About us.
What we stand for.
Vision
Creating a thriving arts culture that enhances the quality of life in our communities.
Mission Statement
The Region 2 Arts Council strengthens the presence of the arts by supporting opportunities for arts creation, promotion, and education for the people of Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, and Mahnomen counties.
Diversity and Equity Statement
At the Region 2 Arts Council, we are committed to fostering an environment where Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) are at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to create a thriving arts culture that enhances the quality of life in our communities by embracing these core values:
Inclusion: We strive to create a welcoming space where everyone feels valued and respected, honoring their backgrounds and identities. We believe that diverse perspectives enrich our collective creativity and understanding. We seek projects that bring our communities together through the arts.
Diversity: We celebrate the unique contributions of individuals from all walks of life. Our commitment to diversity ensures that our programs and initiatives reflect the rich tapestry of our communities.
Equity: We are dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all, ensuring that everyone has the resources and support they need to succeed. We recognize and address the systemic barriers that have historically marginalized members of our region.
Access: We work tirelessly to remove barriers to participation in the arts. Our goal is to make the arts accessible to everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status, ability, location or identity.
Our values of connection, responsiveness, celebration, and curiosity guide our actions and decisions. We connect with our community through meaningful engagement, respond to the needs and aspirations of our constituents, celebrate the achievements and creativity of our artists, and approach our work with a sense of curiosity and openness to new ideas guided by one big IDEA.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that the offices of Region 2 Arts Council and the area we serve are on the land and waters that are the current and ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe and Dakota. R2Arts respects these sacred lands and stands with the community members from these Nations. We strive for equity and authentic inclusion as we celebrate arts and culture in our region.
We are grateful for the abundance and beauty of the land that inspires and sustains the artists of this region, and we honor and respect the Indigenous people and their connection to this land as its spiritual and physical caretakers.
We recognize the painful continuing history of physical and cultural genocide and the systematic efforts to alienate the Indigenous inhabitants from their territory and lifeways, and we are dedicated to celebrating, supporting, and promoting the rich arts and cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples as a part of these communities’ healing journeys. We are committed to continuing to learn how we might best do this.
Safe Space
At R2Arts, we are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all individuals, honoring and celebrating differences in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, socioeconomic status, or any other identity. We recognize and honor the rich diversity of our community, and we strive to ensure that everyone feels respected, valued, and supported.
Our core values of creativity, equity, inclusion, collaboration, and accessibility guide our work in fostering a space where all voices are heard, where diverse perspectives are celebrated, and where individuals of all backgrounds can freely engage in artistic expression. We actively work to challenge barriers to participation and promote justice, inclusion, and mutual respect in all of our programs, partnerships, and services.
R2Arts is dedicated to providing a safe space where every person is empowered to contribute and create, knowing they are part of a community that honors their uniqueness and supports their artistic journey. We stand together in embracing difference, encouraging dialogue, and creating opportunities for all to thrive.
Who we are.
Services
R2AC provides grants for arts plans, projects, and programs for individual artists, non-profit organizations, government and tribal entities, schools, colleges, universities, and community education programs. To apply for a grant, create a login on our website and complete the application online. One of our grant programs, the Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Grant, also offers the option to submit a paper grant application.
Whether virtually or in-person, we are committed to organizing, centralizing, celebrating, and sharing accomplishments, opportunities, and resources for those who create art or engage with it. Through FaceBook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok we engage with others to cultivate awareness, excitement, and interest in the arts. Our website is designed to spark ideas and provide useful information about available resources and help overcome obstacles to the creative process. Our online arts and events calendar celebrates the diverse ways that the arts, culture, and creativity are showing up in our communities and beyond. Sign up with us and receive Region 2 Arts Council updates and information in your email inbox.
Help elsewhere
Outside our region there is help for all MN Artists in promoting your work, creating an online portfolio, finding health care, and gaining business skills. State and National Arts Funding is available beyond our five county region offering additional grant opportunities.
You can help support funding for artists and arts organizations through Arts Advocacy.
Grant Writing / Research Space
Located inside the R2Arts office is a dedicated working station. With access to technology and wifi, we offer a space for you to work on your grant applications with the support of our staff in office.
Printing / Scanning Documents for Grant Applications
For years R2Arts has offered the service of scanning and printing materials used for granting applications. If you need to submit a scanned document to your application, we can help!
