Arrowhead Regional Arts Council

WE'RE HIRING!
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council is looking for a Grants Manager to join our team! The Grants Manager develops, administers, and evaluates ARAC’s grant programs by coordinating the development and initiating the administrative management of grants. They are also responsible for organizing data to evaluate and track progress towards ARAC’s mission.

Find all the information on our website: https://aracouncil.org/news/were-hiring-grants-manager

The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship Program information session is happening tomorrow at the Grand Ely Lodge at 12 (noon)!

The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship Program will be holding an information session on Tuesday, July 23rd at 12 p.m. at the Grand Ely Lodge (400 N. Pioneer Rd. Ely, MN 55731)!

Learn more about their programs here ➡️ https://www.mcknight.org/programs/arts-culture/mcknight-artist-culture-bearer-fellowships/

It’s so fun to see this process!

Check out the Midwest Culture Bearers Award!

Announcing the Midwest Culture Bearers Award A $5,000 award that celebrates and supports the work of Midwest culture bearers and folk arts practitioners.

The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship Program will be holding an information session on Tuesday, July 23rd at 12 p.m. at the Grand Ely Lodge (400 N. Pioneer Rd. Ely, MN 55731)!

Learn more about their programs here ➡️ https://www.mcknight.org/programs/arts-culture/mcknight-artist-culture-bearer-fellowships/

Lower Mississippi by Ellen Sandbeck 🐟🐟🐟

See As Long As the Rivers Shall Run this week at MAC! We are open from 10am - 5pm tomorrow - Friday and Saturday 10am - 4pm.

In this exhibition, papercut artist Ellen Sandbeck (Duluth, MN) explores the bioecologies ans endemic species of the world’s major rivers. Each piece is large, multilayered, cut by hand with scissors, and takes months to create.

“I chose to explore these rivers because each has played a huge role in human civilization, and I am fascinated by the interplay between humans and the natural world, says Sandbeck. “Each papercut will be accompanied by extensive text that delves into the environmental and cultural significance, and conservation status of each of the featured species.”

Sandbeck has been making papercut artwork since 1988. She has written and illustrated numerous books including: Slug Bread & Beheaded Thistles (Broadway/Doubleday, 2000), Eat More Dirt (Broadway/Doubleday, 2003), Organic Housekeeping (Scribner, 2006), and Green Barbarians, (Scribner, 2010).

Ellen Sandbeck is a recipient of an NEA-ARP Working Artist Project Grant and Individual Artist Project Grant, made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. The exhibition is sponsored by The Loggy Dome.

Head to the Tofte Lake Center’s Day at the Lake on August 3rd!

https://minnesota.grantwatch.com/cat/2/arts-and-culture-grants.html

Art Grants, Culture Grants in Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Bloomington, Duluth - GrantWatch Search for art and culture grants on GrantWatch.com including grants for artists, performing arts, music, dance, visual, local arts, events and more in Minnesota, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Bloomington, Duluth

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/with-emphasis-on-arts-rural-communities-challenge-national-narrative-of-decline

With emphasis on arts, rural communities challenge national narrative of decline Americans have been drawn to rural areas in recent years partly due to the appeal of a higher quality of life. These regions have not traditionally been known as art hubs, but some residents say that trend is changing. Jeffrey Brown reports from northern Minnesota, where artists and community leader...

We heard you! We've decided now is the perfect time for some updates.

ARAC hopes these changes will create a more equitable process and consistent schedule for each grant round! The biggest change applicants will see is a consolidation of our grant programs.

Our staff and board of directors look forward to an exciting year ahead!

Read more about all the changes on our website!
https://aracouncil.org/news/arac-announces-updates-for-new-fiscal-year

FYI ARAC's office will be closed July 1st – 5th for our summer break. Our staff will not be available to answer calls or emails during this time so please be patient with us and we'll get back to you as soon as we can ☀️😎

We had such a great time yesterday! Thanks to everyone who organized the event and allowed us to talk with folks about our services! ☺

Coming up on June 28th!

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music as we celebrate the long-awaited debut album from AfroGeode & the Gemstones. This event holds special significance as we honor the memory of Diona Johnson (aka AfroGeode), who left us much too soon last year. The realization and release of this album have been a heartfelt passion project for both the Gemstones and Diona’s husband, Steve.

This album is more than music; it’s a radical, heartfelt expression of resilience, love, joy, equality, and the power of expression. It’s a musical love letter from Diona and the Gemstones to the beautiful humans and communities that inspired and supported them.

Event Highlights:
• Live Performances: Enjoy the fabulously funky sounds of The Gemstones and the zesty, uplifting jams of Baharat!
• Merchandise: Albums (vinyl, cassettes, compact discs) and band merchandise will be available for sale.

