ROCHESTER, MN – On May 13, 2025, the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) Board of Directors announced the awarding of $345,985 in arts programming grants to nonprofit organizations and schools throughout Southeastern Minnesota. These grants will support diverse arts and cultural programming and strengthen creative communities across the region.
The funding includes: 18 Legacy Grants to arts organizations totaling $180,000; 16 Legacy Grants to non-arts groups totaling $79,710; 7 Programming Grants to arts organizations totaling $32,100; 11 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grants totaling $54,175
Grant recipients by county:
Dodge County
Mantorville Economic Development Authority, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Art in the Park 2026.
Mantorville Theatre Company, $4,890 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for All Student Theatre Production.
Fillmore County
Chatfield Center for the Arts, $4,950 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Technology Upgrades for Arts Access.
Dreamery Rural Arts Initiative, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Season Programming Support.
Lanesboro Arts, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Rural Arts Production Training Program.
Lanesboro Community Theater, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Production of “The 39 Steps” stage play.
Peterson Committee for the Arts, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Arts Blossom in Peterson – Summer Music.
Rushford Area Society of the Arts, $4,335 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Storybook Theatre – “Three Little Pigs”.
Freeborn County
Friends of the Bohemian Brick Hall, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for 2025 Annual Czech Fest.
Goodhue County
Anderson Center at Tower View, $10,000 Legacy Grant for 2025 Minnesota Children’s Book Festival.
Frontenac State Park Association, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Prairie Dreams: Trail of Quilts.
Hispanic Outreach of Goodhue County, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Hispanic Heritage Festival 2025.
Red Wing Arts & Culture Commission, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Red Wing Sculpture Walk.
Zeitgeist, $5,000 Programming Grant for Arts Organizations for Underwater Cousins.
Houston County
Mainspring, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Houston County Artist Mentorship Program.
Southeast Minnesota Bluegrass Association, $10,000 Legacy Grant for August 2025 Bluegrass Music Festival.
Mower County
Austin Symphony Orchestra, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Celebrating Our 2025-26 Season.
MacPhail Center for Music – Austin, $10,000 Legacy Grant for All Ages and Abilities Music Programming.
Olmsted County
Downtown Oronoco Gold Rush Days, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Live Music at Gold Rush Days.
Eyota Days Committee, $3,600 Programming Grant for Arts Organizations for Little Mermaid children’s theatre.
RNeighbors (Rochester Neighborhood Resource Centre), $5,000 Legacy Grant for Chalk the Block 2025.
Rochester New Music Ensemble, $10,000 Legacy Grant for 2025 RNME Concert.
Rochester Repertory Theatre Company, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Royalties & Stipends for 2025-26 Season.
Rochester Pops Orchestra, $5,000 Programming Grant for Arts Organizations for Encore: A Second Decade.
Rochester Community & Technical College, $4,710 Legacy Grant for Spotlight Academy.
Sing Out Loud, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Celebration of Women in Music.
Shorewood Senior Campus, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Engaging with the Arts.
Somali American Social Service Association, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Annual Somali Cultural Festival.
Southeastern Minnesota Youth Orchestras, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Youth Orchestra Coaching.
USA Dance Chapter 2017, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Winter Dance Enchantment.
Rice County
A Great Day Farm, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for Rooted in Creativity: Art for All.
Faribault Community Education, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Now is Our Time!
Faribault Parks & Recreation, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Faribault Concerts in the Park Series.
Friends and Foundation of Northfield Public Library, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Hispanic Heritage Celebration 2025.
Northfield Union of Youth (The Key), $5,000 Legacy Grant for Unlocked Voices.
Rice County Neighbors United, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Celebrating Latina and Latino Culture.
South Central Minnesota Studio ARTour, $5,000 Programming Grant for Arts Organizations for Studio ARTour 2025.
Three Links Care Center, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Folk & Bluegrass Music for Care Centers.
Steele County
Owatonna Symphony Orchestra, $5,000 Programming Grant for Arts Organizations for Cool Classics – Beethoven, Beatles, Jazz.
Wabasha County
WideSpot Performing Arts Center & Community Project, $10,000 Legacy Grant for 2025 Fall – Wabasha Cultural Project.
Winona County
Art of the Rural, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Spillway Gathering.
Frozen River Film Festival, $10,000 Legacy Grant for The 21st Frozen River Film Festival.
Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Through reflections, we see ourselves.
Minnesota Marine Art Museum, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Seasonal Saturdays: Art & Connection.
Project FINE, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Cultural Arts & Ancestry.
Quince Ensemble, $10,000 Legacy Grant for McKinley Medieval Songs with Quince.
Saint Charles Public Schools, $5,000 Small Towns/Rural Areas Grant for 2025 St. Charles Fall Musical.
Theatre du Mississippi, $10,000 Legacy Grant for Write On: A Year of Original One Acts.
Winona Arts Center, $3,500 Programming Grant for Arts Organizations for International Film Series 2025-2026.
Winona Community Chorale, $5,000 Programming Grant for Arts Organizations for Winona Community Chorale Fall Concert.
Winona Dakota Unity Alliance, $5,000 Legacy Grant for 2025 Winona-Dakota Gathering.
Winona Parks & Recreation, $5,000 Legacy Grant for Campfire Concert Series 2025 – Part 2.
The Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) is one of 11 Regional Arts Councils serving Minnesota, each functioning as an autonomous grassroots organization designated to assess needs, develop programs and services, and distribute grants to fund arts and cultural programs in their region. Established in September 1977, SEMAC serves Region 10, which includes Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona Counties, including the Prairie Island Indian Community.
Each year SEMAC awards close to $1,000,000 in grants to individuals, arts organizations, and non-arts organizations to support arts and cultural programming. The council also provides services including grant writing support, professional development workshops, networking opportunities, language translation services, resource lists, and promotion of arts and cultural events throughout the region.
Grant Program Details
SEMAC’s grant programs support a wide range of arts and cultural activities throughout southeastern Minnesota. The Legacy Grants, funded through Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, support both arts organizations and non-arts groups in presenting arts programming. Programming Grants provide additional support for specific artistic projects, while Small Towns/Rural Areas Grants ensure that communities of all sizes have access to quality arts programming.
The funded projects span the 2025-2026 programming season and represent everything from children’s theater and classical music to cultural heritage celebrations and community art initiatives.
About Future Opportunities
Organizations interested in SEMAC grant opportunities can learn more about upcoming application deadlines and program guidelines at semac.org. SEMAC is committed to supporting diverse arts programming that reflects the rich cultural tapestry of southeastern Minnesota.
For more information about SEMAC and its grant programs, visit semac.org or contact the office at 507-281-4848.
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