WASECA — The Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council has Small Arts grants available for schools, non-profit arts organizations and community groups that are sponsoring arts activities in the 9-county area, noted Brenda Byron, PLRAC Executive Director. The matching grants are up to $2,000. Activities may include music performances, theatre events, dance activities, literary readings, visual art classes and residencies in the schools, etc.

The next deadlines for applying are November 1 and December 1. The Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council recently awarded grants to several communities including New Ulm, St. Peter, Sleepy Eye, Winthrop and Waseca and details are listed below. To learn more, visit our website www.plrac.org or call 1-800-298-1254.

Some grant awards:

Adaptive Recreational Services, New Ulm was awarded $2,000. They will host free monthly painting classes for people with disabilities taught by a professional artist at the New Ulm Community Center. Classes will run January through December 2020.

Project G.E.M. will coordinate an African art artist residency and was awarded $2,000. They will present a two-month cultural artist residency in the fall of 2019, featuring Jeff Mackie, educating youth in St. Peter on African art and culture. The artwork created will be featured in the Creative Youth Show at the St. Peter Community Center December 2019-January 2020.

Sleepy Eye High School was awarded $1,820. They will use funds for an arts field trip for the high school theatre arts class to attend the Chanhassen Theatre’s production of “Mama Mia” November 15.

The Winthrop Chamber of Commerce was awarded $1,400. They will sponsor “Christmas in the Country” event with music by the Mages Family Band, Winthrop ThunderBird Carolers, Dick Kimmel & Lori; and have art project activities for students, December 13.

Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council has an online grant process. Go to the website www.plrac.org and click on the applicant Login button. Follow the instructions to set up an account and complete the application. If you have questions please contact the PLRAC office in Waseca, 1-800-298-1254 or plrac@hickorytech.net.