5.4. SR 03-08-2004
Item 5.4.
ELK RIVER
ARE A
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The Handke Center. 1170 Main Street. Elk River, MN. 55330. Ph: 763.441.4725. Fax: 763. 241.3521
www.elkriverart.org.elkriverart@sherbtel.net
March 1,2004
Elk River City Council
Mr. Pat Klaers, City Administrator
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Road
Elk River, Minnesota 55330
Dear Mayor Klinzing, members of the Elk River City Council, and Mr. Klaers:
In accordance with City Council approved and budgeted support for the Elk River Area
Arts Alliance, this letter is a formal request to release the $10,000 designated for 2004.
We remain very grateful to the City Council for your continued support to our
organization's efforts to community development through the arts and want to assure you
that each year our own commitment to providing quality arts experiences right here in our
own backyard grows stronger and stronger. Our letter of August 19,2003, a copy of
which is attached, listed all the exhibits, classes, and events we provide for the area, so I
won't repeat all that detail in this letter. We would like you to be aware that Arts in
Harmony, on exhibit right now at the Sherburne County Government Center, is better
than ever; Strings for Youth continues to be a strong, vital, necessary component to music
education; the Concert Series is bringing excellent professional performances to the
Zabee Theater; and our collaborations with Community Education, the Arts Magnet
Program are healthy and productive particularly regarding the development of Handke
Center and arts events. Should you be interested in greater detail, I would be pleased to
provide that for you.
This year the support from the City of Elk River is especially needed. Last legislative
session, state funding to the arts was cut by 32%, a disproportionately large amount
which has caused a very real and drastically negative impact on dollars available to us.
Private foundations, another source of our revenues, are struggling, too, with the strained
economic conditions since 9/11. We have been able to continue to serve the community's
arts needs responsibly and well, despite these challenges. We continue to seek corporate
and private donations in order to keep the quality of our offerings at a high standard, have
increased the role of our volunteers, and have held salaries to a minimum. We are proud
of the positive reputation Elk River is receiving in the statewide arts community as a
result of the opportunities we are providing with your assistance.
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Your continued support remains a vital component in our service to Elk River residents,
and we are truly grateful for it. Just to show that your efforts on our behalf are well
founded, I am also attaching some interesting statistics resulting from three recently
completed studies which you may find helpful.
Thank you for your past support and for considering this request for continuing support
this year.
Sharon L. Trac
Executive Director
Attachments: 8/19/2003 letter
Research results regarding arts funding
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New Research Shows that Minnesotans Value the Arts:
The Minnesota Center for Survey Research at the University of Minnesota conducted a
1998 survey which found that 92% of Minnesotans believe that the arts are "very
important" or somewhat important" to their quality of life.
The same study found that 60% of Minnesotans are involved in the arts in their everyday
lives. This exceeds the national average of 50%.
A second set of study results, released in January 2004 from the same University of
Minnesota group, shows that 92% of Republicans, 94% of Independents, and 96% of
Democrats believe that arts and cultural activities help to make Minnesota an attractive
place to live and work.
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The Performing Arts Research Coalition, which was funded by the Pew Charitable
Trusts, conducted a scientific, mndom household survey of the greater Twin Cities
public, not of just arts attendees. It shows extraordinary support for the arts among the
general public.
· 82% agree that the arts contribute to Minnesota's economy
· 85% agree that the arts improve the quality of Minnesota life
· 92% agree that the arts contribute to the education and development of children
· 87% agree that the arts contribute to lifelong learning for adults
· 69% agree that government support for the arts is important
Some additional surprising findings:
· 87% of arts attendees and 95% of frequent arts attendees vote always or most of
the time.
· There was little correlation between age and attendance, disproving the common
perception that audiences are aging.
· Almost 60% of low-income people are arts attendees or frequent arts attendees,
disproving the belief that only wealthy people attend arts events.
