The Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council announces a call for proposals by individual artists.  All proposed projects must begin no earlier than Sept. 1 and be completed within 12 months, culminating with a capstone event that is accessible and open to the public. Online applications will be available throughout June with an online submission deadline of 11:59 p.m. July 1.

SEMAC, a nonprofit arts agency, is designated by the State of Minnesota Arts Board as the regional arts council for 11 southeastern Minnesota counties:  Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha and Winona.

For information about the grant application process, eligibility or grant writing assistance, contact the SEMAC office at 2778 D Commerce Drive NW, Rochester, MN 55901; or call 507-281-4848. Information may also be found at www.semac.org.

To encourage the development of entirely original artistic works, SEMAC offers two distinct grants for individual artists.  Proposals will be accepted from individual artists 18 or older who are full-time residents of the SEMAC region.  No matching funds are required.

An advancing artist grant provides up to $5,000 in financial support to enable artists to further their work. It is intended to recognize, reward and encourage outstanding individual artists in the region. An artist at this stage has created an independent body of work over a number of years and has received regional or statewide recognition of their work. Artists at this stage are often, but not always, committed to making a living as an artist, whether or not they are doing so. They may struggle with the balance of producing art and marketing their art. They usually have a well-defined audience and show their art locally, regionally and perhaps nationally.

The emerging artist grant provides up to $2,500 in financial support to artists who are at a stage in their artistic development  where they have some evidence of achievement but do not have a substantial record of accomplishment. The term “emerging” does not refer to an artist’s stylistic evolution but to the artist’s accomplishments and recognition. Artists at this stage are developing their talents and may have been noticed locally. Many artists remain in this category for their entire artistic lives.