The East Central Arts Council (ECAC) is the regional grant-making agency (Regional Arts Council) that supports the arts through funding from the Minnesota State Legislature and The McKnight Foundation. The Council distributes grant awards to artists, arts and other not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions, and local governments and provides technical assistance for these grants in Region 7E – the Minnesota Counties of Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs & Pine. The East Central Arts Council is a program of the East Central Regional Development Commission.

Art Project Grants for Communities, Schools, and Organizations

Art In Our Schools Grants- Schools may apply for up to $1,000 for special art projects. The grant funds can support artist residencies, arts related field trips, or any arts focused special project. Each school district is allowed up to 2 Art In Our School grant allocations per school year. There are four grant deadlines per fiscal year. The grant deadlines are: August 1, October 1, February 1, and April 1.

In fiscal year 2008 ECAC Art In Our Schools artist residency grants went to the Mora CAPP, Ogilvie High School, Rush City Schools, and Onamia Community Education.

The East Central Arts Council (ECAC) also funds arts projects for organizations with the Small Grant and Organization Art Project Grants. Types of art projects funded in the past under the Art Organization or Small Grant programs have been visual art, theatrical, musical, dance, spoken word or literary art. There is a 1 to 1 dollar match for these grants. The funds for these organizational programs are appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature.

Small Grants - Matching grants of up to $500 are currently available for smaller arts projects for organizations. There are four grant deadlines per fiscal year and they are August 1, and October 1, February 1, and April 1.

In fiscal year 2008 ECAC’s Small Grants were awarded to the East Central Minnesota Chorale (Cambridge), the Cambridge Friends of the Library, the Kanabec Artist’s Tour, the ABC Theatre Company (Cambridge), the Kanabec County Historical Society, and the Cambridge-Isanti District 911 Performing Arts Committee.

Organization Art Project Grants- Grants up to $5,000 are available for community art projects. There are two grant deadlines per year for this program. The upcoming deadlines are July 15 (for projects starting after September 15) and January 15 (for projects starting after March 15).

In fiscal year 2008 the ECAC Arts Project Grants were awarded to the First Tuesday Performance Series (Princeton), the Cambridge-Isanti District 911 Performing Arts Committee, Revolution Media (Milaca), Franconia Sculpture Park (Shafer), St. Croix Valley Orchestra (Center City), Mille Lacs County Agricultural Society, City of Chisago City, Depot Studios (Isle), Rush City Music and Art Festival, Northern Exposures Photography Club (Brook Park), East Central Minnesota Chorale (Cambridge), and the Pine City Heritage Players.

Grants for Individual Artists

Funding for these artist programs is provided by The McKnight Foundation.

The next ECAC-McKnight Individual Artist Grant deadlines are October 1, February 1, and April 1. ECAC currently has funding available to award $1,000 artist grants. Applications must be for a specific project.

In fiscal year 2008 the ECAC-McKnight Individual Artist Grants were awarded to: Bjork Ostrom, Cambridge; Linda Bergerson, North Branch; Susan Foss, Sandstone; Jacalyn Bedworth, Mora; Dee Kotaska, Brook Park; Renae Carpenter, Cambridge; and Marilyn Heinzel, North Branch.

The next ECAC-McKnight Fellowship opportunity for artists will be March 1. The Fellowship Program is an annual award designed to recognize, reward, and encourage outstanding professional artists. The year the two $3,000 Fellowships were awarded to: Fred Anderson, Cambridge; and Keith Raivo, Brook Park.

The next ECAC-McKnight Scholarship deadline will be March 1. Scholarships of $500 are available annually to K-12 students in the region. The kids receiving Scholarships in the past have experienced a wide range of art activities with ECAC assistance including jazz camp, show choir camp, dance camp, theatre festivals, and visual art residencies. This year the Scholarships were awarded to: Brad Johnson, Braham; Joe Wolf, Grasston; and Cassandra Olson, Princeton.

A note on ECAC Grantmaking: Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of the programs we fund. Our grantee partners are at the forefront of our work to enhance the arts environment in Region 7E. It is their daily work and commitment that expands arts opportunities, increases the quality of life, and enhances community/economic development in the region.

Grants for all ECAC programs are limited to funding availability and these are competitive grant programs. For more information on these upcoming grant rounds, for art grant applications or assistance, or to set up a presentation on East Central Arts Council services contact Mary Minnick-Daniels (320) 679-4065 x 30 or via e-mail at ecac@ecrdc.org For more information online or to immediately access the grant applications and guidelines you can use the ECAC website at www.region7erdc.org/page9.html