Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,000
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Minnesota Valley Chorale
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
September 2019
End Date
April 2020
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Blue Earth
Brown
Dakota
Faribault
Hennepin
Kandiyohi
Le Sueur
Nicollet
Nobles
Olmsted
Ramsey
Sibley
Steele
Waseca
Watonwan
Blue Earth
Brown
Dakota
Faribault
Hennepin
Kandiyohi
Le Sueur
Nicollet
Nobles
Olmsted
Ramsey
Sibley
Steele
Waseca
Watonwan
Project Overview

Arts and Cultural Heritage

Project Details

They will perform four concerts in Mankato; two winter concerts in Nov. 2019 including Mass in D Major by Antonin Dvorak, and two spring concerts in April 2020. Funds will be used for artist fees, membership scholarships, salaries, and venue costs.

Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications

Steve Davis: member of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and Minnesota State University/Community Orchestra, volunteer for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra and New Ulm Suzuki School of Music; Denice Evers: retired teacher and volunteer with the Springfield Community Theater; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Martin County 4-H Coordinator, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; Teresa Konechne: interdisciplinary media artist, co-founder of Henderson CAN (Community. Art. Nature.) and founder of Wicked Questions, a non-profit about art and conversation on climate and change; Karen Krause: a visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; Margie Larson: a visual artist and retired coordinator in the International Students Office at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Charles Luedtke: retired college Professor of Music, New Ulm and member of the Sioux Trails Chapter, American Guild of Organists; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; Liz Miller: a visual artist and college Professor of Art at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Rita Rassbach: recent interim Executive Director for the Mankato Ballet Company and past board member of Merely Players Community Theater and Creative Play Place; Dana Sikkila: a visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Carol Soma: retired Language Arts teacher and volunteer with the Kee Civic Theatre.

Advisory Group Members and Qualifications

Steve Davis: member of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra and Minnesota State University/Community Orchestra, volunteer for Mankato Area Youth Symphony Orchestra and New Ulm Suzuki School of Music; Denice Evers: retired teacher and volunteer with the Springfield Community Theater; Kristie Gaalswyk-Pomerenke: Martin County 4-H Coordinator, former Education Coordinator at the Ordway Center for Performing Arts, and a board member for the Martin County Area Foundation and Fairmont Community Education; Teresa Konechne: interdisciplinary media artist, co-founder of Henderson CAN (Community. Art. Nature.) and founder of Wicked Questions, a non-profit about art and conversation on climate and change; Karen Krause: a visual artist, retired school counselor and art teacher, and a member and instructor at the Waseca Art Center; Margie Larson: a visual artist and retired coordinator in the International Students Office at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Charles Luedtke: retired college Professor of Music, New Ulm and member of the Sioux Trails Chapter, American Guild of Organists; April Malphurs: glass artist and art teacher for community art camps in St. Peter and the Minnetonka Center for the Arts; Randy Mediger: retired principal and teacher and charter member of LeSueur Community Theater; Liz Miller: a visual artist and college Professor of Art at Minnesota State University, Mankato; Rita Rassbach: recent interim Executive Director for the Mankato Ballet Company and past board member of Merely Players Community Theater and Creative Play Place; Dana Sikkila: a visual artist and the Executive Director of the 410 Project Gallery, Mankato; Carol Soma: retired Language Arts teacher and volunteer with the Kee Civic Theatre.

Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2019 First Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2020 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$7,000
Other Funds Leveraged
$10,330
Direct expenses
$17,330
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

The number of Minnesotans who are able to participate in the arts increases. The quality, types and number of arts opportunities in our region, and the organizations or venues that offer them increases. Real or perceived barriers to arts participation and arts access are identified and addressed. We will distribute surveys at all of our concerts to gain audience support. At the end of the concert series, we will also survey our members to gain their feedback. Members awarded a scholarship will also be asked note about their experience. A board member will be responsible for carrying out these projects. To help with our survey data collection, we put a QR code in the concert programs for audience members to use so that they can scan and enter in their survey results electronically. We linked the survey to a Google Form which gives us a great amount of data collection and breakdowns to help better understand who our audience base is.

Measurable Outcome(s)

No changes were made. The survey was distributed at each concert in the fall. Results of the surveys indicated a large number of first time concerts attendees and many repeat attendees. We had a wide range of age groups attend our concert with 60-70+ as majority group (33%). Ages 20 or less represented 7% of attendees. Audience comments were positive and noted appreciation for local choral arts.

Proposed Outcomes Achieved
Achieved Proposed Outcomes
Source of Additional Funds

Other,local or private

Recipient Board Members
Mike Berding, Tessa Donato, Susan Harstad, Sarah Leyrer, Jessica Matz, Gary Paulson, Meghan Poehler, Sara Traylor
Project Manager
First Name
Susan
Last Name
Harstad
Organization Name
Minnesota Valley Chorale
Street Address
PO Box 5134
City
Mankato
State
MN
Zip Code
56002
Phone
(507) 995-2015
Email
minnesotavalleychorale@gmail.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency
Location

105 22nd Avenue NE, Suite A
Waseca, MN 56093

Phone
Project Manager: Anna Pollock
507-833-8721
Email the Agency