Local artists and organizations receive grants

Kathleen McTavish will partner with the Duluth Art Institute to provide a year-long, hands-on digital lab and series of workshops to explore, experiment, create, and share new media tools and processes.

Kathleen Mctavish will partner with the Duluth Art Institute to provide a year-long, hands-on digital lab and series of workshops to explore, experiment, create, and share new media tools and processes.

Duluth artists and organizations received a total of $58,820 in arts funding from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council to produce projects and creative learning opportunities in the local community. There are many wonderful projects to look forward to in Duluth this year such as the installation of Mary Plaster’s puppets at the Duluth Children’s Museum, or the workshops Kathleen McTavish will be leading at the Duluth Art Institute. Duluth is fortunate to have so many creative people and organizations producing projects and events that engage with the local community.

Art Project Grants

The purpose of the Art Project Grant is to fund organization’s production of activities that encourage the development of an art form, stimulate the artistic growth of artists associated with an arts organization or arts discipline, advance the artistic growth of an arts organization, or present a variety of high quality arts experiences for regional audiences. Projects involve a range of disciplines such as: visual arts, music, dance, theater, literature, film video, and folk or ethnic art.

Check out these awesome organizations doing some pretty great projects in Duluth.

The Way of the Monarch follows the spectacular metamorphosis and migration of the monarch butterfly. This beloved creature transforms from egg to larva to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly to international traveler.

The Way of the Monarch follows the spectacular metamorphosis and migration of the monarch butterfly. This beloved creature transforms from egg to larva to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly to international traveler.

Arrowhead Chorale, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($5,000) will perform the Minnesota premier of a new work entitled Te Deum, by Carol Barnett.  The Chorale will perform with Monroe Crossing, a nationally known Minnesota-based bluegrass group.

Duluth Children’s Museum, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($5,000) will showcase the work of local mixed-media artist, Mary Plaster, who will construct an installation of puppets for the museum. Before being installed in the museum, the larger-than-life puppets she builds will be presented in public forums with children performing as puppeteers. Programming will be led by Rob Hadaway, the museum’s creative director.

Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($5,000) will present its 30th season with four concerts at Mitchell Auditorium, College of St. Scholastica, Duluth. Two concerts will feature two soloists each, all four of whom are professional musicians residing in Duluth. Soprano Vicki Fingleson and baritone Jeffrey Madison will present a concert of opera excerpts and the premiere of a new work written especially for them and the LSCO by American composer Wang Jie. Pianist Alex Sandor and flautist Kathryn Sandor will appear as soloists in another concert, presenting three works: one for piano and wind ensemble, one for flute and string orchestra, and one for flute, piano and orchestra.

Lake Superior Youth Chorus, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($5,000) will host an outdoor choral festival in Leif Erikson Park, Duluth. Previously called Harmony in the Park, this event was established by Minnesota Public Radio and will spotlight Echoes of Peace Choir, Lake Superior Youth Chorus, Twin Ports Choral Project, and a choir to be determined.

Matinee Musicale, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($5,000) will bring Karl Doty (double bass) and Liesl Doty (violin) to Duluth to present a concert at Mitchell Auditorium, College of St. Scholastica, Duluth. Matinee Musicale will also provide free master classes on Feb. 22, 2016, at UMD and CSS, and a free concert at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital in Duluth.

Renegade Theater Company, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($5,000)  will produce the regional premiere of Samuel D. Hunter’s play, The Whale, which won the 2013 Lucille Lortel award for Best Play.

Spirit Lake Poetry Series, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($5,000) will produce a poetry series in autumn, 2015 and spring, 2016, featuring poets of national, regional, and localrecognition. Featured poets include Julie Gard, Hieu Minh Nguyen, and Camille Dungy.

Arts Learning Grants

The Purpose of Arts Learning Grants are to fund activities with learning opportunities. Audiences will have opportunities to participate or interact with artists, these projects will take place in varied public venues such as: schools, parks, and community venues. These projects are super valuable because they provide an opportunity to increase public awareness of the value of art within the community.

Check out these Awesome Artists and Organizations that will be providing learning opportunities for the Duluth Community. 

Kathleen McTavish, Duluth, St. louis County, ($5,820) will partner with the Duluth Art Institute to provide a year-long, hands-on digital lab and series of workshops to explore, experiment, create, and share new media tools and processes. The year will culminate in a collaborative installation at the Duluth Art Institute with a companion website and discussion

Mary Plaster, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($6,000)  will work with Duluth Children’s Museum to create public art activities exploring global harvest traditions and theNorth American monarch butterfly. Age-appropriate learning projects include crafts workshops, an interactive exhibit of larger-than-life puppets with informative photo placards, figurine displays honoring other cultures, and other presentations.

The College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($6,000) will host a public African Cultural Festival featuring Sowah Mensah, a respected Ghanaian composer and educator, as well as John Frazier, an award-winning and innovative art historian. The day-long event will include afternoon workshops that culminate in an evening concert with participants.

Lake Superior Youth Chorus, Duluth, St. Louis County, ($6,000) will contract with Minnesota composer Eric Barnum to act as composer-in-residence for its 2015-2016 season. The experience will culminate in a May 2016 performance of a commissioned work created specifically for the Youth Chorus.

A big congratulations to the all of the Duluth Grant recipients. We can’t wait to see their projects come to fruition. For more information on our grants including a full list of recipients, check out the ARAC website.


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1 Comment

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about 9 years ago

Congratulations.  Duluth is hopping.

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