Partners in Arts Participation

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$21,242
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Ampersand Families
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
March 2015
End Date
April 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Blue Earth
Hennepin
Olmsted
Pine
Ramsey
Wabasha
Winona
Anoka
Blue Earth
Hennepin
Olmsted
Pine
Ramsey
Wabasha
Winona
Project Overview
Partners in Arts Participation
Project Details
Ampersand Families will partner with CLIMB to provide an arts opportunity where youth waiting to be adopted join with potential parents, adoptive families, and adoption workers in improv classes.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board 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. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Rebecca Davis-Lee: Touring pianist, piano and music theory teacher; Wendy Dayton: Arts and community leader and philanthropist.; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; David Glenn: Executive director of the Minnesota Project, ceramic artist; Ellen McInnis: Director of Twin Cities government relations, Wells Fargo. Member of Bottineau Boulevard Partnership. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Alice De Yonge: Program director, Project G.E.M.; Marlina Gonzalez: Multidisciplinary media arts curator and consultant; David Grant: A Twin Cities-based writer, core alumnus member of The Playwrights' Center; Jessica Lourey: Mystery and fantasy writer, professor of creative writing and sociology, Saint Cloud Technical and Community College; Elizabeth Mowry: Arts innovation director, COMPAS, City of Saint Paul parks commissioner; Laurie Pape Hadley: Business analyst, University of Minnesota, audio describer for theatres and arts organizations throughout Twin Cities; Timothy Takach: Composer, singer and music publisher; William Venne: Chief development officer, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota; Jane Zilch: Director of long term development, Thrivent Financial, board member, SteppingStone Theatre
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2013, Chapter 137, Article 4, Section 2, Subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2015 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$21,242
Other Funds Leveraged
$1,160
Direct expenses
$22,402
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

Participants who would not have otherwise engaged in the arts have access to theatre by overcoming barriers like cost, time, and special needs. Participants complete a written survey that asks if they would have taken an improv class if not for access to this opportunity. The budget covers staff time, and participants’ food and travel costs. 2: Ampersand’s mission is furthered by recruiting adoptive families, supporting existing families, and helping youth prepare to join adoptive families. Participants complete a survey that assesses the project’s service of Ampersand’s goals by asking questions like whether it increased a family’s desire to provide a permanent home to a waiting youth.

Measurable Outcome(s)

Minnesota teens who are in foster care awaiting adoption and prospective adoptive parents got to know each other by learning Improv together. Participants were asked by Climb Theater to complete brief written evaluations after each session. In those evaluations, participants said if not for this opportunity it would have been unlikely that they would have taken an improv class. Cost, transportation and interest were the barriers they reported to be most significant. 2: Improv proved to be an effective modality for youth awaiting adoption and parents contemplating adopting to interact with each other. Climb Theater requested written evaluations from participants after each session. In retrospect, that format was probably not the best for garnering thoughtful feedback from teens.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Al Willig, Alecia Anderson, William Wasseweiler, Zachary Saulter, Lateesa Ward, Rowzat Shipchandler, Leah Leason, Wanida Lewis, Cindy Witkin, Michelle Kellogg, Steve Kenney, Linda Foreman, Robert Morrison, Dominick Washington
Project Manager
First Name
Michelle
Last Name
Chalmers
Organization Name
Ampersand Families
Street Address
2515 Wabash Ave Ste 150
City
St Paul
State
MN
Zip Code
55114
Phone
(612) 605-1904
Email
michelle@ampersandfamilies.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