Composers, Media Artists, Choreographers Receive Jerome Foundation Support

The Jerome Foundation, St. Paul, supported the work of emerging composers, media artists and choreographers in Minnesota as part of its May 2004 grants.

The foundation approved a two-year grant of $40,000 for Meet The Composer, New York City, in support of the participation of emerging composers from Minnesota and New York City in the Meet The Composer Fund. The Fund fosters the creation, performance and recording of music by American composers, and develops new audiences for their work. In four cycles per year, sponsoring nonprofit organizations apply for funds to engage composers in the performances of their work. The Fund enables composers to participate in performances of their own work, builds relationships between composers and artistic decision-makers, supports the creation of new work, and helps composers interpret their work for audiences.

Composer Anthony Gatto received $9,000 from Jerome for the development and production of "The Making of America," through a grant to fiscal agent Zeitgeist in St. Paul. Gatto and the Walker Art Center will co-produce this evening-length work, which will integrate live music with text by Gertrude Stein, a sound design, new digital films and early American archival footage of silent movies. The performing ensembles will be Zeitgeist and the New York City-based string quartet Ethel.

The foundation's recent funding for media artists included a two-year grant of $40,000 to IFP Minneapolis/St. Paul, to support programs and services for emerging media artists and photographers. The foundation's board also authorized a $107,000 commitment to the 2004-2005 Minnesota Media Arts Program, which provides production grants to emerging artists who make creative use of media and whose work shows promise of excellence.

The foundation has also supported new works by several emerging choreographers in Minnesota: Olive Bieringa and Otto Ramstad ($6,000); Hijack, with Kristin Van Loon and Arwen Wilder ($21,000); Space-T.U.-Embrace, with Uri Sands ($22,000); and Diane Waller ($4,200).

Other Minnesota recipients of new Jerome foundation grants include:

• Illusion Theater, Minneapolis, received a grant of $20,000 for the development and production of new work by emerging playwrights through the Artistic Associates program, an affiliation that develops ongoing relationships with artists who have considerable vision and expertise to contribute to Illusion; and the Fresh Ink series, which gives theater creators a place to develop material in front of small audiences specifically recruited for their interest in examining new works.
     
• New York Mills Arts Retreat and Regional Cultural Center, New York Mills, Minn., received a two-year grant of $32,000 for its Artists in Residence program. The program brings artists working in all disciplines to New York Mills to make new work while sharing their creative energy with the community. Two- to four-week residencies are given to a competitively selected group of emerging artists, the majority of whom are residents of Minnesota and/or New York City.
    
• Springboard for the Arts, St. Paul, received a two-year grant of $54,000 in support of the services and programs that it offers to artists. The subsidy will enable the organization to provide individual consultations on career, organizational and financial planning at a discounted rate; offer telephone consultations on a broad array of business and professional issues; offer workshops on topics ranging from finances and taxes to portfolio reviews; support a legal referral service; sponsor speaking engagements for staff; and support a wide variety of technical assistance activities.

In total, the Jerome Foundation board of directors approved 51 grants totaling $629,385 on May 7, 2004.

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