Leadership at the Capitol has announced a framework deal to end the 2022 Legislative Session.  There is a chance that COVID Relief for Arts and Culture will not be included. That’s why we need your help. There are still many things to get worked out, but the arts can cross the finish line with your support. We need you to contact Capitol Leadership today and ask them to include COVID Relief for Arts and Culture in the budget for this legislative session.   We expect a final deal to be agreed upon in the next couple of days so we need you to act NOW! We made it easy: j ..read more

Rally for the Arts is Tomorrow! Our rally for the arts is only 2 days away! We need YOU to register and show up for the arts for our in-person rally on May 5th, 2022 from 10AM – 12PM! We had an incredible Arts Action Week! With your help, we met with over 100 legislators to talk about how important our $100 million bill is to the whole arts community. What we heard back was that our lawmakers miss having us at the Capitol, and an in-person rally could really move the needle on our efforts. We need our arts advocates, like you, to register and organize for the day by sharing ..read more

MCA will be hosting a Virtual Arts All-Star Award ceremony for Sen. Julie Rosen (23) on Friday, April 29th from 1:30 – 2 PM. Sen. Rosen is incredibly important to us this session, so we are really hoping for a large turnout from across the state and hope you can attend. We also encourage you to share the link below with your coworkers, friends and family. James Haskins from the Guthrie Theater and Katie Luber from the Minneapolis Institute of Art will be recognizing Sen. Rosen and thanking her for her contributions to the arts. Register for Sen Rosen Arts All-Star Award Event ..read more

Over 1,400 Minnesota nonprofit arts and culture organizations would qualify for COVID relief funding if SF2551/HF2637 passes. Does your organization qualify for the proposed $100 million COVID relief bill? Do you have questions about your ability to qualify for these grants if the bill passes?   Sign-Up and attend the MCA COVID Relief Info sessions to ask questions and get more information about potentially qualifying for this funding! Wednesday, April 13th from 10 am – 11 am Sign-Up for Webinar on Wednesday, April 13th @ 10 AM Tuesday, April 19th from 12 PM – 1 PM Sign-Up for ..read more

COVID Relief Bill to Restart the Arts and Culture Community  The arts and cultural communities have partnered this Session to advocate for the passage of SF 2551 (Ruud)/HF 2637 (Lillie), the Cultural Community Rescue Restart Grant Program. This bill will provide a one-time appropriation of $100,000,000 from the State’s remaining ARPA funds for grants to nonprofit arts and cultural organizations across the state that have suffered financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. This critical funding will help support and re-employ thousands of individuals who work in the industry — not jus ..read more

MCA will again be co-hosting a webinar with Dr. Osterholm on Tuesday April 5th at 12PM. Hear the latest update on the COVID-19 pandemic with Minnesota’s leading expert. Dr. Michael Osterholm, Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, will provide an update on COVID-19 and its variants as it relates to the arts and culture community. Kimberly Motes, Managing Director of Children’s Theatre Company will moderate the session. Want to attend?  You will need to sign-up in advance to receive a link. Sign-Up for Webinar with ..read more

Save Our Stages Update The Save Our Stages Act was signed into law as part of the omnibus funding bill on Dec. 27, 2020. Given months-long delays from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in launching this program and disbursing the grants, many venue owners are struggling to use their funding by the end of December, forcing them to spend millions in only three months while their venues remain shuttered due to COVID restrictions. Unless this deadline is extended, venues could have to return billions of their grant dollars to the SBA. As of November 1st, over 250 businesses and organi ..read more

MCA is currently accepting applications for its Board of Directors with a deadline of Friday, October 15th. Terms begin November 2021 and will last for two years. What makes the arts strong in Minnesota? We have great, talented artists. We have world-class museums and orchestras. We have active arts communities in every corner of the state. And we have a higher level of arts participation than most of the country. Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is a statewide, grassroots political organization that works to increase support for the arts in our state. We lobby the legislature and Congress on ..read more

Minnesota Citizens for the Arts is pleased to announce the winning artwork for our MCA Award at the MN State Fair! The decision was not an easy one, as the incredible artistic talent from across the state was on full display. The winning piece is Summer Goddess by Margo Selski. A stunning oil painting that is 60” x 42” and features Selski’s muse and collaborator Keondra Kelly. Photo Credit and Info: MCA Executive Director Sarah Fossen with 2021 MCA State Fair Award Winning painting “Summer Goddess” by Margo Selski. Click to see a list of previous winners ..read more

Transformative marketer, inclusivity driver and arts enthusiast  joins arts advocacy organization — from Rosedale Center MINNEAPOLIS — July 14, 2021 — Arts advocacy organization Minnesota Citizens for the Arts (MCA) announces the hire of Sarah Fossen as executive director, beginning August 1. Fossen—known for her ability to create high-profile awareness around issues and organizations, non-traditional partnerships, and high level strategic results—replaces Sheila Smith, who stepped down in February after 25 years leading the group. Consultant Jennifer Halcrow served as interim director d ..read more