On February 22, 2024 the Region 2 Arts Council Board of Directors, with support from community panel reviews on February 13thand 15th, awarded $18,000 to artists from within our five-county region. These grants provide financial assistance to artists in any arts discipline, or in any stage of their career as an artist, that reside in the Minnesota counties of Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods and Mahnomen. The Artist Support Grant program is supported by the McKnight Foundation through a grant to fund costs associated with the exhibition, performance, or production of creative work, purchase of materials or equipment to create works of art, educational opportunities in the arts, and other opportunities to enhance an artist’s development such as working with a mentor artist, attending a national conference, taking part in an artist residency program, or marketing themselves or their work.
Wendell Affield of Bemidji was awarded $2,000 to create, edit, format, and publish Excerpts from Prison, a collection of stories as told by a man from the White Earth Nation about his life in prison in a series of letter excerpts between the author and the incarcerated man.
Charles Alberti of Bemidji was awarded $516 to create a booklet of artwork featuring four seasons from his life in the timelines of childhood, adolescence, adult and senior stages including personal narratives and poems by the artist.
Griffin Blegen of Bemidji was awarded $2,000 to purchase an underwater camera housing in order to expand his photography to underwater subjects and scenes.
Nick Bretz of Park Rapids was awarded $1,999 to purchase a sound system to assist in a captivating series of magic shows and entertainment, spotlighting the magical talents of Imaginick.
Jason Ewert of Bemidji was awarded $1,985 to refurbish his Super 8mm camera and acquire film stock to continue making award-winning films.
Monica Hansmeyer of Turtle River was awarded $2,000 to purchase a Leica A60-F Microscope with a Versa Acrobat stand to assist her vision with fine detailed jewelry hand engraving and gem setting.
Jeremiah Liend of Turtle River was awarded $2,000 to produce the original play Irresponsible Men Irresponsible Women in its a global premier.
Lisa Lund of Bemidji was awarded $1,500 to systematically learn floor loom weaving techniques, theory and practice by purchasing the specific fiber needed for coursework for seasons 3-5 offered through Jane Stafford School of Weaving online.
Eric Olson of Bemidji was awarded $2,000 to pay travel, room, and board costs associated with offering a performance, as well as educational master classes, in Pienza, Italy as part of the Pienza Music Festival.
Eric Sundeen of Bemidji was awarded $2,000 to purchase a marimba to further his commitment to being a well-rounded percussionist and to use this instrument for teaching and upcoming performance opportunities within the community.
Region 2 Arts Council Artist Support Grants are made possible with funding from the McKnight Foundation
r2arts.org 