About Us

NWMAC NW Art Exhibit 2021 28.JPG — The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) serves Polk, Pennington, Marshall, Kittson, Red Lake, Norman and Roseau counties in northwestern Minnesota.
Arts Councils were established in 1976 as a vehicle to distribute funds and provide direct services for arts activities. With region-wide membership comprised of professional artists, arts educators, volunteers with community arts organizations, and arts enthusiasts, the Council encourages all the arts.
The Arts Council is made up of two representatives from each of the seven counties served plus three members serving in at-large positions. Each member serves a three year term with up to two consecutive terms.
Our Arts Council currently does not have a membership structure for organizations or individuals to join and pay membership dues but if you would like to make a donation to our non-profit, your donation will go towards funding regional arts activities for artists and arts organizations.

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Biennial Plans & Annual Reports

Needs Assessment is an important part of planning and developing policy every two years. There is a requirement that each Regional Arts Council complete a needs assessment every four years. Our Council chooses to do continuous needs assessment within three questions asked on each application both for grants and exhibits. Every two years, we compile the results of these three questions and our main Survey that allows us to compare routine questions over the last six years. We also do an Arts Interested/Involved Public survey every four years. 2022-2023 NWMAC Needs Assessment Responses

FY 2024-2025 Needs Assessment Summary for Biennial Plan

Biennial Plan to State: Biennial Plan FY 2024-2025

2022-2023 NWMAC Biennial Plan 2020-2021 NWMAC Biennial Plan The plan includes five main priorities re-grant programs, showcasing, promotion, training/networking, and professional regional offices with full time staff and an active board of directors.

NWMAC Guidelines for Arts Project Grant Applicants Including Grant Making and Monitoring policy FY2023

NWMAC Guidelines for Arts Legacy Grant Applicants.

Board Meeting Minutes. NWMAC Board Minutes FY 2023 NWMAC Board Minutes FY 2022 NWMAC Board Minutes FY 2021

Our Board

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council counts on a team of people passionate about the arts to help us make decisions from programs we run to grants we approve.

Our current board members are:

Current and Former Board members Emily Kuzel, Chris Lane (since retired), Wade Benson, Mary Ann Laxen and Stephenie Anderson.

Interested in becoming a NWMAC Board Member?

Find out how

Our board receives training to evaluate grants and much more. To contact a board member by mail, send to NWMAC, Attn: (Board Member Name),109 S Minnesota Street, Warren, MN 56762. Or call NWMAC at 218-745-8886 and leave a message for them.

See our Conflict of interest form for grant review panel meetings and regular board meetings.