Arrowhead Regional Arts Council 2025 Grant Recipients

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council has announced its most recent grant recipients.

On May 22 the ARAC board approved $447,650 in grants to 50 individual artists and 52 organizations.
 

Artist Project Grants for Individuals

Anthony Anselmo, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $4,000 
Funding will support the artist to attend a writing workshop, market their work, and compensate for their time.

Karen Savage-Blue, Sawyer, Carlton, $4,000
Funding will support the artists to produce five new works of the Wild Rice lakes on the Fond du Lac Reservation.

Judy Nelson, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $4,000
Funding will support an artist stipend, funding for a copy editor, and attendance at a writer’s workshop in Grand Marais, MN.

Cooper Ternes, Grand Marais, Cook, $4,000
Funding will support the artists to create four sets of 15 wooden bowls with and for local early childcare settings in their community.

Laura Sellner, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in creating a new music project.

Sister Veery, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to produce a full-length album and an album release show.

Bodhi Werner, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support a professional screenwriting mentorship and live table reading.

Ty Sheaffer, Grand Marais, Cook, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in producing and developing new basketry work, writing and illustrating a pamphlet on skeined willow basketry, and hosting two community basketry workshops.

Jayne Richards, Grand Marais, Cook, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in preparing their new art space in a local art shed space.

Clare Cooley, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the publication of an art book in three new formats and additional features.

Gina Drellack, Cohasset, Itasca, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in creating a manuscript through artistic development and community engagement.

Jenna Kowaleski, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to hire an editing reader to review the Ojibwe perspective in their novel manuscript, Tourist Information.

Christopher Crego, Hibbing, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the creation, framing, and promotion of 50 grayscale ink drawings and 4 oil paintings.

Nannette Montgomery, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to produce a collection of 36 poems, selected from poetry written over four decades.

Evan Flom, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the pre-production and production of a documentary.

Greg Mueller, Lutsen, Cook, $4,000
Funding will support the fabrication of a sculptural bench-swing for exhibition in Minnesota public spaces.

Mary Plaster, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the creation of a series of 12 Minnesota wildlife masks for use in public events.

Elizabeth Chatelain, Hibbing, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the production of Løvset’s Manoeuvre, a feature-length narrative film about a woman struggling with codependency.

Sandra Maxwell, Finland, Lake, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to participate in a solo exhibition at Tettegouche State Park.

Lynda Ferguson, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in receiving mentorship and creating a fiction novel.

Keith Hopkins, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the post-production of Nerds Doing Good 2, a documentary that explores the efforts of Duluth cosplayers to inspire positive change in their community.

DyAnne Korda, Ely, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in publishing a book consisting of a collection of 42 new poems.

Emily Gaarder, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in recording a singer-songwriter album.

Patrick Colvin, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support a concert of Baroque chamber works titled “Of Courts and Cathedrals” in September 2025.

Terrell Grier, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to produce “World of Music,” a project that uses music to inspire and uplift youth through hands-on workshops, mentorship, and community engagement.

Hadrian DeMaioribus, Duluth, St. Louis, $3,965
Funding will support the artist to prepare their manuscript for self-publication as an e-book.

Robert Lee, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to create a new performance piece created by local artists in collaboration with Hartley Nature Center.

The Draco Volans, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the production of The Draco Volans’ follow-up EP.

Cory Coffman, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in recording three singles.

Kelly Zhaawan Martinson, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the creation of a series of paintings showing Ojibwe culture and relationships.

Jane Shockley, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the Duluth Dance Union summer workshop.

Tiffany Quade, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to create a multimedia project featuring Indigenous Saami stories told through contemporary, multimedia animations about the Saami reawakening.

Nelia Harper, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in creating arts education access for rural artists through online education and engagement.

Ginger Juel, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in creating two public community murals.

Thomas Chapman, Angora, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to reproduce their art book and do speaking tours about the book.

Julia Nellessen, Lutsen, Cook, $2,750
Funding will support the artist to attend a Wood Kiln Build and Fire course at the Grand Marais Art Colony, and continue their work in ceramic arts.