Video interviews or application videos
We understand that for some individuals, technology isn’t as accessible. As such we have found that people may struggle with getting a video of themself for their applications/interviews; whether it is due to not having access to a camera, or being uncomfortable with the technology. R2Arts Outreach Coordinator offers a service to assist any and all who may need this opportunity to advance themselves.
Free Online Webinars
Every month, on the First Monday of the Month R2Arts hosts a free online webinar for any of those who are interested. Each month discusses a different topic, ranging from grant applications to marketing. If you have a topic you would like R2Arts to expand on, let us know! We form our webinars through feedback with the public.
Connect2Arts
Connect2Arts is another free online session that R2Arts hosts. These discussions take place on zoom the second Monday of each month. These open discussions are here for R2Arts to connect with our community; and for you to connect with the community as well! We offer a space and time monthly to listen to any ideas or concerns you may have regarding R2Arts but also to network and make connections with one another.
Artist Directory
The artist directory is a new addition to the R2Arts website. On this directory we list organizations and individuals who reside in our five county region. Potters and playwrights, sculptors and weavers, whoever you may be and whatever you create we have a space for you! This directory exists for interested individuals to find an artist directly, without having to go through R2Arts to get into contact.
Online Galleries
For years R2Arts has wanted to develop online galleries for the creative individuals in our region. We have expanded our galleries to not just include visual arts- but now we have galleries for whatever medium you create with!
Events Promotion
R2Arts dedicates time to having an updated Arts Events Calendar. We use this calendar to promote events in all five of the counties in our region; keeping the events all in one place instead of spread out across several platforms. We will promote your events to not only our arts calendar, but our social media as well. Depending on the situation, R2Arts also offers limited graphic design for those who need it.
Help with project planning
If you are new to applying for grants or planning arts projects and activities to fit within our grant guidelines and eligibility, we can help! We are happy to talk through your proposed arts programming, activity, or project and make recommendations about which grant program would most easily fit your funding needs. We can help you plan a timeline, brainstorm probable expenses, find artists to hire or community partners that fit with your project, find a fiscal sponsor if needed, highlight aspects in your proposal to best fit our grant application and tell your story to the grant review panel, and more.
Technological Support
We routinely help you with a number of common issues:
o Login and password issues
o Application form problems (when something isn’t working correctly)
o Difficulty uploading work samples or other content
o Setting up links for work samples on YouTube, SoundCloud, DropBox, etc.
o Resizing photos or documents to fit within the 1MB requirement
o Converting your documents to pdfs, jpgs, etc.
o Resizing, rotating, cropping, combining, or editing pdf documents
o Scanning documents
o And any other question or problem you have.
Accessibility issues
We want to make sure everyone has access to our grants!
o Maybe you do not have access to a computer or have a slow internet connection – we can help! We have computers that applicants can use to apply for grants at our Bemdji office. Contact us to set-up an appointment.
o We offer oral application (and final reports) for those with trouble typing. If you have vision issues, arthritis, an injury or mobility issues, cognitive issues, or any other reason typing is difficult, you can call, text, or email staff to call you or interview you in person. We ask you the application questions, type your response, and read it back to you for corrections to make sure we get it right and in your voice.
o We offer flexible grant award payments. If you receive Social Security or disability payments or other services that are based on your monthly income, we do not want a sudden grant award payment of $1,000-$6,000 to interrupt your services! We can pay your grant award in smaller installments to help. Contact us to find out about this service.
Role of Regional Arts Councils
The Region 2 Arts Council is part of a statewide system of 11 regional art councils that receive a legislative allocation for the arts. The regional arts councils work on a statewide basis in partnership with the Minnesota State Arts Board to provide access to the arts to everyone in Minnesota. Each regional arts council is designated to assess arts needs, develop programs and services to meet those needs, and distribute grants to fund arts programs in their region.
History of R2
Since 1980, the Region 2 Arts Council (R2Arts), has been helping the people of North Central Minnesota strengthen the presence and purpose of the arts in their lives.
The Regional Arts Council system was created by the Minnesota State Legislature in 1977 and ensures that all Minnesotans have access to the arts, no matter where in the state they may live.
R2Arts By-laws
Click here to open a file regarding the R2Arts By-Laws.
Funding
The R2Arts Council is funded through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature, funding from the McKnight Foundation, and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. The Region 2 Arts Council is a responsible steward of these funds maintaining accountability with measurable outcomes and assessment processes.
Stewardship of Funds
R2AC Official Documents:
