The program will roll out a series of interactive workshops led by esteemed Somali artists and educators. These workshops will cover various aspects of Somali arts, including traditional and contemporary music, poetry, dance, and visual arts, catering to all ages and skill levels.
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.
Mixed Precipitation will present fourteen free site-specific performances, in a new forms picnic operettas a hybrid opera accompanied by a five-course menu, created for outdoor performance in community garden spaces in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
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.
To increase and diversify participation by new immigrant and communities of color in the outreach programs of Speaking of Home-St. Paul, a major public art project in the skyways of downtown St. Paul.
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.
Golden Valley Historical Society hired a licensed and bonded professional hazardous waste materials removal company to properly abate asbestos and improve public safety at the Golden Valley History Museum.
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.
A total of 19 interviews of Asian American-Pacific Islander immigrants were conducted in English and selected Asian Languages. The project successfully captured information about their immigration history, settling experience and their memories in relationships to historical events in North Minneapolis. Eight of the interviews were recorded with a digital video camcorder then the interviews were transcribed by language specialists, then translated into English.
The summary, transcripts and video recording will be preserved and made broadly accessible through: