Big News! Grant Announcements

Last week, we found out that MPLSART has been awarded two grants for our editorial: the MRAC Flexible Spending Grant and a Seward Neighborhood Group Small Project Grant. These grants, totally over $17000, will help us expand our editorial capacity and properly fund it for the next year. As a tiny self-funded project, we partnered with Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA) as our fiscal sponsor.  We are grateful for NEMAA's sponsorship and for the opportunity these grants afford us. Based on surveys and feedback over the last few years, we know you want more arts writing and we're super excited to be able to sustainably produce more over the next year. Continue reading to learn more about the grants and how you can help.

 

The Grants

MRAC Flexible Support Grant
Last week, the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council announced the recipients of their Flexible Support Grant. Of the 326 applicants, MPLSART was 1 of 94 groups to receive a portion of the $1,383,358 awarded this grant cycle. Our pitch was to essentially double our editorial capacity, cultivate more local arts writers, and help further fill the void of visual arts coverage locally. The need for in-depth arts writing locally is bigger than ever and with this grant, MPLSART can more effectively address this need. MRAC funding is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Thank you to MRAC, the Clean Water Land & Legacy amendment, and the voters that help make this funding available to tiny organizations like ours.

Seward Neighborhood Group Small Grant Program
If you didn't know, MPLSART is based out of our home office in the lovely Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Seward is home to a number of amazing artists and arts organizations such as Northern Clay Center, Soomaal House of Art, FOCI, and Vine Arts Center. The Seward Neighborhood Group (SNG) is 1 of 70 officially recognized community engagement organization throughout the city. Through their annual Small Grant Program, SNG offers small ($5k or less) grants to support community-led projects that benefit the residents of Seward. As part of the grant, we will be focusing a portion of our editorial over the next few months highlighting the organizations and artists that call Seward home. 
 

What this means for MPLSART?

It's hard to believe, but MPLSART turned 18 this year. Through most of its history, it has been a self funded side project. While in recent years, we have a number of amazing ad sponsors, sustaining gallery members, and folks such as yourself that leave highly appreciated tips, growth has been very slow but steady. Along with the exhibition calendar and gallery guide, our editorial has been a critical resource for the Twin Cities visual arts community. Based on surveys and feedback over the last few years, we know you want more arts writing out of us. However, editorial is by far our largest expense as well. These grants will not only allow us to produce more and higher quality arts writing for the benefit of the Twin Cities visual arts community, but also free up budget for other projects in the works such as the Art Services Directory, membership program, and very needed site updates. I am confident that these grants will help set us up for long term success and further sustainable growth. I am very optimistic for MPLSART's future and excited for you to come on this journey with us as we enter the next phase. 

 

How You Can Help?

Writers and Guest Editors: To meet the demand of our increased editorial, we are going to be actively seeking additional writers of all skill levels as well as guest editors. While we'll be leveraging new and existing relationships with local arts organizations to source writers, the future of arts writing in the Twin Cities starts with you. If you or someone you know is the next great arts writer or editor, we'd love to work with you. Please reach out. 

Become a Sponsor: While we might be growing at a slow sustainable pace, our audience is growing fast. Just last month, our site received 50k+ visits and that is more than double from the previous May. You can help support this growth and show your support for the arts by becoming a sponsor. 

Leave a Tip: <Insert Bernie Sanders Meme> If you love what we do for the local arts scene please leave a tip. Seriously, every little bit helps.

 

Once again, thank you to MRAC, Seward Neighborhood Group, NEMAA, the Clean Water Land & Legacy amendment, the amazing artists, galleries, and organizations we work with, and especially you if you have read this far. 

xoxo ~ Blaine ◼︎

 

 

 

 

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This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.