Arts Midwest Incorporated

Regional Initiatives: Arts Midwest's regional initiatives include services that support artists, arts leaders, and arts organizations in the Midwest region. Efforts include giving grants to arts organizations through the the American Rescue Plan and in partnership with the City of Minneapolis; support to projects and partners in the Midwest; service to our member State Arts Agencies, and a new effort to support storytelling and research around the Midwest's creative sector.

Literary Arts: Arts Midwest manages NEA Big Read on behalf of the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA Big Read provides support to organizations that bring communities together to read and discuss a book. Participating organizations receive a grant, access to online training resources and opportunities, and educational and promotional materials designed to support widespread community involvement. In 2022-2023, we awarded more than $1 million to 62 organizations in 32 states plus Puerto Rico to conduct NEA Big Read events.

Performing Arts: Arts Midwest's performing arts programs connect artists to audiences in the Midwest and nationally. In FY23, our efforts primarily focused on GIG Fund, World Fest, Shakespeare in American Communities and We the Many.GIG Fund provides grants to arts organizations in our region for performances and community events with artists. Through the 2022-2023 cycle, we awarded more than $687,000 to organizations across the Midwest.World Fest connects rural Midwestern communities to world cultures through week-long residencies with global performers. In 2022-2023, we toured three bands, Pamuya, Okaidja Afroso, and Okra Playground to nine communities in the Midwest.Arts Midwest manages Shakespeare in American Communities on behalf of the National Edowment for the Arts. During the 2022-2023 program cycle, we made $1 million in grants to 40 nonprofit, professional theater companies from 25 states and the District of Columbia to present productions of Shakespeare plays and related educational activities to middle and high school students. In addition, Arts Midwest made nine grants to organizations providing Shakespeare programming for young people in the U.S. Criminal Justice System.Through We the Many, we work with rural communities to co-create performing arts residencies. These residencies help Midwesterners understand and appreciate the power of creativity in their communities. They also invite conversation on how to create welcoming spaces for new voices. In 2022-2023, we partnered with organizations in Mandan, ND, Hampton, IA, and Northwest Indiana.

Learning Initiative:Arts Midwest provides arts leaders opportunities to come together and explore new ideas, deepen their strategic practices, and build new skills and relationships.From 2019-2023, Arts Midwest served as operating partner for the Bush Foundation's Community Creativity Cohort Program, is a cohort of 40 organizations across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and the Native nations that share that geography. The cohort focused on helping organizations increase their capacity to make art and culture central to problem solving.Arts Midwest also provided virtual resources and training support through our new ideas hub, an online toolkit of curriculum and training materials for arts administrators . In 2022, Arts Midwest partnered with New Bedford Creative in New Bedford, MA, to bring our creating connection training and support to artists and arts organizations in that community.