Arts Learning

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$25,065
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Loft, Inc. AKA The Loft Literary Center
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
September 2015
End Date
August 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Anoka
Dakota
Hennepin
Mille Lacs
Ramsey
Scott
Washington
Anoka
Dakota
Hennepin
Mille Lacs
Ramsey
Scott
Washington
Project Overview
Arts Learning
Project Details
The Loft Literary Center will provide a new series of creative writing educational sessions for writers of color and those who are writing about race, taught by award-winning Minnesota author and educator David Mura.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Ardell Brede: Mayor of Rochester, elected 2002.; Peggy Burnet: Businesswoman, art collector, and community volunteer. Chair of the Nominating Committee, Smithsonian National Board. Trustee, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Vice Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Michael Charron: Dean of the School of the Arts, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Chair, Minnesota State Arts Board.; Rebecca Davis-Lee: Touring pianist, piano and music theory teacher; Wendy Dayton: Arts and community leader and philanthropist.; Sean Dowse, Executive director, Sheldon Theatre. Board member for Minnesota Music Coalition, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and Anderson Center for Interdisciplinary Studies, Treasurer, Minnesota State Arts Board.; David Glenn: Executive director of the Minnesota Project, ceramic artist; Thomas Moss: Consultant to nonprofits and government agencies; Janice Sivertson: Gallery owner and visual artist
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Akosua Addo, Dr.: Associate professor of music, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities; Alison Good: Former commercial artist, educator and administrator; active community volunteer; Robert Gurrola: Attorney; digital media producer and music composer; music educator; Diana Joseph: Author; associate professor of English at Minnesota State University Mankato; Peter Spooner: Former curator, Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota Duluth; Yang Yang: Visual artist; program assistant, Saint Paul Public Schools
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2015 Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Education

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$25,065
Other Funds Leveraged
$11,386
Direct expenses
$36,451
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.3
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

We will engage at least one hundred new creative writing students, the majority of them under-represented people of color, through the project. Track attendance and collect demographics at each educational session; compare sign-in sheet data from each session against current participant information in database to determine new constituents. 2: The project’s accessible format will draw a majority of new participants in Loft education programming and fledgling fiction/memoir writers. Survey participants about prior engagement with the Loft and/or other creative writing education or practice; compare participants with constituents already in database.

Measurable Outcome(s)

We engaged 216 participants in the classes, and more as audiences. All but a few participants were people of color. The program assistant counted 166 registrants (those who volunteered to register; it was not required), total participation, participation per session, and participation in independent groups. We surveyed all participants twice during the grant period, gathering demographics as well as comments. Lastly, we also counted 112 members registered online to the project's Facebook group. 2: Of those who responded in surveys, more than half were new to the Loft. Many of the returning students had not attended in a number of years. We surveyed project participants, asking whether they had previously participated in any Loft programs or activities, as well as collecting voluntary participant demographics and participant comments.

Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
Kent Adams, Marge Barrett, Elspeth Carlstrom, Jack El-Hai, Jacquelyn Fletcher, David Francis, Marlon James, Barry Knight, Ed Bok Lee, Susan Lenfestey, Rosemarie Kelly Ndupuechi, Carrie Obry, Jeff Ondich, Nina Orezzoli, Nathan Perez, Eric Roberts, Elizabeth Schott, Ruth Shields, Karen Sternal, Margaret Wurtele
Project Manager
First Name
Beth
Last Name
Schoeppler
Organization Name
Loft, Inc. AKA The Loft Literary Center
Street Address
1011 Washington Ave S Open Book Ste 200
City
Minneapolis
State
MN
Phone
(612) 215-2575x 2580
Email
bschoeppler@loft.org
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