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Welcome to the City of Minneapolis office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy newsletter. Here you will find information on program and partner related news and updates, opportunities, events and special announcements.
Sign up for the Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy newsletter at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/coordinator/arts/index.htm
COVID-19 Related News
ACCE Update
The Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (ACCE) is expanding our virtual office hours to also include office hours with Dr. Brenda Kayzar of Urbane DrK Consulting, who can help you navigate COVID related relief resources. Brenda has extensive knowledge of the creative ecosystem and economy and has worked with ACCE to produce the Minneapolis Creative Index and other projects.
We are hearing from creative enterprises about their efforts to navigate and access the various COVID related relief resources offered by the City and other agencies. We know that each resource has its eligibility challenges so to help you make sense of these opportunities, ACCE will add virtual office hours with Brenda. Brenda will be available to help you consider City of Minneapolis and other resources and opportunities for your creative enterprise. She'll be available for a phone consultation - by appointment - between the hours of 1:00 and 2:30 pm on Wednesdays. See details below regarding setting up an appointment.
For more information about the coronavirus or the City's response, visit www.minneapolismn.gov/coronavirus.
Relief Funds from Community Foundations and Grant-Makers by State
The Council on Foundations has compiled a helpful state-by-state list of community foundations and more grant-makers offering relief funds.
Hennepin County announces Small Business Relief Fund
Hennepin County has announced a Small Business Relief Program for forgivable loans up to $7,500 to help small local businesses meet immediate financial needs. The application period opens on Monday, April 27 and closes on May 8.
Loans can be used to pay for critical operating expenses, such as:
- Utilities
- Rent payments
- Mortgage payments
- Payments to suppliers
- Other necessary expenses
Eligible for-profit businesses must:
- Be locally owned and operated
- Have a physical establishment in Hennepin County
- Have 1-20 employees
- Have under $1 million in annual revenue
- Have been financially impacted by COVID-19
Application
- Application forms will be posted to this website on April 27.
- Applications are due by noon on May 8, 2020.
- If applications exceed funding, awards will be made through a lottery system.
- Recipients will be notified by email on or before May 15.
- Translated application and program materials will be available in Spanish, Hmong, Somali and Oromo
Read the program guidelines here.
MindTwist Studio launches "We are in this together" initiative
MindTwist Studio, a Minneapolis-based film and video production company, has recently launched a new initiative, "We are in this together." MindTwist Studio is offering fast turnaround video services to non-profit organizations, government organizations or initiatives that are educating the public, supporting communities, and helping people in need in the COVID-19 crisis.
Current services include, but are not limited to:
- Editing
- Motion graphics
- Sound mixing/editing
- Color correction/Color grading
- Location B-roll
- Self-interview setup consultation
- Virtual interview
- In-person interview (not preferred due to social distancing, but will be assessed on a case-by-case basis)
As a small business, they would greatly appreciate if you have some budget for their services. However, supporting the community is very important right now, so they are operating on a “pay what you can” basis. To request video services, fill out the contact form here.
COVID-19 Learning Opportunities
Upcoming Zoom Call: "Are You OK?"
Join Pollen Midwest for their weekly "Are You OK?" Zoom call connecting community members with local organizations and small businesses. This campaign will regularly publish stories, art, and bring us together virtually to showcase how our collective community is processing and healing during this unprecedented time.
When: Thursday, April 30, 2:00 PM CDT
Upcoming Webinar: "Ask an Expert:Tech Tips and Tricks for Successful Livestreaming"
Join a panel of experts as they discuss and outline how to make your livestreams look and sound as professional as possible. Whether you are a novice who wants to learn the basics, or a seasoned presenter seeking to improve your online offerings, this informative webinar will provide you with advice, insight, and the tools you need to take your livestream to the next level.
