On March 10, 2026, the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) Board of Directors awarded 12 Project Support for Individual Artists & Culture Bearers grants, eight to emerging artists and four to advancing artists, for a total of $53,955 in funding to individuals throughout southeastern Minnesota.
Grants were awarded to the following individuals, listed by county:
Fillmore County
- Heidi Eger, Canton, received a $3,995 Emerging Artist grant for Block Party: Expanding a Folk Art.
- Kara Elizabeth Maloney, Lanesboro, received a $3,000 Emerging Artist grant for Transformative Rosemaling.
Olmsted County
- Ashante Gills, Rochester, received a $3,700 Emerging Artist grant for Waves of Alignment.
- Lydia Hansen, Rochester, received a $3,310 Emerging Artist grant for Eagle Bluff Fungi Hunt.
- Nicole Havekost, Rochester, received a $5,950 Advancing Artist grant for Repose: exhibition of drawings.
- Soojin Lee, Rochester, received a $6,000 Advancing Artist grant for Jamming with the Gayageum.
- Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara, Rochester, received a $4,000 Emerging Artist grant for Supporting Novel Manuscript.
Rice County
- Julie Fakler, Faribault, received a $6,000 Advancing Artist grant for Energized Animal Portraits.
- David Ullman, Northfield, received a $6,000 Advancing Artist grant for The Furious Light: Sound Design & Mix.
Winona County
- Gloria Alatorre, Winona, received a $4,000 Emerging Artist grant for Living Altars: Día de Muertos-Winona.
- Chalymar Martinez Flores, Winona, received a $4,000 Emerging Artist grant for Beyond Time Puertorrican History.
- Raelynn Peter, Winona, received a $4,000 Emerging Artist grant for Watercolors of the Mississippi River.
Recipients were selected through a competitive process with applications judged on three criteria, artistic merit, demand or need, and ability to accomplish. SEMAC congratulates the award winners and looks forward to celebrating the creativity these grants will bring to southeastern Minnesota.
SEMAC is one of 11 regional arts councils in the state of Minnesota, serving the following counties: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona.
SEMAC activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
For more information, visit semac.org or contact the office at 507-281-4848.
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