Operating Support Grant
Operating Support Grant
To maintain (in-part) paid staff positions of Community Outreach Manager and Executive Director.
Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Emily Swanson: arts administrator at Oldenburg Arts and Cultural Community; Kris Nelson: artist, teacher; Roxann Berglund: musician; Bill Payne: Professor of Theater at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Sam Zimmerman: visual artist, teacher; Liz Engelman: dramaturg, founder and director of Tofte Lake Center; Jessica Peterson: essayist, playwright, co-founder of Yellow Tree Theater; Erin Cain: University of Minnesota-Duluth Student Liaison
Kathy Neff: musician, Director, Fine Arts Academy at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Kris Nelson: artist, teacher; Bill Payne: Professor of Theater at the University of Minnesota-Duluth; Erin Cain: University of Minnesota-Duluth Student Liaison
ACHF Arts Access ACHF Arts Education ACHF Cultural Heritage
Annually, we assess our evaluation data to determine what programs are successful, which need improvement, and how we can modify our programing to meet the needs of our key demographics. While, at the same time, introducing new opportunities combined with offerings that have the most reach and impact. We use a combination of sources including paper surveys, online surveys, ticket sales, attendance focus groups, social media comments and outside data sources help shape future directions at the Lyric. Surveys are used to help determine where we advertise, how we select play and performance selections. Demographic data from our surveys is compared to census data to get an idea of who we haven't served and spur us to connect with other artists and arts organization to find ways to make those connections.When this organization formed in 1998 the Quad Cities and eastern Iron Range were virtually an arts desert outside of in-school programs. Individual artists were separate and felt alone. As public schools changed their focus from arts and humanities to ?teach to the tests' students lost access to learning how the arts could enrich their lives. Since, the Lyric has filled these gaps in meaningful ways through a dedicated art gallery, theater programs for children and adults, educational and cultural opportunities that are free or low cost and open to the public without restrictions, and now developing visual, music and literary arts programs for youth. The Lyric encourages visual arts participation through an open call for artists process plus open exhibits in May, August and December each year. We promote the gallery as ?free and open to the public' to encourage anyone and everyone to walk through our door and discover works of art by local artists that they can relate to or be challenged by. We have the only community theater and children's theater companies and the only venue for music performance other than bars in a 60 mile radius that provides regular performances.