On Tuesday, the Board of Directors of the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council awarded 29 grants for a total of $101,419 in funding to applicants throughout southeastern Minnesota. According to a press release, the grants included sixteen individual artist grants for $62,210, five school residency grants to public schools for $14,500 and six general operating support grants to arts organizations for $24,000.

SEMAC is the State Arts Board-designated granting authority for local/regional arts producing and sponsoring organizations, and disburses funds allocated for that purpose by the Minnesota state Legislature.

The Albert Lea Art Center was one of the applicants that was awarded a grant. The organization received a $4,000 general operating support grant for staffing and salaries.

The SEMAC region includes the counties of 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 on the SEMAC website at www.semac.org.

The grants are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.