Art Project
Art Project
Rhythm of the River 2020 Music Festival
Cheri Buzzeo, theater, music, The Barn Theatre administration, Willmar Main St participant; Carisa Clarke: graphic design/web development, arts volunteer, board member DAC of Murray County; Lauren Carlson, poetry, film, COMPAS roster artist, Dept. of Public Transformation board; Lisa Hill: musician, Crow River Singers, attorney; Anna Johanssen: fiber artist, art teacher, Remick Gallery board, president of Windom Women's Investment group, treasurer of Cottonwood County Animal Rescue, officer of Cotton Quilters; Georgette Jones: literature teacher, theatre actor/director/teacher; David KelseyBassett: visual artist, musician, Hinterland Art Crawl board; Kristen Kuipers: musician, private lesson and K-12 classroom music instructor, theater, writing, volunteer with Jackson Center for the Arts; Brett Lehman: musician, social worker; Alison Nelson: art, music, and dance teacher, KMS Community Ed director, Kerkhoven Fire Department Auxiliary fundraiser; Anne O'Keefe-Jackson: human resources director, bead and quill work; Betsy Pardick, musician, actor, Dept. of Public Transformation committees; Michele Knife Sterner: theater (actor), SMSU Associate director for Access Opportunity Success program; Erica Volkir: performing arts, Pipestone Performing Arts Center board, Pipestone Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB director; John White: writer, photographer, retired journalist.
Mary Kay Frisvold, music; Reggie Gorter, music, theater; Beth Habicht, music; Lisa Hill, music, SMAC board; Daryl Hrdlicka, theater, film; Alison Nelson, visual art, dance, SMAC board; Alan Stage, theater; John Voit, music, theater; Jessica Welu, writing; Tom Wirt, visual art.
Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, Nicole DeBoer (507) 537-1471
ACHF Arts Access
2. "Regional residents experience a change in knowledge, attitude, behavior or condition due to public art, arts festivals or arts events." Attendees who have not been at the festival in several years will have a greater comprehension of the variety and diversity of the performers that are presented at the festival. Local attendees state that they have limited experience with similar festivals, so by providing this experience, local residents will gain information and knowledge about music and art festivals. Primarily we will be listening for input from local residents who have had limited experience or no experience with festivals in the past. 9: "Regional residents gain awareness and appreciation for a variety of artistic disciplines and mediums." Attendees will be open to new styles and genres of music that they had not listened to before. The 2020 festival will offer a wide variety of music options. The target audience will be encouraged to listen and watch youtube videos or seek out other opportunities to hear the bands who will be performing so that they can become familiar with the music. 11: "Regional residents build connections to their own and others' cultural heritage through regional arts and cultural events and/or activities." Cultural barriers will be lowered as attendees interact with others from other cultural backgrounds. Attendees will be exposed to a variety of genres and along with that comes a variety of listeners that are side by side in the audience. Being together can be an effective tool in lowering cultural barriers. We engage the audience in paper surveys each year. With the increased sensitivity to 'zero waste', we will be incorporating other survey means, that will use less paper. We will have a volunteer circulating the festival grounds to gather email addresses of people willing to complete a survey. The Survey Monkey tool online will also be utilized. Participants will be given a phone number to call to offer suggestions and comments. Committee members will make verbal contact with attendees, and will be observant during the festival to watch for verbal and non-verbal signals as to the audience reaction to the events taking place at the festival. These observations will be recorded and documented for further study.
Attendees had the opportunity to hear a wide variety of music genres. They were especially grateful for the opportunity to hear live music in an outdoor setting. Most of our audience this year travelled to the festival from other parts of Minnesota, as well as surrounding states, likely because we relied more on the artists promoting the event to their followers. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, we did not have a Children's Tent or stage for this festival. As an alternative, we collaborated with Jackson Center for the Arts to assemble 'Busy Bags' for children under age 12. They were very successful, and the feedback was positive. Our Art Vendors stated that they were very happy with the financial outcome of their sales at the event.
Other,local or private