On May 17 the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Inc. awarded seven Arts & Cultural Heritage Grants for a total of $82,904 in funding to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota. This funding is made possible by the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008.

SEMAC is the state arts board-designated granting authority for local/regional arts producing and sponsoring organizations and disburses funds allocated for this purpose by the Minnesota State Legislature. The SEMAC region includes the counties of Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha and Winona.

Freeborn County Agricultural Society, Albert Lea, received a $3,150 grant to provide free stage entertainment at the Freeborn County Fair.