk, Nancy Johnson, David Korsmo, Gayle Martens, Patt Nelson, Bea Ourada, Matt Stark, Deb VanBuren, Jeff Vetsch, Doug Wilkowske.
Project Manager
First Name
Janet
Last Name
Olney
Organization Name
Willmar Area Arts Council
Street Address
321 4th St SW PO Box 165
City
Willmar
State
MN
Zip Code
56201
Phone
(320) 235-8560
Email
willmararts@gmail.com
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
Location

509 W Main St, PO Box 55
Marshall, Minnesota 56258 

Phone
Phone Manager: Nicole DeBoer
(507) 537-1471
Email the Agency