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ST. PETER — Thanks to a recent $35,000 state grant, the Arts Center of Saint Peter is able to provide several options to area residents interested in honing or learning new creative skills.
The Minnesota State Arts Board awarded the grant for educational programs to the center. Director Ann Rosenquist Fee announced the good news Jan. 18 to a concert audience in the lower level of the center, 315 S. Minnesota Ave.
“It’s the largest State Arts Board we’ve ever received,” Fee told the crowd gathered for the live jazz performance.
Since 1979, the center has been host to live performances, classes, artist groups and gallery exhibits.
“This certainly is not the first time we’ve received State Arts Board funds,” Fee said Tuesday. The size of the grant shows the state agency recognizes the center’s proven record of successful education programming, she added.
Most of the funding will be used to ensure the center’s instructors are compensated for teaching students to make visual art, sew or work in clay. The grant also will help relieve the burden of stringently cutting corners to provide the necessary materials used in the classes.
Several classes are available during the remaining weeks of this winter, including sessions for anyone interested in learning how to create a ceramic four-piece dinnerware. Instruction in various hand-sewing techniques also is available.
None of the grant funds are designated for operating funds. A breakdown of the center’s budget will be provided during its annual membership meeting and potluck 4 p.m. Sunday. Business items will include a review of the previous year’s financial report and the election of new board members and officers. (RSVPs may be emailed to: [email protected])
Among the topics Fee will present include the use of the center’s second-floor space. For the past few years, most of those upstairs rooms were not generating income. Board members are seeking input on potential and compatible small businesses that would be open to renting a room or two from the center.
Nonprofit recipients of recent MSAB grants include:
• The Grand Center for Arts and Culture in New Ulm will use its $34,995 arts education award to expand its offerings to area youth through its letterpress, printmaking and heART therapy classes.
• St. Peter Good Neighbor Diversity Council is among the Cultural Expression grantees. The nonprofit was awarded $30,250 to support its signature event, the St. Peter Festival of Nations. The annual festival, slated in May, features dance, music and foods from the area’s Somali, Latino and Native communities.
Area individuals also recently received MSAB awards:
• Elizabeth Torres, of North Mankato, is the recipient of a $10,000 grant that will be used to finance the revision of a collection of poems and to help pay expenses for facilitating a workshop and reading in Mankato.
• Robin Warburton, of Janesville, was awarded $10,000 to fund a display of her wood sculptures at the Arts Center of Saint Peter later this year. Warburton also will offer a carving demonstration.
• Gregory Euclide, of Le Sueur, will use his $10,000 grant to develop a new website and workshops designed to increase the accessibility to information about his visual art.
• Ark, of Mankato, will used her $10,000 award to develop skills in fiber, sewing and woodworking. The funds also will be used to create a body of work and design a dialogue about the effects of mental health for artists who are people of color.
• Molly Stoltz, of St. Peter, was awarded $9,950. The funds will be used to produce four traditional professional flamenco performances at St. Peter locations.
• Zachary Sproles, of Mankato, the recipient of $9,800, will use the funds to create professional-grade music videos and an EP for musical projects in underserved local communities within the Mankato area.
• Colin Scharf, of Mankato, will use his $9,000 grant to record new original music and give a public performance in Mankato.
• Ailee Slater, of Mankato, will use some of her $5,510 grant to develop comedy-writing workshops designed for specific groups of people.
The Arts Board will offer six grant programs in the fiscal year 2026 grant cycle: Accessible Arts, Arts Education, Arts Experiences, Cultural Expression, Creative Individuals and Operating Support. Application materials are now available for the next round of arts education grants. Feb. 7 is the deadline to apply.
Creative Individuals grant program applications must be submitted by March 7.
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