Project Grant - Round 2

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$489
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
April 2013
End Date
April 2013
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Benton
Sherburne
Stearns
Benton
Sherburne
Stearns
Project Overview
A New Arts Experience for Big Brothers, Big Sisters
Project Details
The St Cloud Big Brothers Big Sisters would like to offer a special workshop led by Lee Ann Goerss to 25 of their children and their mentors. This workshop will center on the theme of making different masks. Children and mentors will make a mask of each other.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Chris Rasmussen: retired Foley Senior High School Art teacher, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts Board Member, College of Saint Benedict/Saint JohnÆs University Fine Arts Programming Advisory Council Member; Charlene Sul: Art Director û Hands Across the World, facilitator, Art Lecturer; Mike Carlson: Foley High School Art Teacher, potter; Peter Veljkovich: former member of the Little Fine Arts Committee, former county representative for the South Suburban Arts Committee, Fine Arts Photographer, Disc Jockey; Leslie Hanlon: Director of Fundraising and Marketing for the College of Saint Benedict/Saint JohnÆs University Fine Arts Series; John Stander: Executive director of Elk River Arts Alliance, a career school administrator.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Chris Rasmussen: retired Foley Senior High School Art teacher, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts Board Member, College of Saint Benedict/Saint JohnÆs University Fine Arts Programming Advisory Council Member; Charlene Sul: Art Director û Hands Across the World, facilitator, Art Lecturer; Mike Carlson: Foley High School Art Teacher, potter; Peter Veljkovich: former member of the Little Fine Arts Committee, former county representative for the South Suburban Arts Committee, Fine Arts Photographer, Disc Jockey; Leslie Hanlon: Director of Fundraising and Marketing for the College of Saint Benedict/Saint JohnÆs University Fine Arts Series; John Stander: Executive director of Elk River Arts Alliance, a career school administrator.
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 ACHF Arts Education

2013 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$489
Other Funds Leveraged
$210
Direct expenses
$699
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
1
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The best measure of an outcome for this project will be in the creation of a mask that is completed. Another measure that we are really excited about is to give our Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors a chance to participate in an art experience that is truly creative. With the workshop spread over three hours this will give enough time for even children who have special needs to complete a project. We are also looking at the outcome with our children who come from really tough family situations. To give these children the chance to channel their feelings in a new way by creating a mask will be unique, as they will be able to create facial expressions on the masks that reflect their feelings. While the above outcomes reflect a real mixture of hopeful results we see this project as one that will truly bring a creative experience to our children that will be remembered for many months to come.In measuring how the above outcomes are achieved, the main one will be to see how the masks are finally created. We expect that they will be very colorful and create some special facial expressions that will be reflective of the children. The staff of Big Brothers Big Sisters is also looking to see how the mentors of each child work together with each child they mentor. This is a very critical aspect that staff is always looking for. Big Brothers Big Sisters does not have many special workshops like this one and we are seeing this workshop as one that will be the pilot project for an avenue for us to pursue in the future. The social aspects of this workshop are significant. Our children come from special family situations and we see this workshop as one that will be a positive experience that we will be able to bring a “special ray of sunshine” into their lives.

Measurable Outcome(s)

This workshop involved Big Brothers and Big Sisters with their mentors in the making of masks that reflected their feelings, emotions, and the world they live in. It was rather unique to see both mentors and their younger friends draw their masks on plain mask paper and then transfer this art form to a real mask. After doing this they painted the masks to reflect the real feelings they wanted to display. The end result was a colorful art piece that reflected a view into the lives of each participant. The workshop was led by Lee Ann Goerss from Buffalo, Minnesota. The above describes how the basic goal was achieved by each participant in the workshop to create a mask that displayed emotions and feelings. Lee Ann was quite pleased about the end result in how the masks were completed. Most of all the children were able to express themselves in a creative way and to have their Big Brother Big Sister doing something so similar added the special touch to doing it together.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Erin Bitzan, Peggy Brown, Ann Cofell
Project Manager
First Name
John
Last Name
Bowden
Organization Name
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota
Street Address
15 6th Ave N á
City
St Cloud
State
MN
Zip Code
56303
Phone
(320) 217-5374
Email
john.bowden@smsu.edu
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

P.O. Box 458
220 4th Ave North 
Foley, MN 56329

Phone
Project Manager: Leslie LeCuyer
320-968-4290x 3 or Toll Free: 866-825-1471