Event Schedule: 6p-10p
• 7:00 PM - Kaylee Matuszak
• 8:00 PM - The Gemstones
• 9:00 PM - Baharat
Let’s come together to celebrate this extraordinary musical journey and the indomitable spirit of AfroGeode. Don’t miss out on this evening of love, joy, and powerful music!

No Cover | All Ages | Family Friendly

Maada’ookiing Grants – Northland Foundation Maada’ookiing offers support for Native American-led community building with grants now up to $5,000 to individuals or groups to strengthen culture and community.

Our office will be closed tomorrow, June 19th to allow our team time for reflection and celebration of Juneteenth. Check out some of the Juneteenth events happening in the Arrowhead Region! 💚💛❤️

Juneteenth Celebration Virginia
6/19/2024
11 am – 3 pm
500 Block of Chestnut St., Virginia, MN

Juneteenth Jamboree
6/19/2024
3 – 7 pm
Central Hillside Community Center, Duluth, MN

Ellen Sandbeck's show will be up until July 26!! 😍

Headwaters Mississippi River by Ellen Sandbeck 🌊🌊🌊

Ellen Sandbeck (Duluth, MN) has been making papercut artwork since 1988. In this exhibition, she explores the bioecologies and endemic species of the world’s major rivers. Each piece is large, multilayered, cut by hand with scissors, and takes months to create.

Ellen Sandbeck is a recipient of an NEA-ARP Working Artist Project Grant and Individual Artist Project Grant, made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Read her full artist statement here: https://macrostieartcenter.org/artist-statement-2

Call for Artists – Mural in The Trailhead – The Loppet Foundation The Loppet Foundation is seeking a mural artist/artist team from Minnesota to create a new mural inside The Trailhead building located in Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. The location for the mural spans the majority of the main hall of The Trailhead and we are excited for it to be a beautiful ar...

🕰️🌟There's still time to nominate exceptional community leaders for the Jennifer Easton Community Spirit Awards! ⚡ Nominations close on July 8. Don’t miss this chance to honor those who help Native communities heal and thrive.

🍃 Join us to uplift the culture bearers in your community! Click the link to nominate today! 🔗 https://bit.ly/2024-FPF-CSA-App

📷 Pictured: 2024 CSA Honoree Golga Oscar, Kasigluk Elders Traditional Council - Yup'ik Nation

🙌

The Duluth NAACP's Juneteenth Jamboree is ONE MONTH AWAY! Get ready for an amazing community event with free dinner, music, a photobooth, children's activities, BIPOC vendors, informational tables and more!

🚨UPDATE on CLOSING DATE! Space is filling up!
The Lyric Gallery is a great space for all level artists to showcase! We have featured many seasoned artists as well as many first time exhibitors. Let us help grow your art business!
🔔 Call for MN based featured 2025 artists 🧑🏾‍🎨
🎨 Painting, photography, mixed, pastels, etc
🖼️Each artist displays for 2 months in the gallery or the annex
🖌️All ages as we will have a student feature as well (ages 5-17)
⏰ Submit your medium, concept, sizes and samples by August 1 to [email protected]
👨‍🎨Artists paid on commission; Gallery fee is 30% for non-members and 20% for members per sale. This is below the average take which just helps keep our gallery open. 🦋
We can’t wait to see what comes through!

Don't forget! The extended deadline to apply for MHC's grant opportunities is December 11! Tell your friends and community members and get those applications in! We are funding projects in 5 key areas: Cultural Heritage, Children's Museums, Capacity Building, Civics, and Emergency Response. If you have questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us!

We're also still looking for a few more community members to be a part of the independent review panel! If you'd like to be part of the decision-making process in awarding these grants, submit an interest form today!

Learn more and apply at the link in our bio!

2024 is just around the corner so there's no better time than now to start getting organized for the year ahead! Join us for another Workshop Wednesday where we'll discuss getting organized as a creative - tips for keeping a schedule, planning, looking for funding, and record-keeping!

Wednesday, December 13, 2023
5:30 p.m.
FREE & Virtual

Zoom link to join 👉 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83023359256?pwd=cHdYZkd3OUtHd1VPM013NmpFcjREQT09

Photo credits and description: Natalija Walbridge and her exhibit at Duluth Pottery (upper). Diane Levar and her exhibit at MacRostie Art Center (lower).

Artist/Teacher opportunity!

Spread the creativity! Share, tag, and mention this opportunity to your artistic friends and family.

Connect with us! Send us a message or email [email protected] for more details and to share your class offerings.

