Council spreads out $145,000 of grants

The Lakes Region Arts Council Board approved Spring Legacy Grant applications for funding in April 2023, for a total of $24,131 awarded to five Legacy Individual Artist Grants, and $102,433 for thirteen Legacy Organization Grants. 

CornerStone received $12,310 and will use the funds to purchase a T-shirt printing station, photography/postcard equipment, sticker/label printing, expansion tools for a laser engraver, and clay making supplies to expand their new Youth & Community Center Makerspace to improve arts access for all ages and abilities in Frazee.

The available amount to be awarded was $127,654 between the two funding pools, and $403,510 was requested. This Lake Region Arts Council Grant Program is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Individuals were able to apply for up to $8,000 in Legacy funding for a project that they will complete in the next year. The individuals awarded this funding are as follows:  

•  Chuck Johnson- $7,230, Otter Tail County      

•  Christy Goulet – $4,717, Clay County   

•  Laura Youngbird – $4,590, Wilkin County        

•  Paulette Friday – $7,950, Douglas County        

•  Michael Pettit – $734, Otter Tail County             

Organizations were able to apply for Legacy funding for a project that they will complete in the next year. The organizations awarded this funding are as follows:  

•  Three Rivers Arts Council – $8,474.50, Wilkin County 

•  Otter Cove Children’s Museum – $2,220, Otter Tail County     

•   Henning Landmark Center – $1,000, Otter Tail County             

•  Fargo Moorhead Choral Artists – $12,700, Clay County             

•  Fergus Area College Foundation – $12,350, Otter Tail County 

•  DanceBARN Collective – $8,960, Otter Tail County     

•  Kicks Band of Fargo Moorhead – $4,834, Clay County 

•  College for Kids & Teens – MSUM – $6,500, Clay County          

•  Kaddatz Galleries, LTD – $12,956.50, Otter Tail County            

•  CornerStone – $12,310, Becker County 

•  Theatre L’Homme Dieu – $16,500, Douglas County     

•  Pelican Rapids Multicultural Committee – $3,354, Otter Tail County

•  Nordic Culture Clubs – $274, Clay County 

The LRAC Board also approved individual Career Development Grant applications in May 2023, for a total of $18,000 awarded to 10 individual artists. The Career Development Grants are funded by a grant from the Lake Region Arts Council through The McKnight Foundation funding. The individuals awarded this funding are as follows: 

•  Vicky Radel, Visual Artist – $2,000, Traverse County  

•  Timothy Cassidy, Metal Artist – $2,000, Otter Tail County       

•  Mary Jo Wentz, Fiber Artist- $2,000, Otter Tail County            

•  Kandace Creel Falcón, Visual Artist – $1,800, Otter Tail County            

•  Joshua Johnson, Pottery Artist – $2,000, Pope County

•  M.A. Papanek-Miller, Visual Artist – $1,970, Becker County    

•  Michelle Anderson, Poet – $2,000, Clay County            

•  Barbara Benda, Visual Artist – $1,980, Clay County     

•  Kathryn Olson, Visual Artist – $2,000, Otter Tail County          

•  Elizabeth Gilbert, Author – $250, Becker County           

A detailed list of the projects to be completed can be found on the LRAC website at www.lrac4.org. 

Another Legacy Grant round will be held in the fall of 2023, with the application period opening August 21. The Career Development Grant is held once a year, and applications will open again in February 2024. 

For questions regarding these and other grant rounds, please visit the LRAC website at www.lrac4.org or call the LRAC office at (218) 739-5780.