Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative January Newsletter

Happy 2016!

Are you keeping up with all that is happening around our fair city? Plays are opening, musicians are making music, new exhibits are showing, there are regular open mics and poetry readings - for example, how about this event happening January 28? Sounds great!

MLK Poetry Recital and Poetry Slam
Thursday, January 28, 4:00pm
Rochester Art Center
The winners of our annual Martin Luther King youth poetry contest will recite their works, followed by an adult poetry slam. Adult works should follow the same theme as the youth contest, which is a quote from Dr. King: "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." All are welcome to attend! Free food and cash bar. Adults interested in performing at the poetry slam should send a sample of their work to Vangie at vangiec@diversitycouncil.org.

Use the power of the internet to discover all there is on offer to be a part of! The Diversity Council has an events page, the Rochester CVB does, the RDA, the Post Bulletin, KTTC among others. And don't hide your light under a bushel, either. Use these resources that are available to spread the word about your event!

Here are some updates on RACC teams and activities:

Art4Trails

This exciting project keeps moving forward! A panel met in January to make the selection of artists who will be doing installations along the bike trail (Slatterly Park to Silver Lake) in the summer of 2016. Five proposals out of 18 submissions were chosen. There will be an announcement party in February, so please keep your eyes and ears open for news of that.

Spaces 

The spaces team is also making progress on their proposal for an Arts and Cultural Center at the Armory/Senior Center and we hope there will be a more formal announcement in the next month with further information about this.  Members of the team will be reaching out to artists, art organizations and cultural groups again with updates and new opportunities to join this venture. Letters of interest are a key part of the proposal, so we hope you will be open to this conversation when you are contacted. Please feel free to contact Debi Neville (nevilledl@yahoo.com) to express interest or find out more. 

The Chateau Re-Use task force is still having their meetings and they are open to the public.  There is nothing scheduled on the city meeting calendar currently, but you may contact Lisa Mullenbach at City Hall to learn more. 

Public Art

The Public Art Master Plan project spearheaded by the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust in conjunction with Forecast Public Art of St Paul, is in planning stages for community input. Please watch this space (email raccnews@gmail.com to get on the newsletter mailing list), our Facebook page, and Twitter feed (@raccmn) for news of feedback opportunities as soon as we learn of them. They are committed to a community-focussed master plan so please be ready to do your part and engage with the planners as they reach out.

That's all for this month. See you at the show/concert/opening/slam/gathering...!

Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative December Newsletter

We hope you all are enjoying the many and varied arts and cultural offerings around town as 2015 comes to a close. Winter is a great time to experience the arts!

Here are the latest updates from RACC about the teams' projects, all of which will be welcoming community input and engagement so read on:

Public Art Master Plan (PAMP) update

There was a meeting December 7 of the steering committee overseeing the Public Art Master Plan development. Two RACC representatives, Mary Ellen Landwehr and Dave Beal, are members of this committee. The meeting, held at the Rochester Area Foundation, was open to the public, as all these meetings are, and a few people were in the gallery.

Dave Beal is also on the sub (management)- committee, which meets in between meetings of the larger group to do the administrative work necessary. They have created a project document, laying out components, process, and timeline.

The PAMP steering committee has divided into three teams:
• City-wide master planning team –  which will focus on how the project intersects with all the other master plans currently in the works.
• Community Engagement Team – which will focus on stakeholder research and outreach in various forms. Their first activity will be stakeholder focus groups and the team members contributed names of potential participants for one (or more) of six focus groups: hospitality & business, culture & religion, artists, students, educators, and neighborhoods. The focus group meetings will start in January. Other outreach efforts such as an online tool and input collection boxes (for team members to bring with them to other committees/groups they belong to) are also in the works.  Mary Ellen Landwehr is a member of this team.
• Plan development team –  which will focus on principles, priorities, and governance. Their first priority is a working definition of public art, which has yet to be determined by this group for PAMP purposes.  Dave Beal is a member of this team.

