The board of directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council on Tuesday awarded 49 grants totaling $316,750 to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota. This included 30 arts and cultural heritage grants for $265,960, eight small towns and rural areas grants for $18,490, and 11 presenter and production assistance grants for $32,300.

Of those grants, the United Way of Freeborn County received a $5,000 arts and cultural heritage grant for administrative costs for Battle of the Bands. SEMAC is the state arts board-designated granting authority for local and regional arts producing and sponsoring organizations and disburses funds allocated for this purpose by the Minnesota Legislature. The SEMAC region includes the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha and Winona.