To enhance access to artistic, cultural and educational programming by building a shelter for shows and demonstrations. Programming will include cultural music, presentation on the Sioux Uprising, the Tracy Tornado, and a Lyon County Centennial Farm recognition program.
To promote and highlight artistic excellence by displaying local artists’ works at the fair. The Meeker County Agricultural Society will purchase display cases in which to showcase fine arts. This will allow the fair to increase the number of exhibits by not only offering additional space, but by encouraging artists to display valuable pieces by providing secure cases for exhibitions.
To create a mural that embodies the activities and spirit of the Clay County Fair. The mural will be painted on the back side of the grandstand, which is one of the first things a fair visitor sees.
To provide a year round venue for arts and cultural and heritage events that will also provide handicapped accessible restroom facilities with a breastfeeding and diaper change area.
To preserve the 1915 one room schoolhouse on the Redwood County fairgrounds by repairing windows, doors, stucco exterior, and replacement of the cupola on the roof.
To bring a variety of new arts and cultural heritage programming to the Northern Minnesota District Fair. Fair will collaborate with Ice Box Radio Theater, Native American speakers, host a bag pipe band and a local country band.
To improve access to the historic 1918 barn on the fairgrounds by adding ventilation and cooling. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the barn once served as the county poor farm. Today, it's home to various 4-H and youth programming.
To offer demonstrations and classes of cultural heritage. The Red Lake County Fair will offer demonstrations and workshops by local artists in quilt making, basket weaving, logging, baking, bluegrass, gospel, Native American dance, and country music.
Partner Organizations: Winona County Historical Society and Theatre du Mississippiona
Winona County Historical Society and Theatre du Mississippi will partner to produce a new interpretive program for the Historic William Bunnell House in 2015. They will conduct research to produce an hour-long script based on the lives of families who lived in the house and the period they lived there. This new program will create a purpose for a house museum which has been languishing.
To bring new arts and cultural heritage programming to the Renville County Fair. Programming included a performance by the Red Tree Singers, a Native American group, and Kid Power, an interactive kids’ program. Funds were also used to commission a local artist to paint a mural depicting local agriculture and history.
To restore Rock County Fair's Floral Hall. Built in 1911 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Rock County Fair will restore its interior. Funding will not only preserve this historic building, but also create an enhanced space to showcase regional artwork.
To upgrade the capacity of Washington County Fair to host a variety of performing artists at the fair by upgrading the sound system. To purchase mixing console, power amplifier, microphones, dual CD player adaptable to inputs from USB, memory sticks, MP3, therefore allowing the fair to invite performers using digital sound devices.
To preserve the one room schoolhouse on the fairgrounds. The Little Red Schoolhouse will need painting, window repair, and electrical upgrades. The Winona County Historical Society will help organize materials for programming and exhibiting.
Funds will also improve lighting in two art exhibit buildings.
This project will accelerate production of County Geologic Atlases (part A). An atlas is a set of geologic maps and associated databases for a county that facilitate informed management of natural resources, especially water and minerals.
The grant allowed the Cokato Historical Society to hire a vendor to scan 817 8x10 glass plate negatives from the Gust Akerlund Photographic Studio's negative collection, housed at the Cokato Museum. The total size of the Akerlund Negative Collection is 14,017 images. Of that amount, 11,552 are of the rare and fragile glass plate negative variety.