The next meeting will be in March. Watch for information about time and location and also watch for upcoming opportunities from the Community Engagement team to give input

Art4Trails Update

Mary Ellen Landwehr gave a status report on Art4Trails. After the SEMAC grant was declined and it looked like the project would have to be cancelled, an anonymous donor contributed $5000, and that, combined with current funds in hand and an offer by supporters to send out fundraising letters, led the team to keep going. They extended the deadline to December 14 and received 17 project proposals from 13 applicants (two submitted three proposals). The judging and selection of five projects will happen in January. The Rochester Parks Department will handle the installation work.

Next steps are the planning an event to announce the winners and also planning the events surrounding the actual unveiling of the art along the trail in June.   The Art4Trails committee has an events committee working on these plans, and the C4 events committee will collaborate. Involving cultural groups as well as artists in these summer "capstone" events is a priority of the team.  Let us know if you would like to be involved!

There is also discussion among various art leaders in town about the future of Art4Trails beyond this inaugural occurrence. Further updates on that as ideas coalesce.

Armory proposal Arts and Cultural Center update

Steve Troutman and Debi Neville of the Spaces team are working with a committee that is crafting a presentation in response to the RFP put out by the city for re-use of the Armory. The proposal is for an Arts and Cultural Center in that building; there is a small performance space on the third floor, meeting, office, classroom, and studio space on the second floor, and a commercial kitchen and large meeting space on the first floor. It is an exciting opportunity for small arts organization and individual artists who would benefit from shared resources and opportunities for collaboration.  Please let us know if you would like to know more about this vision.

For the RFP presentation, this team is working on a communication plan, an LLC and preliminary non-profit status for the group, a business plan, and communicating with other potential partners in the space (e.g., Veterans Museum).  

In other spaces news, there is no new official news about the Chateau Theatre, except we applaud Annie Henderson's column in the Post Bulletin regarding opening the theatre to artists and arts organization on a short-term basis while long-term use is being decided. Keep it activated instead of sitting dark and empty (or used only seldom for big meetings)! The DMCC board is certainly interested in moving ahead on plans for the Heart of the City District (with a possible RFQ being put out in January?) so it seems as though we are on the cusp of real change and opportunity.

Stay in touch with RACC

Please follow RACC on our Facebook page, read earlier updates on the blog, follow us on Twitter (@RACCMN) and reach out by email to raccnews@gmail.com.  

Other ways you can be involved:

• engage with the Public Art Master Plan when those opportunities arise 
• watch for updates about public events surrounding Art4Trails, including the winners announcement, and 
• express your interest or reach out with your questions regarding the Amory re-use proposal.

Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative October Update

****Art4Trails call for Artists**** 

Please follow this link (and pass it on) for details about the call for artists for this cool project for 2016. Deadline is November 30. Five artists will be chosen to create installations along the river/bike trail and will receive a $2,000 stipend to do so.  Would you enjoy being a part of planning the public capstone event - a festive, fun, community-oriented opening parade along the trail from installation to installation? Please let us know. The hard-working public art/programming team would welcome your participation! raccnews@gmail.com

Other news from the RACC teams:

Dave Beal and Mary Ellen Landwehr area part of the 25 member steering committee for the Public Art Master Plan project that the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust is coordinating with Jack Becker from Forecast Public Art in St. Paul. Their first meeting was October 8 with three more meetings between now and May 2016.  The group was introduced to Jake Becker and his process and did some preliminary visioning exercises. Between meetings of the whole will be smaller fact-finding activities, such as focus groups comprised of representatives from various sectors such as education, art, business, tourism, etc. We will pass along any further information we get about these activities.

Debi Neville and the Spaces team are meeting to strategize about and get to work on a submission in response to the city's RFP for re-use of the Senior Center/Armory. If you would like to be a part of this project, please get in touch. Whether it turns out to be this particular building or not, there is a need for a dedicated arts and cultural space for not only various possible performance uses but for shared administrative space, meeting space, event space, rehearsal space, gallery space, studio space, and so on. This is an important vision for our community, and we welcome input and participation in presenting this opportunity to the city and our fellow citizens.

As always, like RACC and share news on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at @raccmn

Art4Trails open call for artists

The Art4Trails project is officially underway with an open call for artists. The information and submission form is on the MNartists.org website Please pass along to your friends and fellow artists!