Dear Arrowhead Arts Community,

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council will be undergoing an unexpected move in the next couple of weeks. Due to an apparent heating problem, the owner of the Ordean building issued an eviction notice effective December 31, 2023.

The ARAC staff is disappointed with this news and we’re committed to providing a safe, welcoming space for our staff, board, and our arts community. The change will not affect any of our current programming or grant/review dates or deadlines.

Although this is sad news as we loved our office space, we are excited to settle into our new office space located in the Providence building at 332 West Superior St, Suite 204, Duluth, MN 55802.

We feel this space will fill all the needs of our staff and our community. Our staff will be transitioning to the new space throughout the month of December. As expected, this might come with some small technical issues here and there, so we appreciate your patience with us as we move into our new space. In-person office visits will not be available until January 2, 2024.

The best way to contact us during this period will be through email at [email protected].

We can’t thank you enough for your continued support and understanding during this time.

Gratefully,
The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council Staff

Small Business Saturday has gone by but we want to continue to encourage everyone to shop and support your local, gallery, gift shops, and arts organizations this Holiday season! Read our Holiday Guide to Supporting the Arts for a full list of places you can shop and other ways you can support creatives this holiday season! ✨

👉 https://aracouncil.org/news/aracs-shop-local-guide

THANK YOU to everyone who showed up, donated, and supported us and all the arts organizations in our region during this giving season! We're blown away by how lucky we are to be a part of a community of people who show up for the arts! 💙💚

Next time you stop into Dovetail Cafe & Marketplace check out Alison Aune's new exhibition! Those details are breathtaking! 😍

We have a new art exhibition in our cabin: beautiful Minnesota-Nordic pattern paintings by Alison Aune. Next time you're here, be sure to walk through our cabin and admire them!

"Alison Aune shares colorful mixed-media paintings in the stuga (cabin) for the holiday season. She created these works to honor her Minnesota-Swedish and Norwegian heritage by studying, reviving, and reinterpreting traditional folk art designs and symbolic textile patterns.

"Many of the traditional Nordic motifs that she includes hold deep ancestral meaning. In traditional folk belief, these decorative patterns were symbols of protection and good luck and their spiritual power increased when repeated. In this way, her work aims to celebrate the intersection of art, crafts, and cultural heritage."

Paintings are available for purchase.

Thanks for gracing our cabin with your beautiful art, Alison Aune-Hinkel!

Shop at The Jaques Art Center’s Christmas Marketplace this holiday season!

🎁✨ Find the Perfect Gift at Jaques Art Center's Christmas Marketplace! 🌟🛍️

Struggling to find that unique, unforgettable gift for the ones who seem to have everything? Look no further! 🎨🎄 The Jaques Art Center Christmas Marketplace is your one-stop shop for one-of-a-kind treasures that will light up the holiday season.

📍 WHERE: Jaques Art Center, 121 2nd St. NW, Aitkin, MN 56431
📅 WHEN: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 AM - 4 PM
🗓️ Christmas Marketplace: Now through December 23

Discover handmade wonders and artistic gems that you won't find anywhere else. Our carefully curated selection of gifts starts as low as $4, ensuring there's something special for every budget.

🌈 Why shop with us?

Unique Finds: From local artworks to handcrafted ornaments, our marketplace is filled with treasures you won't find in mainstream stores.
Support Local Artists: Your purchase supports local artists and creators, making your gift even more meaningful.
Gifts for Every Taste: Whether you're shopping for art enthusiasts, decor lovers, or those who appreciate the extraordinary, we've got you covered.
🎁 Make your holiday shopping a joyful experience at Jaques Art Center! Explore our Christmas Marketplace and surprise your loved ones with gifts that reflect the magic of the season.

Remember, we're open Tuesday-Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM, and the Christmas Marketplace is here until December 23. Don't miss out on the chance to give a gift that truly stands out!

It's GIVING TUESDAY! Support a local arts organization today!!
If you'd like to support the individual artists, we'd love for you to consider donating to us!

https://www.givemn.org/organization/The-Arrowhead-Regional-Arts-Council

This giving season donations will go toward supporting the budding artists in our region through our Artist Access Grant program which supports artists who have never received a grant from us before.

We've found this grant program to be one of the most pivotal steps in our artists' careers by not only giving them the opportunity to fund a project but also giving them the confidence and support to continue to get additional funding and expand their careers as artists.

Here are some other ways you can support the arts:
✨ Attend local art events
✨ Buy from local artists this holiday season!
✨ Advocate for the arts in Minnesota by reaching out to your legislators and telling them why the arts are so important to our state

Photo Description: A black and white photo of visitors at Carolyn S. Olson's "Essential Worker Portrait" series with an ARAC logo and giving Tuesday logo on top.