Serenity Schoonover, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the creation of a painting for a permanent art installation.

Glenn Swanson, Carlton, Carlton, $4,000
Funding will support a photography project/exhibition that will highlight the lives and craftsmanship of 20 local artisans of diverse artistic and crafting disciplines, showcasing their skills, traditions, and the cultural significance of their hands at work.

Allen Killian-Moore, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in creating a new body of performance art, alt-process self-portraits, and short experimental film documents.

Deborah Barker, Hibbing, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in creating a series of barn quilts.

Henry Kneiszel, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in producing audio and visual versions of their performance projects to increase accessibility.

Mary Stafford, Carlton, Carlton, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in producing a new photography series in collaboration with community gardens and healing spaces in the artist’s community.

Kayli Staubus, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to produce small, free to the community, book binding class sessions.

Devan Burnett, Duluth, St. Louis, $3,940
Funding will support the creation of a small collection of chainstitch-embroidered representations of native plants.

Cole Perry, Coleraine, Itasca, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in completing the final draft of a book-length collection of poetry.

Big Shiv, Aitkin, Aitkin, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to produce a week-long collaboration to create music and share their lived experience.

Ashley Hise, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to incorporate the technique of sandblasting to create several ceramic sculptures.

Patti Wood, International Falls, Koochiching, $4,000
Funding will support the artist to work with a mentor to produce their script for a screenplay.

Thomlin Swan, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the facilitation of physical theater training and a devised theater process for seven performers coming from non-theater backgrounds to develop original, culturally-significant, site-responsive performance material for free public presentations in parks and historic sites.

Kirsten Aune, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,000
Funding will support the artist in creating new fabric designs and three large-scale wall hangings to be shown at an exhibition. The artist will also develop a free community fabric workshop.
 

Art Project Grants for Organizations

Faith United Church of Christ, International Falls, Koochiching, $5,000
Funding will support the Open Range Concert Series.

Lyric Center for the Arts, Virginia, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the Cultures, Humanities & Arts on the Iron Range Youth Theatre Education Program presents: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – High School Edition.

Gunflint Trail Historical Society, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support the Art for Anishinaabe Exhibit at the Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center.

Borealis Chamber Artists, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support Borealis Chamber Artists’ Messiah Concerts & Community Singalong.

Agate Encores Concert Series, Moose Lake, Carlton, $4,500
Funding will support the Agate Encores Community Concert Series to host The Lake Wobegon Brass Band.

Matinee Musicale, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support Expanding Boundaries with ArcoStrum, a violin-guitar duo at a free school performance.

Duluth Folk School, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support six art shows at the Duluth Folk School.

Hovland Arts Festival, Hovland, Cook, $3,700
Funding will support the musical entertainment at the Hovland Arts Festival.

Long Lake Conservation Foundation, Palisade, Aitkin, $5,000
Funding will support the Nature Art Village, an artist-led, vibrant space for the community to create and experience art.

Duluth All Souls Night, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the the creation of new puppets and other materials for the 18th annual Duluth All Souls Night.

23rd Veteran, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the 23rd Veteran’s Forge- Building Program to pay instructors and purchase materials.

Minnesota State Old Time Fiddle Championships, Virginia, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the 43rd Annual Minnesota State Old Time Fiddle Championships.

Carlton County Historical Society, Cloquet, Carlton, $1,265
Funding will support the Skally Line Music Day- A concert at the Carlton County Historical Society featuring compositions related to Minnesota history.

Denfeld Drama, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support Denfeld Drama’s technical arts summer intensive.

Itasca Life Options, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support a community event featuring arts, culture and accessibility.

YWCA Duluth, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the creation of a community mural.

Grand Rapids Players, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support the production of The Great Gatsby, adapted for the stage by Simon Levy.

Mines and Pines Revisited, Hibbing, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support marketing materials for the 2025 Mines and Pines Revisited.

Northern Expressions Arts Collective, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support a series of theater classes to introduce and develop theatrical skills for young artists.

On the Record, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support On the Record’s second anniversary celebration materials and entertainment.

