Arts groups a-knocking at the stimulus door

Minnesota arts groups are scrambling to make an April 2 deadline to get a piece of $50 million in arts monies provided in the economic-stimulus bill signed by President Obama.

The funds, to be disbursed by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in increments of $25,000 and $50,000, are intended to help prevent layoffs and to restore programming. The money may not seem like much, but for smaller arts groups, a little often goes a long way.

"We've had to cut a development person, so now eight people are doing work that nine of us used to do," said Margo Gisselman, executive director of the Jungle Theater in Minneapolis. "It would be great to be fully staffed again."

The Jungle finished its 2008 fiscal year, which ended December 31, with a $60,000 surplus on a budget of $1.2 million, Gisselman said. But the theater expects 2009 to be very difficult, and if it gets the $25,000 it intends to apply for, it can leverage that into more.

A strong case for preserving jobs

Over at the Minnesota Opera, which has a $9 million budget, and 35 full-time employees, president Kevin Smith is eager to find out the specifics of the NEA's application process.

"We only got the guidelines [Tuesday]," Smith said. "But we're ready to make a strong case for preserving jobs, if not creating jobs. Even though I was a little cynical about the stimulus at first, now, in the trenches, I see what it means for our organization and others."

Minnesota, especially the Twin Cities, generally ranks high in the number and amount of grants received from the NEA. So far this year, 31 organizations and individuals from the state have received a total of $768,000 from the arts agency. That compares with 43 Texas organizations and individuals that received $812,500 and the 15 Wisconsin organizations and individuals that received $178,500.

"I know it sounds obvious, but we only give grants out if organizations apply," said Victoria Hutter, acting director of communications of the NEA. "It speaks to a level of sophistication that [Minnesota's] arts organizations are able to garner those grants."

The April 2 deadline is for the first set of funds for arts groups from the stimulus. Others will be made available later to re-granting agencies, including the Minnesota State Arts Board.

"The economic downturn is affecting arts organizations as it affects everyone else," said Sue Gens, executive director of the State Arts Board. "Dollars can help shore up jobs and salaries in the arts, which this stimulus recognizes as a valuable sector of our economy."

Standing in line

Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul, which recently announced a 24 percent budget cut, is contemplating going after a share of the funds -- perhaps to prevent further budget cuts. "But we're trying to figure out what it will mean if we applied for other things" from the NEA, said managing director Chris Widdess.

The Ordway Center, which has a $19 million budget and 60 employees, is holding three positions open as it contemplates a bid.

"Three employees might not look like much, but it's 5 percent of our staff," said Ordway president and CEO Patricia Mitchell, who was not sure whether her organization would qualify. "We got some funding for the [upcoming] Flint Hills festival and we have to see if we can still apply. But if we're eligible, we'll be standing in line."

Rohan Preston • 612-673-4390