This is going to be a fabulous addition to the riverfront next spring. Amidst all the talk about "activating the river", this Public Art/Programming team that grew out of initial RACC meetings is doing it!  They have been working hard and meeting regularly to get this project off the ground.  Now we need some of our talented artists to take the next step and create the installations.  We can hardly wait until June 2016 to see what they all come with!

A hearty thank you to the Art4Trails committee: Mary Ellen Landwehr, Tom Erickson, Jon Allen, Tony Rostvold, Kelly Corbin, Seamus Kolb, and Alison Good.  Also,  we recognize on their behalf Mike Nigbur of the Rochester Parks Department who has contributed valuable advice and assistance and will continue to do so.   

Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative September Update

Greetings all!

The new arts season is upon us, giving us the chance to fill our calendars with one of a kind offerings by all the talented artists, professional and amateur, we have at our doorsteps. Reverb.mn, Rochester Music Guild, Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Post-Bulletin and KTTC events calendar, Rochester Now and Marquee Rochester apps for your phone - these are just a few ways to find a cure for "nothing to do here blues".  Beyond art events, there are various cultural activities going on as well, such as the IMAA Pearl Gala September 25, or the Latino Fest, Saturday, September 26 at Cooke Park with fun activities for the whole family.

Also, the Dolores Jean Lavins Center for the Humanities in Medicine at the Mayo Clinic would like to extend an invitation:

We are very happy to host Joseph Haj, the new Artistic Director of the Guthrie Theater, for an informal gathering on October 1 in the Mayo Clinic Landow Atrium. Please join us in welcoming him, and hear his comments on a new vision for the Guthrie.

RSVP to the Guthrie Theater at 612-377-2224.

We hope to see you October 1 at 7 pm.

Paul D. Scanlon, MD
Johanna Rian, PhD

A few updates from Collaborative partners:

• Art4Trails has made a lot of progress. With the Rochester Area Foundation as a fiscal agent, they have secured grant money from the RDA, the Judy and Jim Sloan Foundation, sponsorship from Forager Brewpub, some in-kind logo and brand development design work from emen design, and are completing a SEMAC grant application, due Oct 1. Call for artists will be posted on mnartists.org by October 1, and we will be sharing that link.  Panel of judges is being created from the representatives of city, artists, neighborhoods. Kelly Corbin of WeBike Rochester will work with the parks department to pre-permit the sites so the artists won't have to.  Publicity plans are also underway so watch your local news sources and spread the word!

• The Chateau Theater Task Force met for the first time Thursday, Sept 17. Here's the Post-Bulletin article about it if you missed it.  RACC member  and local music producer Jim Fricker reported on the meeting, which basically covered preliminary introductions and procedures. There is no plan in place as yet for how the committee will proceed but there is a lot of expertise on the task force so it is expected that a process will be forthcoming. These meetings are open to the public so they will also work on ways to inform the public as well as gather input. 

• The Request for Proposals for Armory/Senior Center re-use is on the consent agenda for Monday evening's (Sept 21) City Council meeting. The Agenda packet is on the city website and there you can see a copy of the RFP. It looks like there will be a March 2016 deadline, with occupancy available probably first quarter of 2017. The Spaces team will be studying the RFP to learn how we can best approach this project based on needs assessment and organization/individual interviews that RACC members undertook over the last few months. If you are interested in participating in this process, let us know! raccnews@gmail.com

• Please complete the Artists Thrive survey for the Minnesota State Arts Board if you haven't yet and pass it along! It's for all individual artists, all over Minnesota, in all disciplines.  The Minnesota State Arts Board is funded by all of our taxes, so help them serve us the best way they can!

Follow RACC on Facebook and Twitter (@RACCMN) and reach out with ideas or to help.  See you at the (fill in the blank) show!

Artists Thrive survey now available

If you haven't seen this elsewhere, the Minnesota State Arts Board is hoping to survey all individual artists from all over Minnesota and from all disciplines:

The Minnesota State Arts Board is studying individual artists in Minnesota in order to learn what it might take for all artists in Minnesota to thrive. The ARTISTS THRIVE research study will survey hundreds of artists statewide about their needs. Then, the Arts Board will use what is learned to inform how it serves and supports artists.

Would you be willing to help ARTISTS THRIVE? Here are two easy ways–

·         Do you think of yourself as an artist? Or is creative expression an important part of your life? Then complete the survey found here: https://bitly.com/1MmQx06. It should take about 25 minutes.