Northern Lakes Arts Association, Ely, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support “Water 2.0,” a Reflections Dance Company dance production exploring water issues in a changing world.

ROCKY WALL ENTERTAINMENT, Silver Bay, Lake, $5,000
Funding will support the 2025 Winter Concert Series.

Spirit of the Lake Community Arts, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the Apple Cider Festival and May Faire Festival community events.

Itasca Orchestra and Strings Program, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support professional string instructors who will travel to area communities to present lecture demonstrations and introduce youth to various string instruments.

Lincoln Park Community Garden, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the community seeders mural.

Freshwater Dance Collective, Two Harbors, Lake, $5,000
Funding will support Dances on the Lakewalk, a festival of dance.

Good Harbor Hill Players, Grand Marais, Cook, $5,000
Funding will support an outdoor pageant, featuring large- and small-scale puppets and live music, celebrating the summer solstice.

Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra’s 2025 season events.

Fire in the Village, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support a youth arts day camp.

Ely Folk School, Ely, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the Creative Kids programming.

Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the 2026 Run Smelt Run Puppet Parade, including free workshops in parade arts.

Ely ArtWalk, Ely, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the 2026 Ely ArtWalk.

Lake Superior Youth Chorus, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support Summer Sing, a summer camp offering for youth in grades K-5.

Duluth Children’s Museum, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the expansion of the Artful Explorations program.

Third Coast Chamber Collective, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support It Takes Five, a summer chamber music festival that will present five concerts featuring works for piano quintets in different accessible venues across Northern MN.

Finland Minnesota Historical Society, Finland, Lake, $5,000
Funding will support the production of the Tori Marketplace and Music Festival.

North Shorror, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the 2025 North Shorror, an eerie exhibition featuring regional artists of all kinds in celebration of the spookiest season.

Twin Ports Rosemaling Society, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support Scandinavian Folk Art and Entertainment at the 44th Annual Scandinavian Festival.

Nordic Center, Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the third annual Duluth-stämman: Nordic Music & Dance Festival.

Oldenburg Arts and Cultural Community, Carlton, Carlton, $5,000
Funding will support “Why We Love It Here,” a community art project to create an evolving tapestry of images and stories made by local artists

Program for Aid to Victims of Sexual Assault (PAVSA), Duluth, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support a trauma-informed art group exhibition.

Ernest C. Oberholtzer Foundation, Ranier, Koochiching, $4,340
Funding will support master classes on Mallard Island.

Community Action Duluth, Duluth, St. Louis, $4,940
Funding will support Community Action Duluth’s farmers market arts engagement.

Mesabi Community Orchestra d/b/a Mesabi Symphony Orchestra, Virginia, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the Christmas Pops Concert at Mesabi Symphony Orchestra.

Charitable Foundation of the Rotary Club of International Falls, International Falls, Koochiching, $4,250
Funding will support the creation of five historic murals through printed/electronic information and accessible electronic formats.

Aitkin County Friends of the Arts, Aitkin, Aitkin, $5,000
Funding will support amateur musicians to perform for local audiences on a professional stage.

Mesabi Musical Theatre, Gilbert, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support Mesabi Musical Theatre’s presentation of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Three performances will be held July 24-27, at the historic Hibbing High School Auditorium.

Oshki Ogimaag Charter School, Grand Portage, Cook, $4,000
Funding will support K-5 students to put on a play of traditional Ojibwe stories for the Grand Portage community.

Grand Rapids Arts, Grand Rapids, Itasca, $5,000
Funding will support the First Friday Summer Concert Series.

Two Harbors Pride, Two Harbors, Lake, $5,000
Funding will support the showcase of LGBTQ performers in a safe, friendly environment to help entertain, inform, and support all attendees at Two Harbors Pride.

Plein Air Duluth, Duluth, St. Louis, $2,000
Funding will support an on-water painting experience during Plein Air Duluth.

Lake Vermilion Cultural Center, Tower, St. Louis, $5,000
Funding will support the Laugh, Listen, Learn: 2025 LVCC Program Series.