The Region 2 Arts Council board of directors awarded $173,502 in Arts and Cultural Heritage Funds to 10 organizations following a community panel review of 15 season/series arts support grant applications.

According to a Nov. 14 press release, each awarded organization will offer two or more activities benefiting the people of Beltrami, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen and Clearwater counties, designed to remove barriers that audiences may have to accessing arts activities; develop knowledge, skills and understanding of the arts for all ages; represent diverse ethnic and cultural arts traditions or build bridges between Minnesotans through arts and culture.

Awards included:

• $18,000 to the Northern Light Opera Company, Park Rapids, to present a summer musical and conduct NLOKids Theater Camp, a Workbench new play workshop for playwrights and the Workbench filmmakers intensive.
• $18,000 to the Heartland Concert Association, Park Rapids, to expand accessible opportunities for the community, including students and the place-bound elderly, to enjoy music by top performers.
• $18,000 to the Nemeth Art Center, Park Rapids, to provide resources including studio and display space, materials, stipends and promotions for locally created photography, painting and sculpture by an artist-in-residence, a local artist and a visiting artist.
• $18,000 to the Miikanan Gallery at the Watermark Art Center, Bemidji.
• $18,000 to the Bemidji Symphony Orchestra.
• $18,000 to the Northwest Indian Community Development Center, Bemidji.
• $18,000 to the Bagley Area Arts Collective.
• $18,000 to the Bemidji Community Theater.
• $11,502 to Lake of the Woods Art Guild, Baudette.
• $18,000 to Mask & Rose Women’s Theater Collective, Puposky.

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