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Latest Review
Reviewed by: kkleppelembo
on 04/25/10:
Mission
Arts Midwest connects people throughout the Midwest and the world to meaningful arts opportunities, sharing creativity, knowledge, and understanding across boundaries.
Key Facts
Target demographics:
Our cultural programs reach more than one million people annually, serving communities across our nine member states, which include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Many of our programs extend beyond these borders to communities across the 50 states, and international to places like China, Egypt, and Chile- enhancing the quality of life in hundreds of cities, towns, and rural areas across the the world.
Results to date:
Over the past 24 years, Arts Midwest has been committed to serving the nation’s thriving arts communities. Through our performing, visual, literary, and theater arts programs, we have supported arts initiatives in urban and rural communities throughout the U.S.
During the second year of the 2007–2009 Arts Midwest World Fest cycle, ensembles from Quebec, Israel, Mexico, and the Inner Mongolia Region of China reached 40,965 individuals, including 31,280 students in Midwestern communities.
Additionally, in 2008–2009, Arts Midwest granted $540,318 to presenting organizations, and artists earned more than $3.5 million touring throughout the region through the Performing Arts Fund. These funds helped dance, music, and theater ensembles engage over 296,000 individuals, including over 138,000 youths through a variety of enriching public performances and educational activities.
Arts Midwest also supported the arts community at the 2009 Midwest Arts Conference, with more than 900 attendees representing artists, presenting organizations, and service organizations. Attendees used this opportunity to gain knowledge about the performing arts industry, network with colleagues, and experience a variety of dynamic performances.
Description
The following comments are just a few of the numerous responses that we have received from our program partners and community members:“[Arts Midwest World Fest] is a unique opportunity for the kids to experience another culture that they normally wouldn’t have within our community.” - Deb Batzlaff, New Ulm, New Ulm community Education Inter School District
"When I returned from the [Midwest Arts] Conference, I told all our staff and board members that this conference was worth a one million dollar education for someone new to the industry." - Marilyn Greaves
"[Regarding Arts Midwest World Fest] Our rural schools cannot afford to host performers of this caliber. Exposure to such great ambassadors from Israel for these students was wonderful to see." – Terri Connell, Outreach Coordinator
Programs
Arts Midwest World Fest, is a global education and outreach performing arts initiative.The Midwest Arts Conference is an annual booking and educational conference for the performing arts.
The Performing Arts Fund is a funding program that supports performing arts touring and educational workshops.
ArtsLab is a capacity-building program for Minnesota nonprofit arts organizations in partnership with a consortia of Twin Cities foundations.
The arts learning Xchange is an audience development initiative for Twin Cities arts organizations.
Arts Midwest also manages an array of initiatives with the National Endowment for the Arts:
The Big Read is a literary reading program that supports innovative reading initiatives, lectures, and events in communities across the country.
Shakespeare in American Communities brings the inimitable works of William Shakespeare to communities across the nation.
NEA Jazz Masters Live is a series of concerts and conversations featuring acclaimed jazz musicians.