Two-Year Operating Support Grant
ACHF Arts Access
Grand Marais Art Colony has five major goals in relation to Arrowhead Regional Arts Council operating support grant: Goal 1: Increase staff support to provide quality service resulting in high rate of repeat participation. Goal 2: Integrate new Data Management System resulting in greater understanding of data and better service to participants. Goal 3: Partner with Springboard for the Arts to offer high-quality Artist Services to local artists. Goal 4: Attract three new high-caliber instructors resulting in a base of new students. Goal 5: Apply and receive Minnesota State Arts Board operating support for 2018 and beyond in efforts to build in financial sustainability. Accomplishing these goals will allow Grand Marais Art Colony to continue to provide high quality arts experiences, better serve participants and increase financial sustainability. Grand Marais Art Colony believes artistic and business dimensions can be meaningful evaluated. Measuring and improving practices are vital to continued success and are incorporated into strategic planning for the future. Grand Marais Art Colony implements comprehensive evaluation on a regular basis. A variety of tools are used in evaluation. To evaluate resources, Grand Marais Art Colony utilizes time sheets, appraisal information, organizational forms, support services forms and financial forms. To evaluate activities, Grand Marais Art Colony utilizes quality forms, observation forms, student evaluation forms, and instructor evaluation forms. To evaluate outputs Grand Marais Art Colony utilizes enrollment forms, attendance sheets, activity forms for participation, events, exhibits and publications. To evaluate outcomes, Grand Marais Art Colony uses outcome questionnaires, follow up forms, student evaluation forms, and instructor evaluation forms. Specific to the goals identified in this application, effectiveness will be measured by: Financial tracking and analysis; Program tracking and analysis; Staff time tracking and analysis; Review of participation evaluation forms for quality staff service, professional, streamlined interface, quality instruction and artist services; Service numbers tracking and analysis for repeat customers and service per staff rate; Secure partnership with Springboard; Local artist count tracking and analysis; Contract three new instructors and obtain minimum of six students; Submitted application for Minnesota State Arts Board 2018 operating support.
Goal 1: Increase Staff Support: Actual: In 2016, Grand Marais Art Colony transitioned the part-time Administrative Assistant to a full-time Office Manager. In 2017, Grand Marais Art Colony. Split the full-time Events and Communication Coordinator into one full-time Marketing Manager and one part-time Event Coordinator. Grand Marais Art Colony also added a new full-time Development Manager. Through increased staffing, service rate changed from 7,715 people / staff member to 4,500 people / staff member, allowing Grand Marais Art Colony to provide better service. Grand Marais Art Colony continued to see a customer return rate of 80%, indicating a high level of satisfaction. Goal 2: Integrate Data Management Software Actual: In 2016, Grand Marais Art Colony implemented a Data Management Software, Donor Perfect. In 2017, Grand Marais Art Colony developed the new website and classroom management software (Event Espresso) which will be officially launched in March of 2018. This new system will increase service to students and participants through enhanced features, ease of usability, and online registration. Goal 3: Offer Artist Services to local artists Actual: In 2016, Grand Marais Art Colony hosted four sections of the Work of Art Series with Springboard for the Arts. In 2017, Grand Marais Art Colony began development and implementation of its own professional practice curriculum including 16 new classes in four main curriculum areas: Developing a Body of Work, Enhancing Internal and External Communication, Goal Setting for Advancement, and Financial Fluency. This curriculum served 63 Arrowhead artists and trained two artists to teach the curriculum going forward. Goal 4: Attract three new instructors with a student following Actual: Grand Marais Art Colony contracted four new instructors who each taught a full class: Dan Welden, renowned solar plate print maker from NY; Michael Boyd, well known jewelry artist from CO; Kami Mendlik, popular Plein air artist from Minnesota, and Ningiukulu Teevee, an Inuit artist from Cape Dorset. Goal 5: Apply and receive Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support Actual: Grand Marais Art Colony did apply and receive Minnesota State Arts Board funding for year 2018 and has applied for year 2019.
Other, local or private