Artists in SE Minnesota receive a combined $67,000 in individual artist grants

Paul Dunn KAALTV
SEMAC

Artists in Southeast Minnesota are getting a payday thanks to the Minnesota legislature and the Southeastern Minnesota Art Council.

On August 15, 2023, the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC) awarded 17 individual artist grants for a total of $67,000 in funding to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota.  This included nine emerging artists and eight advancing artists.

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.

Grants for original work were awarded to the following individuals, listed by county.

Freeborn County

  • Susanne Crane, Albert Lea,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for Low Hanging Fruit Poetry Book.

Goodhue County

  • Brian Johnson, Cannon Falls,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for 4 Part Concert Series (so it goes).

Houston County

  • Melissa Wray, Caledonia,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Homecoming: A Poetry & Quilt Project.

Olmsted County

  • Kevin Dobbe, Rochester,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for New media opera Phase 2 development.
  • Richard Swanson, Rochester,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for Photo Essay: Anti-Intellectualism in MN.
  • Tianyao Xie, Rochester,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for Classical Piano & Chinese Art Music.
  • Alexis Zaccariello, Rochester,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Experimenting with Raku Fired Pottery.

Rice County

  • J C Sanford, Northfield,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for First Annual Northfield Jazz Festival.
  • Sandra Sargent, Faribault,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Recentering, Revisioning, Returning.

Steele County

  • Andi Lynn Arnold, Owatonna,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for In the Garden of Life, Light & Growth.

Winona County

  • Timothy Ahrens, Altura,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Farming for Food.
  • Lisa Becker, Saint Charles,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Merging Video Arts with Photography.
  • Ken McCullough, Winona,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
  • Michael Munson, Winona,received a $5,000 Advancing Artist Grant for Perihelion Day.
  • Sunny Nahrgang, Winona,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Continuing Art After Schooling.
  • Rachael Nunemacher, Saint Charles,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Flash Flood.
  • Taliesin Nyala, Winona,received a $3,000 Emerging Artist Grant for Handmade Wooden Dedication Gifts.