On May 15, 2018, the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) awarded 42 grants for a total of $241,465 in funding to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota. This included twenty Arts & Cultural Heritage grants for $180,295, twelve Presenter/Production Assistance grants for $32,220, nine Small Towns/Rural Areas grants for $25,950, and one School Residency grant for $3,000.
SEMAC is the State Arts Board-designated granting authority for local/regional arts producing and sponsoring organizations and disburses funds allocated for this purpose by the Minnesota State Legislature. The SEMAC region includes the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
For information about the grant application process, eligibility, or grant writing assistance, contact the SEMAC office at 2778 D Commerce Dr NW, Rochester, Minn. 55901 or call (507) 281-4848. Information may also be found on our Web site at www.semac.org.
Grants for arts programming were awarded to the following arts organizations, schools, and other nonprofit organizations in Fillmore and Houston counties:
Fillmore County
• City of Peterson Committee for the Arts received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for The Arts Blossom in Peterson.
• Commonweal Theatre Company received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Commonweal Theatre’s Outreach Project.
• Friends of Peterson received a $6,850 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for Gammel Dag Fest – A Scandinavian Midsummer Celebration.
• Northland Words received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Functional improvement of our main Studio space in rural Jordan Township, Fillmore County.
• Rushford Area Society for the Arts received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Summer Musical 2018 “Mary Poppins.”
Houston County
• Houston Area Chamber of Commerce received a $3,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas grant for Lawn Chair Concert Series 2018.
• Southeast Minnesota Bluegrass Association received a $10,000 Arts & Cultural Heritage grant for August 2018 Bluegrass Festival and Workshops.