ELY- The board of the Donald G. Gardner Humanities Trust voted to award $9,750 to both individuals and arts organizations at its April 9 board meeting.
The trust received 12 grant applications requesting over $18,000.
“This was nearly double our budgeted amount,” stated Peter Schamber, executive director for the Trust. “It was a very competitive grant round, but the board is very proud of the applications that were funded.”
The trust currently gives grants in four categories: scholarships, youth grants, individual artist grants, and organization project grants. In this grant round, the board awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Elyite Gabe Mann to continue his degree in Theater at the University of Minnesota in Duluth. Gardner scholarships are awarded to graduates of Ely schools who are entering their third or fourth year of a four-year undergraduate program in the fine arts.
The trust also awarded three individual artists grants. These grants fund unique, short-term opportunities that will impact an artist’s career.
The board awarded the following individuals:
• Wendy Rouse received $1,000 to create a series of paintings to be included in the Northern Lakes Arts Association’s 2025 art show series.
• DyAnne Korda received $500 to self-publish a book of poetry.
• Kat Albrecht received $500 to create a digital gallery of paintings representing people’s nightmares.
The trust gave grants to four arts organizations. These grants are intended to support the fine arts activities, presentations, and productions of local arts groups. Project grants were awarded during the spring grant round to the following organizations:
• The Mesabi Symphony Orchestra received $2,000 to present a classical music concert that will feature the winners of MSO’s annual Young Artist Competition for high school- and college-age musicians.
• Ely’s Historic State Theater, which is a nonprofit, received $2,000 to develop a series of media development workshops in partnership with the SAGE Foundation at Minnesota North College for local students.
• The Northern Lakes Arts Association received $1,500 to support its Youth Summer Theater Experiences program, which is focused on developing theater skills for local students.
• Waawaate Programs received $1,250 to host a powwow at the Vermilion Campus of Minnesota North College to celebrate Native American culture through singing, dancing, and drumming.
The Gardner Trust also allocated $3,000 for use by the Ely Public Library this year. The trust and library have a special relationship, with the library receiving priority attention and funding from the trust because the library possessed the impressionist painting whose sale endowed the trust. Supporting the library is one of the four primary goals of the trust.
Any questions about the grant programs, the Trust, or ways to support the arts in Ely can be directed to Peter Schamber, executive director at 218-365-2639 or at info@gardnertrust.org.