Note: These figures were made available to the ERAAA through the Minnesota Citizens
for the Arts. More detailed findings are available, and I would be happy to obtain those
for anyone interested. Sharon Tracy
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August 19,2003
Elk River City Council
Mr. Pat Klaers, City Administrator
City of Elk River
13065 Orono Road
Elk River, Minnesota 55330
Dear Mayor Klinzing, members of the Elk River City Council, and Mr. Klaers:
ERAAA Mission Statement
Recognizing that the arts are essential to the quality of life and health of our community, we
promote an environment that offers quality arts education, arts experiences, artist support, and
appropriate facilities for arts expression.
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The Elk River Area Arts Alliance has a strong commitment to community development in its
mission with an emphasis on service to the Elk River area through the arts. The City of Elk River
can be proud of its history of supporting the arts by helping fund the Arts Alliance and its
programs and events. City funding is most appropriate given the numerous benefits the arts
provide to our community. An active arts community is a valued component of our city's
community profile. The Arts Alliance impacts Elk River economically with the additional
commerce created through our exhibits, performances and festivals. Performances, events and
inter-generational arts activities and classes build vitality in our community through the positive
interaction they provide. The arts provide healthy alternatives for youth and ways for families to
become engaged. They nurture and promote quality individual expression and preserve our
history.
The Elk River Area Arts Alliance has made excellent headway in establishing an organization
that has been embraced by our community. In addition to the quality of the arts programming we
are providing for all ages, we are working to establish a permanent home at the historic Handke.
As we work with Community Education to create a community center in Elk River, we will be
restoring and renovating Handke school as one of Elk River's most prominent landmarks. With
the Rotary's effort to secure the Handke Stadium on the National Historic Registry, it is fitting
that the adjacent Handke school, very much a part of the character of the stadium, receive
maximum public use.
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We have come a long way in the last two years. In addition to strengthening the ERAAA through
reorganization, we have strengthened our traditional offerings. For example,
· Strings For Youth continues to offer 90 to 100 area children classes in strings instruments
and orchestra and has expanded to include a pilot school day program.
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II The Arts In Harmony national art show is well established in the region with more than
450 artist applicants each year.
II We continue to provide public arts exhibits of local and regional artists year-round at the
Sherburne County Government Center and at other locations.
II The ArtSoup Elk River Community Arts Festival was larger and better than ever this
year. Business owners in the Historic Downtown expressed excitement about their
experience with festival goers.
II We are entering the second year of our professional Concert-Performance Series that
offers first quality performances for families in the Zabee Auditorium. This year we have
two sell-out performances for elementary students by the Tony Award winning
Children's Theatre as part of the four event series. Workshops are offered in conjunction
with two performances. Our partner in the concert series is the Elk River Arts Magnet.
II In addition, we are honoring war veterans in May with a production based on Pulitzer
Prize winning World War II war correspondent Ernie Pyle.
II We are especially proud of The Eddy, our bimonthly newsletter of the arts.
II Our master painter and writer workshops feature nationally renowned artists and we offer
other workshops.
II Our collaboration with Community Ed provides arts programming for elementary and
middle school students after school. We are also providing an all school lyceum at the
senior high about World War II and Ernie Pyle.
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We do all of these and serve as a central arts resource for the Elk River area with a very small
paid staff: a part time Executive Director, the Strings For Youth instructor and numerous talented
and committed volunteers. We also recently hired a part time Development Coordinator to head
the ArtSoup Festival and initiate our membership, funding and capital campaign this year.
State funding for the arts has been drastically cut. We have been advised that foundations on
which we rely for project grants are also experiencing a decrease in their funds. Now, more than
ever, the Arts Alliance needs stable funding.
Last year it was requested and approved that the Elk River Area Arts Alliance becomes part of
the city's regular budget at $10,000 each year. It was noted that the bi-annual ArtSoup Festival
would be included in that funding. We are again renewing that request with this letter. Since 2004
is an off festival year, that funding will playa larger role in sustaining the Strings For Youth, Arts
in Harmony, and arts classes for youth, adults and seniors. However, planning for the 2005
festival begins in April of 2004, so funds will also go to festival planning.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. We are certainly available for questions or
comments if they arise. We thank you for your past support - it continues to be vital to our
progress and success in serving the Elk River community.
Sincerely,
Elk River Area Arts Alliance
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Tony Darkenwald
Treasurer