All posts tagged: Arts

Creative Minnesota Report for Big Stone County

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Sheila Smith (Executive Director of Minnesota Citizens for the Arts and Chair, Creative Minnesota) presented the Big Stone County Report on March 22nd at the Ortonville Community Center. Creative Minnesota, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, Big Stone Arts Council, Big Stone Area Growth and the Ortonville EDA released a new study indicating that the arts have a large impact on Big Stone County!  “Nonprofit arts and culture organizations contribute to the vibrancy of Minnesota’s economy and quality of life and make our state a magnet for jobs and businesses.  Now we can quantify that in Big Stone County,”  said Sheila Smith “In addition to providing life-changing experiences, educational opportunities and accessibility to audiences of all ages in their stages and museums, arts and culture organizations are important employers and economic engines. $400,000 = Economic impact of art and culture organizations, audiences and artists in Big Stone County.  To note, the impacts of the arts in Big Stone County do not include the annual Meander Upper Minnesota River Art Crawl which brings a large number of people …

Music on Main (Ortonville)

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The Big Stone Arts Council “Music On Main” continues its twice-monthly jam sessions! Next session will be Tuesday, April 3rd at 6:30, in the lower level of the Community Center (on the corner of Third & Monroe in beautiful downtown Ortonville!)  They are also meeting on Thursday, April 19th at 6:30. Lee Kanten notes that “Musicians of all stripes and experiences gather and swap songs and stories for three hours and go home with silly smiles.”  Lee encourages everyone to bring an instrument, a voice, or an ear and join the fun!  

Two MNbump Area Authors have gone International!

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Sandy Hanson with her “A Camel’s Story Trilogy” and now Michael Larson’s “Easter Sparrows” have been translated in both Russian and Ukrainian and published in Ukraine!  They shared their story at a celebration hosted by Living Hope Fellowship Assembly of God in Ortonville and during Sunday service at New Life Community Baptist Church in Ortonville the following day.  You will find the video of the stories shared below. Bill Arvan of READ Ministries shared his passion for Ukraine.  READ’s motto is “Taking Truth to Tough Places”.  Bill is often referred to as ‘a bridge to Ukraine’. The first Camel Story was ‘born’ as a puppet play performed at Living Hope Fellowship in 2000 – The play and presentations were held in almost every church in the region over the years.  New Life Baptist has a passion for Ukraine – who knew it would spark a mission for our books to get there too?  So far 14, 350 of Sandy’s Camel stories have been distributed in Ukraine through READ Ministries.  Recently a pastor from southern Ukraine has …

We say goodbye

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We enjoy (in so many ways) a strong arts community, here on the MNbump.   They are weaved into our daily lives, with their music during our festivals, arts activities during our events such as Lake Days (in June), Cornfest (in August), they host events such as  “Somewhere to Begin:  The Soulful and Poetic Music of Sara Thomsen” which will be held at The Abbey of the Hills Inn & Retreat Center on May 20th… and the list goes on. We will be losing one of our artists – Naomi Ballard – her pull to “home” and work will be taking her away; however, she will be leaving so much with our youth, here in Ortonville!  She has touched so many lives in the relatively short time that she has been in the area that we just cannot let her go without a heartfelt and grateful goodbye from the MNbump! I asked my nephew awhile back what he really enjoyed the most at school (he plays basketball (with a passion), cross country, baseball, and football)   …

What do our local artists do?

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First, this is certainly not an all inclusive list that covers everything that those within our arts’ community do! I’m starting with one project that was recently featured on 1350 KDIO‘s Morning Show with Julie & Adam.  The Cari Me Project (click here for more info).  One of our local artists, Becky Stattelman, collaborated with Make it Minnesota magazine which held a state-wide Instagram photo contest – 6 regional winners along with a grand prize winner.  Becky made one of her tote bags with each of the winners’ photos and this display of bags then travels to each winner’s community to be displayed and used as a fundraiser for a local cause that is selected by that photographer.  The grand prize winner will be displaying in their community at the Mall of America! The display is currently at Becky’s community location which is the Inadvertent Cafe in Clinton with her fundraiser to support youth art by helping to purchase supplies for both of our school districts in Big Stone County.  Becky is pictured above (middle) with Naomi Ballard (left) …