Operating Support

2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$14,284

Fund Source

Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

Recipient

Skylark Opera AKA Skylark Opera Theatre

Recipient Type

Non-Profit Business/Entity

Status

Completed

Start Date

July 2016

End Date

June 2017

Activity Type

Grants/Contracts

Counties Affected

Anoka

Carver

Dakota

Hennepin

Ramsey

Washington

Wright

Project Overview

Operating Support

Project Details

General operating support

Competitive Grant Making Body

Board Members and Qualifications

Ardell Brede: Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet: Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Member of the Smithsonian National Board. Former chair of the board, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Officer at Large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Uri Camarena: Business consultant, Metropolitan Economic Development Association. Board chair, Minneapolis College of Art and Design.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Rebecca Davis-Lee: Touring pianist, piano and music theory teacher. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse, Former executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Citizens for the Arts. Secretary/Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; David Glenn: Ceramic artist. former executive director of the Minnesota Project.; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist; Dobson West: Senior advisor, Spell Capital Partners Fund; Christina Widdess: Arts organization consultant; former managing director, Penumbra Theatre

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

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. Officer at Large, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Uri Camarena: Business consultant, Metropolitan Economic Development Association; art gallery owner; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Rebecca Davis-Lee: Touring pianist, piano and music theory teacher. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Sean Dowse, Former executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Secretary/Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; David Glenn: Executive director of the Minnesota Project, ceramic artist; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist; Dobson West: Senior advisor, Spell Capital Partners Fund; Christina Widdess: Arts organization consultant; former managing director, Penumbra Theatre

Conflict of Interest Disclosed

Project Details: 2017 Fiscal Year

Legal Citation / Subdivision

Laws of Minnesota 2015 Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3

Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2017 Fiscal Year Funding Amount

$14,284

Other Funds Leveraged

$253,494

Direct expenses

$267,778

Administration costs

Number of full time equivalents funded

0.00

Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Form a strong leadership team consisting of managing director Heather Brands and a new artistic director. Ms. Brands has already begun work. A new Artistic Director will be hired this spring and begin work on July 1. Both staff members will be evaluated in 6-month performance reviews. 2: Develop new educational outreach programs for schools and other groups via partnering with the University of Minnesota. The Board's Artistic Committee will evaluate the success of the educational partnership based on number of students and others served and written evaluations from participating organizations.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Skylark hired Robert Neu as Interim Artistic Director in April 2017, making his position permanent in August 2017. Skylark Board monitored the staff's performance throughout the year, with a personnel-focused executive session in July 2017. A formal performance review of Mr. Neu will be done in August 2017. 2: The new artistic director has a different concept for educational outreach, but future collaboration with University of Minnesota is possible. Mr. Neu envisions more in-depth, long-term connections with organizations served rather than single performances. In 2017, Skylark emphasized production after the 2016 festival cancellation. Educational outreach will be developed in the coming year.

Description of Funds

Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members

Ann Morelli Spencer, Carrie J. Wasley, Erin M. Duffy, Jack Neveaux, Noel Schenker, David Bach, Eugene Young, Carla Petersen

Project Manager

Ann

Spencer

Skylark Opera AKA Skylark Opera Theatre

75 5th St W Ste 224

St Paul

55102-1431