RRC Receives SMAHC Grant

By: Chloe Arfsten

Every year, for the past thirty-eight years, Red Rock Central has hosted a jazz festival in the spring. The jazz festival is a time when jazz bands from schools around the area come together to perform for clinicians and better their skills in jazz music. In order to host the Lamberton Jazz Festival each year, RRC needs a large amount of money, but thanks to the Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council (SMAHC), it is more affordable to do so.

Hosting any large scale event, such as a jazz festival with many people involved, will generally cost a substantial sum of money; however, because of SMAHC’s Arts in the Schools Grant Program, RRC will be hosting the 39th Annual Jazz Festival on Tuesday, March 26, 2013, with a bit more money. Each year, RRC applies for this grant in order to help pay for the clinicians. The clinicians are invited to help lead and mentor the jazz students in multiple group sessions. They also perform a concert for the students and other spectators at the end of the day. Any school who applies for this grant may receive up to $2,500, and it just so happens that RRC was given the full amount this year. Other schools that received grants include Southwest Minnesota State University, New London-Spicer School District, Marshall Public Schools, Lester Prairie Schools, Adrian High School, and Yellow Medicine East Schools. The total amount of grant money given between these schools came out to $16,135.

Other grants SMAHC presents are Art Project & Art Legacy, Arts Organization Development & Arts Legacy Equipment/Facilities, Arts Legacy Planning, and Cultural Bank. All grants are possible because the Minnesota State Legislature sides aside money from the state’s general fund and also for the arts and cultural heritage fund. The purpose of SMAHC is to “seek to encourage the growth and development of the arts and humanities in SW Minnesota by serving as a source of funds and technical services which enable local organizations, educational institutions and individuals to sponsor and/or create and promote the arts and humanities in their communities.” RRC appreciates SMAHC for aiding the 39th Annual Jazz Festival with financial help. Thanks to the Arts in the Schools Grant Program, the Lamberton Jazz Festival is possible, and helps make it a great success!