The program is specifically designed to support the cultural advancement of the African-American community in this area. Historically, this community has faced systemic disadvantages that have impacted its cultural vitality. By identifying, supporting, and strengthening various aspects of African-American culture, this program aims to preserve and protect the community's rich heritage. The African-American church, a longstanding symbol of unity and preservation, will serve as a key venue for these activities, providing an ideal location for these community events.
Mu Performing Arts will produce Mu Daiko with Hanayui in its first official taiko tour, bringing Mu's distinct Midwest expression of taiko alongside the best from Japan to greater Minnesota audiences.
Professional theater artists will work for and with the West Side neighborhood of St. Paul to create a community-engaged theater production in which community stories inspire the script and score, and professional and community actors share the stage.
Given Minnesota students choose the arts and science as electives instead of having them as core curriculum, the purpose of this grant is to engage and enrich the lives of lifelong learners through effectively integrating the arts and sciences in our program.
To make theater accessible to the non-English speaking Hmong community, we will mount the play "Confessions of a Lazy Hmong Woman"in Hmong and nurture the talents of nontraditional Hmong actors.
Koom Siab United Hearts--a year-round Pan-Asian dance learning project--provides diverse Asian dance classes to disadvantaged Asian American youth to acquire knowledge/skills, and participate at Koom Siab Pan Asian dance performance.
The Minnesota Music Coalition will produce and promote a statewide tour of performances and workshops featuring established and emerging musicians and bands working in fine arts presenting venues.
ASAL Charities will enhance civic engagement within the East African community in the Twin Cities, honoring and celebrating its unique culture. "Empowering Voices" will integrate cultural nuances into civic education throughout twelve sessions focusing on the significance of voting, civic involvement, and active participation in civic life.
ASAL will enhance operations in three areas: 1) non-profit management; 2) grant writing and reporting; 3) fundraising strategy development. This project has the following key objectives: 1) train and assist staff on grant writing and reporting for non-profit management; 2) hire experts to conduct strategic planning, fiscal management, and community outreach training; 3) hire consultation to identify, monitor, and communicate fundraising campaign opportunities, grant writing, tracking progress, and project management.
This project involves the collaboration between Pan Asian Arts Alliance, Elluminance Era, Chinese American Chamber of Commerce-MN, Asian Media Access, Unity Dance Group, and other Pan Asian Arts groups. It is a first-ever collaboration between Asian American performing and visual arts organizations. The project, "Asia Extravaganza," is a one-night festivity event to showcase Asian American youthful culture through dance, music and storytelling.
The Asian American Short Film Project is a six-month long series of workshops on how to create a five minute narrative or documentary short film culminating in a public event showcasing works-in-progress. This will include workshops on how to write a short film, how to find funding, how to produce a short film with the tools that you already have (i.e. smartphone), how to edit, and how to distribute/show your short film.
This project includes support for two exhibit developments: 1) Highway 94 displacement of the Rondo neighborhood; 2) a 3D Asian Goddess Folktale exhibit.
We will assess the environmental quality of prairies across Minnesota. On-the-ground surveys and contaminant risk assessments will help inform partner management actions, endangered species recovery plans, and pollinator reintroduction efforts.