·         Do you work with or know artists or creative people? Then help spread the word by posting or forwarding this message!

You can access the survey online, or request alternate formats in English or Spanish by contacting the Arts Board. For more information, please contact Renae Youngs, director of research and evaluation, Minnesota State Arts Board at renae.youngs@arts.state.mn.us or (651) 215-1607.

 

Rochester Arts and Culture Collaborative August update

Hello arts and culture friends and supporters,

a PSA

Please support C4 (Concerned Citizens for a Creative Community, in case you ever wondered) in their membership drive tomorrow! They serve creativity of all kinds and on a shoestring budget.  This is their first ever membership drive and sustaining memberships will help them keep the lights on. August 22, 6:00-11:00 pm, Cooke Park Design District (6th Ave and 7th St NW). 

Now here are updates from our Collaborative partners.

Art4Trails 

Rochester Area Foundation is acting as fiscal agent for this project of art installations along river trails, so team co-lead Mary Ellen Landwehr is in the process of working on three grants: Think Bank, Rochester Downtown Alliance and SEMAC.

In conjunction with the Park board, 10 sites have been chosen along the river, starting at Slatterly Park and ending at the southern end of Silver Lake, across from the RPU power plant. Two installations will be located in Mayo Park, on the east side of the river.

A capstone public event celebrating the project is in the planning stages but likely will be an interactive event, such as a parade along the bike trail to showcase all of the installations. This is tentatively scheduled for June 11, 2016.

The selection committee is forming; call for artists will open October 1 and close November 30. We will be sure to let you know about the call!

Senior Center/Armory

The Spaces team subcommittee working on the Arts and Cultural Center proposal for the Senior Center/Armory has compiled its information from input sessions and form submissions. The model is still in flux - how to serve many small tenants with a range of commitment abilities - and the team continues to meet with different interested parties to formulate the best and most creative use of the space to present to the City Council. It will be several months until the Senior Center vacates the building so there is still time for study and research

Chateau Theatre

At the August 18th City Council meeting,  Mayor Brede requested to form a Task Force for the Reuse of the Chateau Theatre. He will be drawing names from a number of sources, one of which is the Collaborative.  On behalf of RACC, Audrey Betcher will bring three names to the mayor for consideration from RACC membership: Dave Beal, Steve Troutman and Barb Depman. Jim Fricker of North Coast Productions will also be recommended as a musician/artist rep from the community. 

Brad Jones of the Convention and Visitors Bureau is also willing to give tours of Presentation Hall to interested groups. He hopes to be able to accommodate more local artists in the refurbished space but he also needs to know what any needs and/or limitations are from both sides. We are willing to facilitate putting tour groups together, so please contact RACC at raccnews@gmail.com if you would like to be a part of this tour. 

Public Art Master Plan 

Dave Beal from the Policy Team reported on the status of the Public Art Master Plan and the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust’s consultancy contract with Forecast Public Art of St Paul. The Trust board has put together a 25 member steering committee based upon recommendations of the consultant and local advisors. This committee, once officially confirmed, will have its first meeting in October, with three more to be scheduled through approximately February 2016. The understanding is that this group will follow open meeting laws and their meetings will be announced and open to the public. A smaller liaison/advisory team was also formed to assist the consultant in his work with the community in between the steering committee meetings. Dave Beal is a member of both of these committees and will keep the Collaborative informed.

Here's a repeat from last month, but it bears repeating 

There is a plethora of sources for information on all the happenings in and around our region. For a fine overall community (although primarily arts) information aggregator, check out ReVerb.mn.  Among other options, you can download RochesterNow and Marquee Rochester apps for your phone, follow the 507 Magazine from the PB, submit and find events on the PB events calendar, KTTC/Fox community calendars, the Convention and Visitors bureau and the Rochester Downtown Alliance online calendars, calendars of other arts organizations such as the Rochester Music Guild and the Greater Rochester Arts and Cultural Trust  - there are many ways to keep up to speed so bookmark your favorite!  We'll keep sharing things on our Facebook and Twitter feeds as we are able, and feel free to post on our page with any arts and culture news you want to let the community know about.