Region 2 Arts Council Blog
Office Closed 8/22
The Region 2 Arts Council office will be closed August 22nd, as staff will be participating in a mural painting at the Northwest Indian Community Development Center, located next to University Heights on Bemidji Ave!
Season/Series Arts Support Grant Opens Early!
And remember it is also time to nominate (or self-nominate) the best artists in your community for a $6,000 R2AC Artist Fellowship Award!
R2AC Fellowship Nominations Open
Today Region 2 has opened their fellowship nominations early! Instead of having to wait until August 1st to send in your nominations, you can now send them in anytime between now and September 1st when the nomination process ends. A Region 2 Arts Council fellowship is awarded to two artists with a maximum award amount of $6,000. If you have any inquiries please reach a member of staff at staff@r2arts.org or call (218)751-5447.
Nominations Process:
We are seeking self and outside nominations for dedicated and experienced artists who meet our award criteria. If you are an artist or if you know an artist who should be considered for a Fellowship award, please drop off, email, mail, text, send through messenger, or call us with your nomination. You can also visit www.r2arts.org on the R2AC fellowship page to find the application online.
As part of the nomination, please include:
The artist’s name
Their contact information (active email and/or phone number)
Their county of residence (if known)
Their art form (musician, jeweler, composer, writer, actor, sculptor, poet, painter, dancer, filmmaker, etc.)
What makes them a great candidate
As the nominator, please include:
Your name
Your contact information (active email and/or phone number)
Whether you’d like to remain anonymous to the review committee
Whether you’d like to remain anonymous to the artist you’ve nominated
After nominations have closed R2AC staff will solicit the nominated artists for an Artist Statement, Work Samples, and an Artist Bio or Resume. Two Artist Fellows will be selected by the Region 2 Arts Council Board of Directors from the nominated artists.
The R2AC Fellowship Award is made possible the by generous support of the McKnight Foundation to provide unfettered funding to individual artists to fuel their art in Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Mahnomen, and Lake of the Woods counties in Minnesota.
Welcome, Patrick Calder-Carriere!
Region 2 Arts Council has gone through a large change over the past few months. Laura Seter, the Executive Director for the past 13 years, has moved on to other adventures. As such, Region 2 would like to introduce members of the public to our new Executive Director, Patrick Calder-Carriere!
Patrick Calder-Carriere returned to the Bemidji area and joined the Region 2 Arts Council in July of 2024. He was a Professor of Theater, Creative Writing, and English in the Minnstate system for 2 decades. Patrick’s passion for the arts has led him to perform and study in Greece, Cyprus, China, Japan, Russia, and England. One highlight of his career is the 8 years he worked with the Thunderbird Theater at Haskell Indian Nations University where he witnessed how the arts bring together communities, celebrate culture, and create conversations. Patrick holds a Ph.D. in Dramatic History and Criticism and a Master’s degree in Theater/International Theater from the University of Kansas, a Master’s degree in English Literature/Composition from Minnesota State University – Mankato, and Bachelor’s degrees in Theater and Education from Bemidji State University, and Biology from Carleton College.
Equity Audit with Aamera and Suzy
Region 2 Arts is going to be undergoing an Equity Audit this coming week. Below will list the events taking place next week with our equity consultants, Aamera and Suzy!
Tuesday June 25th: Anishinaabe Arts Initiative Council focus group meetings and social hour
Location: Historic Carnegie Library 426 Bemidji Ave North, Bemidji MN 56601
5pm: Social Hour with Aamera and Suzy, AAI Council, and R2 Staff.
6pm-8pm: Former and current AAI Council members conversation with Aamera and Suzy.
Wednesday June 26th:
Locations: Historic Carnegie Library 426 Bemidji Ave North, Bemidji MN 56601 and Region 2 Arts Council Office, 505 Bemidji Ave North, Bemidji MN 56601
12pm-1pm: Aamera with Former Staff in the R2AC Office. Former staff will meet with Aamera and discuss their experiences. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
12pm-1pm: Suzy with Former Board Members in the Carnegie. Former board members will meet with Suzy and discuss their experiences.
1:30pm-2:30pm: Aamera and Suzy with Grantees & Grant Panelists in the Carnegie. Grant Panelists & Grantees will meet with Aamera and Suzy and discuss their experiences.
4pm-5pm: Social Hour for board members and anyone else who wants to attend from previous groups in the Historic Carnegie.
5pm-7pm: Suzy and Aamera will meet with Current Board members in the Historic Carnegie. Board members will meet with Suzy and Aamera and discuss their experiences.
This equity audit is facilitated by consultants Aamera Siddiqui and Suzy Messerole, coming from St. Paul, MN. Aamera and Suzy are a part of Exposed Brick Theater in St. Paul. Outside of the theater, Aamera and Suzy are consultants who focus on organizational assessments to customize training and development. They gauge the growth, effectiveness and impact of organizational efforts towards equity, focusing the analysis and progress on four main areas: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Aamera and Suzy assist the Regional Arts Council system to identify areas of growth, find gaps and opportunities, and provide recommendations for continued growth and advancement towards equitable grant-making.
Join our Board!
WHAT DO WE DO?
Region 2 Arts Council fuels creative projects, celebrates artistic expression, opens doors, sparks ideas, reinforces existing networks, and offers new connections.
HOW DO WE APPROACH OUR WORK?
Our values of respect and responsiveness guide our decision-making; inclusivity and equity lead our efforts to make space for all; and curiosity ignites our imagination as we listen and learn from artists and the arts around us.
SERVING ON OUR BOARD
• Come curious and ready to engage openly, and embody our values
• Attend 2-3 hour monthly Board business meetings in person or via Zoom
• Promote healthy governance by asking questions and posing solutions
• Support advancement of R2AC’s equity, diversity, and inclusivity practices, policies, and initiatives
• Support the general improvement and alignment of R2AC practices and policies with
statewide mandates, needs in our region, and our values
• Ensure fiscal responsibility by gaining awareness and understanding of R2AC’s budget
• Participate on board committees
• Participate on grant review panels
• Be a site-evaluator for granted arts projects and programs
• Help staff spread the word about R2AC services and grants
• Attend arts events in your county and your community