NW MI Arts & Culture Network

Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs awarded $684,178 in FY22 grants to 31 organizations and projects located in Northwest Michigan. Funding was approved at the October 22, 2021 Council meeting and includes awards for operational support, project support, capital improvements, arts in education and regional regrant for use October 1, 2021 – September 30, 2022. An additional 15 organizations will benefit from minigrants. Regional funding represents a 15% increase over FY2021.

MCACA provides grants to encourage, initiate and facilitate an enriched artistic, cultural and creative environment in Michigan. Funds are appropriated each year in the state budget. $10,739,823 in total FY22 funding was awarded throughout the state with funds benefitting 72 of Michigan’s 83 counties.

Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network administers the MCACA regrant program for Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford counties, also known as “Region 2.”  Regrant funds are used for minigrants for local projects and professional development. 15 organizations will share $30,100 in fall minigrants while an additional $13,900 will be awarded later in the year for schools and Round 2 arts projects funding.

Regional recipients of MCACA grants by county include:

• Antrim, $22,500: Crosshatch Center for Art & Design;
• Benzie, $38,750:  Benzie Area Symphony Orchestra, Benzie Area Historical Society, Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts;
• Charlevoix, $62,500:  Beaver Island Cultural Arts Association, Beaver Island Historical Society, Charlevoix Circle of Arts, Raven Hill Discovery Center;
• Emmet, $149,433: Bay View Music Festival, Blissfest Music Organization, Crooked Tree Arts Center, Good Hart Artist Residency, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Harbor Springs Festival of the Book, Voices Without Borders;
• Grand Traverse, $295,695:  City Opera House Heritage Association, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network, Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre, Northwestern Michigan College/Dennos Museum Center, Old Town Playhouse, Parallel 45, Traverse City Dance Project, National Writers Series of Traverse City;
• Leelanau, $69,750:  Glen Arbor Arts Association, Leelanau Community Cultural Center, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, Northport Arts Association;
• Manistee, $45,550: Historic Vogue Theatre of Manistee; Ramsdell Regional Center for Arts.

Minigrant project awards include:

• Archipelago Project for its music leadership academy (Grand Traverse)
• Grand Traverse Pavilions for its summer Concerts on the Lawn series (Grand Traverse)
• Harbor Springs Area Historical for Blessing of the Fleet programming & exhibition (Emmet)
• Mash-up Rock & Roll Musical for new productions (Grand Traverse)
• Missaukee District Library for elementary school arts programs (Missaukee)
• Little Traverse Choral Society for the 2021-22 Season (Emmet)
• Little Traverse Civic Theatre for the 2021-22 Season (Emmet)
• Traverse Area Recreation & Transportation Trails for Art on the Tart (Grand Traverse)
• Up North Arts for summer youth arts programming (Wexford)

Minigrants for professional and organizational development were awarded to:

• Blissfest Music Organization (Emmet)
• Good Hart Artist Residence (Emmet)
• Great Lakes Children’s Museum (Leelanau)
• Great Lakes Center for the Arts (Emmet)
• Harbor Springs Historical (Emmet)
• Up North Arts (Wexford)

A listing of all MCACA grant recipients (excluding minigrants) is available on the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs website at:

• Awards by County: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/4aa005/globalassets/documents/mcaca/fy22-funding-plan—county.pdf
• Awards by Program: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/4aa005/globalassets/documents/mcaca/fy22-funding-plan—county.pdf

For questions about MCACA minigrants or the Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network, please contact Mary Bevans Gillett, Region 2 Regrant Coordinator and NW Michigan Arts & Culture Network Convener at 231-883-8388, arts@nwmiarts.net or visit www.nwmiarts.org.