Northwest Regional Arts Council

Highlights of our site include on-line arts grant applications, on-line art exhibit entry form, access to current press releases, and our artist directory. Remember to check the deadline/calendar page for a quick list of upcoming important dates. Two other great on-line resources to use for finding artists and events listings are www.culturepulse.org for Grand Forks regional information and www.mnartists.org for information all across Minnesota. Make sure that you are listed on both of these sites if you are an artist! Also, get your event listed free if you are part of an arts organization. Become active in arts advocacy in Minnesota at Minnesota Citizens for the Arts web site.

We are now sending monthly e-newsletters with updated deadlines and opportunities. This is the best way to stay up to date. Please add yourself to our list by typing your email in the box below.

The workshop series offered by Springboard for the Arts still has openings for artists to join in the second and third weekends. The workshops take place in Thief River Falls and are titled The Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists! They will share valuable insights and practical tools for building your arts business. A 10-part course designed especially for artists across disciplines. Dates are June 11-12 (already past), July 16-17, and Sept 24-25, 2010. Please call Mara at 218-745-9111 to add your name and attend. These workshops are valued at $450.00 and are being offered for FREE due to funding from the Arts Legacy Fund.

July 1, 2010 10 AM Grant Info Session and/or one-on-one assistance Ada Library RSVP mara@nwrdc.org

July 1, 2010 2 PM Grant Info Session and/or one-on-one assistance Red Lake Falls Library RSVP mara@nwrdc.org

July 16, 2010 6-8:30 PM Springboard for the Arts business skills for artists workshops, Best Western, Thief River Falls RSVP mara@nwrdc.org

July 17, 2010 9:30 AM -3:30 PM Springboard for the Arts business skills for artists workshops, Best Western, Thief River Falls

August 10, 2010 4-6 pm Grant Info Workshop at Crookston library. RSVP mara@nwrdc.org

Sep 21, 2010 Grant Info Workshop at our office, 115 South Main, Warren. RSVP mara@nwrdc.org

Sep 24, 2010 2:00 -8:30 PM Springboard for the Arts business skills for artists workshops, Best Western, Thief River Falls

Sep 25, 2010 9:30 AM -3:30 PM Springboard for the Arts business skills for artists workshops, Best Western, Thief River Falls

On-going deadline for Cultural Bank application (30 days in advance) Cultural Bank Grants>>> pdf application form

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council in 2008 received a Sesquicentennial grant to implement a special art exhibit. The art exhibit features 150 new pieces of artwork all created within cubes. The cubed pieces were created by area schools and arts groups. 450 students participated in the project from 31 area schools. The exhibit was on display from May 2008 - April 2009. Thank you to all that participated and displayed the exhibit. More on this special exhibit>>>

“Artists of Northwest Minnesota”

UPDATE: Our booklet is completed! Please request your free copy. 1-800-646-2240

Pdf version of the booklet>>>

Thank you to the artists who submitted applications and work samples to be considered for this booklet. We had 34 submissions. The booklet was printed in September 2008. The next call for artists will occur in two years.

Percent for Art Artist Registry Now Open for Enrollment

The artist registry is a collection of resumes and work samples submitted by visual artists who would like to be considered for Percent for Art projects. This program is coordinated by the Minnesota State Arts Board to go to their web site and find out more>>>

Arts in Education K-12 Arts Challenge Minnesota grants

The application form and instructions are available. Applications will be accepted any time between September and March; or until all available funds are expended, whichever comes first. This program is administered by the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Artists Count!

Minnesota is home to nearly 20,000 individual artists; their artistic spending totaled $250.1 million during 2005. To learn more, download this new report on the economic impact of the spending by Minnesota’s individual artists.

Arts & Culture: Economic Impact Study

A new study of the economic impact of arts and cultural activities in Minnesota has just been released. Events will be held in the greater Minnesota communities to release the results specific to each region.

Moving Over the Edge, Artists with Disabilities Take the Leap

is about the author's coming of age alongside disability activists and artists with disabilities, reflecting the sociological evolution from disability rights to disability culture. This publication if available from Michael Horton Media

The Arts Council is one of eleven regional arts councils (RACs) in Minnesota. The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council serves the M

innesota counties of Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau. The Arts Council is an advisory committee of the Northwest Regional Development Commission (NWRDC). (Links to the NWRDC's home page, program pages, etc. are in the right navigational menu.)

In our area, we serve 54 communities and 25+ public school districts. We are proud of the many arts organizations and artists in our area. Currently, we have 42 active arts organizations and hundreds of active artists.

Promoting, stimulating, and supporting arts activities in northwestern Minnesota is the mission of the Arts Council. Awarding arts grants, providing arts services, coordinating arts advocacy, and generally promoting appreciation and participation in the arts - all are goals of the Council.

The Minnesota State Arts Board serves as our fiscal agent and partner in providing arts services to Minnesota. Minnesota Citizens for the Arts serves as our partner in advocating for arts funding and arts related issues at the legislature. We encourage you to click on the button Support the Arts Take Action Now! on the right and make your voice heard in supporting the arts. This is an easy way to make a difference today. The McKnight Foundation has provide our region with stable funding for twenty years. We are proud of our relationship with this premiere funding agency.

See the About the Council page for contact information for the Arts Council Director, a list of current board members, and a list of current grants and services. Or jump directly to pages related to our newsletter, arts exhibit, grants, and artist directory.

Remember the Arts Council supports artists, arts groups, and arts projects of all the arts disciplines, including...

Many different groups have received support from the Council including cities, county fairs, community education, education foundations, colleges, service organizations, senior centers, and historical museums. It's worth a call or e-mail to see whether your project is eligible or whether a current service might fit your professional development needs. Arts Council Director, Mara Wittman, is always available to discuss your idea or need. Just remember that we serve northwest Minnesota residents.