When: Tuesday, April 28 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CDT
Free Online Workshops: Coping with COVID-19
The challenges posed by quarantines and a stalled economy are daunting, especially for artists. In the last month, Creative Capital has launched a series of free online workshops, Coping with COVID, designed to help artists mitigate the effects of the pandemic and economic situation, and above all to show that none of us are alone in this struggle. All four of the workshops are now available to watch online:
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Livestreaming for Artists: If you're thinking about livestreaming for the first time, it can be hard to know where to start. Yara Travieso and Brighid Greene suggest using livestreaming less as a final product, and more as a way to continue a creative practice. In their workshop, they assess different platforms and what to know when just getting started.
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Financial Implications for Creative Individuals: Elaine Grogan Luttrull, CPA-PFS, AFC, answers questions and provides tangible strategies to help artists cope with the unique financial challenges they face in these uncertain times, including a look at small business loans, filing for unemployment, and more.
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Time Management for Artists During Challenging Times: When your home is your office, studio, daycare, and sanctuary, how do you divide up and manage your activities? Amy Bloustine advises on ways to create more structure and better manage your time in order to reduce stress, and be more productive during the quarantine.
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Centering Wellness and Self-Care: As artists attempt to maintain a sense of "business as usual" when things are anything but usual, Rhonda Wheatley discusses lessons in healing and wellness to manage the growing isolation, anxiety, and uncertainty we are all facing. Wheatley closes with a guided meditation.
COVID-19 Thoughts and Inspiration
CarryOn Homes working to connect communities amid COVID-19 pandemic
 Creative City Challenge 2018 installation at The Commons, with portraits of new immigrants displayed by CarryOn Homes. Photo by Zoe Cinel.
In Northeast Minneapolis, CarryOn Homes, a local arts collective, is asking residents to sew a flag for their windows, hoping to “mend the gap” that each of us is experiencing due to social distancing. The organization is encouraging residents to take any piece of fabric they have lying around and sew it into something they can hang in their windows in solidarity. This is part of a new project that CarryOn Homes hopes to introduce in Northeast Minneapolis to address the 2020 census and immigration.
“I was looking for ways to reach out and get immigrant populations, people of color and Indigenous people involved in the census because there's a great deal of skepticism around civic engagement,” said Witt Siasoco, an artist and resident of Northeast. “So, this was the perfect opportunity to invite this group of artists to come together on this project.”
CarryOn Homes were the 2018 winners of the Creative City Challenge a project of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy implemented in collaboration with Northern Lights.mn and Green Minneapolis
Read more.
Opportunities
Residency Opportunities for May and June 2020
The Alliance of Artists Communities (AAC) has compiled a list of residency programs and special opportunities with upcoming deadlines. As organizations are adjusting schedules in the wake of this crisis, please check individual websites to ensure deadlines have not changed. You can find information on hundreds of programs, as well as tips for researching, applying for and funding your residency.
Given the dynamic nature of COVID-19, artists and arts organizations are navigating many uncertainties. AAC has been working closely with residency partners around the world as they adapt programming and policies to ensure the safety of their artists and staff. With many artists facing both a loss of income and unexpected expenses, AAC has compiled the following resource lists:
In addition, the following artist relief fund is available:
Coming up: Virtual Community Office Hours
Community members are welcome to reserve virtual 'Office Hour' time with the Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy team.
Join Gulgun Kayim, Director of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy on Fridays from 9:00 am -10:30 a.m,Teeko Yang, Creative CityMaking Project Manager on Wednesdays from 10:00 am to Noon, and Brenda Kayzar, owner of Urbane DrK Consulting on Wednesdays from 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm for virtual community office hours.
Reservations are necessary! Upcoming dates and contact information below:
For meetings with Gulgun Kayim: e-mail Gulgun.Kayim@minneapolismn.gov to notify that you will be attending and call: 612-710-2232 on Friday, May 1 at your confirmed time between 9:00am-10:30am.
For meetings with Teeko Yang: e-mail Teeko.Yang@minneapolismn.gov to notify that you will be attending and call: 612-271-4960 on Wednesday, May 6 at your conformed time between 10:00am-Noon.
For meetings with Brenda Kayzar: e-mail urbanedrk@gmail.com to notify that you will be attending and call: 612-730-7913 on Wednesday, April 29 at your confirmed time between 1:00 and 2:30pm.
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