Past Cultural STAR Award Recipients
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At their July 8, 2026, meeting, the Saint Paul City Council awarded $1,489,381 in Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) grants to support 78 arts and cultural projects. These grants will support programming, capital improvements, and capacity building activities for 78 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2026, the Cultural STAR program budget included $315,000 in funding for library materials.113
Lowertown Concert SeriesFrom Fall 2026 - Spring 2027, 113 will present a series of 6 concerts of new music by 10 or more living composers in Lowertown St. Paul, featuring performances by Latin-led, Chicago-based Fonema Consort; Twin-Cities-based voice/guitar duo, The Dream Songs Project; and 113’s resident ensemble, the Strains New Music Ensemble; as well as providing opportunities for over a dozen other local musicians.
Award: $7,000.00
Actors Theater of Minnesota
Noche de Risas, Latino Comedy NightActors Theater seeks Cultural STAR support to launch Noche de Risas: Latino Comedy Night, a monthly stand-up series at Laugh Camp Comedy Club in Saint Paul’s Cultural District. The series, featuring local and national touring Latino acts performing in English and/or Spanish fills a gap in culturally specific programming while building audiences. Seed support will fund artists and marketing.
Award: $11,250.00
African Economic Development Solutions
Cradle of Civilization: African Global ContributionsCradle of Civilization (COC): Africa’s Global Contributions is a multisite exhibition & creative education project. Aug 2026–Jul 2027, AEDS & African artists & cultural groups will jointly plan, create, & present artworks, talks & workshops at the African Museum, Art & Cultural Center (AMACC) & African businesses in ST Paul’s Little Africa (LA) & West 7th corridors, lifting African contributions.
Award: $24,000.00
Ananya Dance Theatre
Solid Ground: Space UpdatesADT requests funds for upgrading our studio and office for optimal use. Radiant heat technology and insulation beneath our studio floor will support our professional ensemble and many class-takers with a needed measure of safety and accessibility
Award: $14,836.00
Arcata Press/Saint Paul Almanac
Saint Paul Almanac Anthology Vol 15The Saint Paul Almanac (SPA) anthology, volume 15, will feature over 100 poems, personal essays, and visual art pieces collected through a metro-wide call for work from aspiring and accomplished artists not typically represented in mainstream publishing. Selections for the anthology will be made by Community Editor Apprentices through an equity-focused, democratic editorial process.
Award: $22,687.50
ArtStart
Many Voices, One City: Art & Performance Inspired by Nature & Cultures of MinnesotaArtStart’s "Many Voices, One City: Art & Performance Inspired by Nature & Cultures of Minnesota" will bring family-friendly artful reuse projects to 10 St. Paul celebrations from Dec 2026 to July 2027. STAR Cultural funding will help ArtStart increase arts access, reach new audiences & raise its profile as a St. Paul arts education organization that emphasizes caring for our environment.
Award: $15,150.00
Ballet Co. Laboratory
Ballet Co.Laboratory's Ballet Tuesdays at the Landmark Center"Ballet Tuesdays" is a program offering free dance performances & workshops at the Landmark Center on the third Tuesday of each month (October–April). This series invites community members to gather downtown to experience the performing arts in a casual, welcoming, & accessible environment, removing barriers to professional dance experiences.
Award: $16,345.00
Border CrosSing
Border CrosSing presents: Te amo. Te quiero. Te adoro.Border CrosSing will present “Te amo. Te quiero. Te adoro.,” an all-Spanish choral concert of songs centered around love in the Ordway Concert Hall in spring 2027. This program is in many ways a love letter to Latine folks and expands access of classical music to local Latine audiences. As our third performance at the Ordway, STAR funds will ensure success and help us to reach a larger audience.
Award: $18,700.00
Brownbody
Brownbody's 2027 World Premiere: Infinite Slow Drive / Obsidians in the WildBrownbody will premiere Infinite Slow Drive (ISD) alongside a remount of our 2022 work Tracing Sacred Steps (TSS) in St Paul in Jan 2027 as part of The Great Northern Festival. STAR funds for the premiere will bring communities to the ice and introduce audiences to new forms of choreography that combine skating, dance, and the music, history, and movement of Ring Shout and Black Stroll culture.
Award: $31,000.00
Cantus
Cantus and Imani WindsCantus will host the GRAMMY®-winning and four-time nominated wind quintet, Imani Winds, for a once-in-a-lifetime collaborative concert at the Ordway Concert Hall in September 2026. This concert will provide access to virtuosic artistry, new commissioning, and inspiring narratives around the theme of ancestry to Saint Paul residents and attract visitors to the Saint Paul cultural district.
Award: $7,500.00
Center for Broadcast Journalism
7th Street LIVE Arts FestivalCenter for Broadcast Journalism will present our third 7th Street LIVE Arts Festival, centered at 788 East 7th Street, between Hope and Arcade Streets, in August 2026. Our goal is to bring diverse communities together around the arts and East Saint Paul’s diverse eateries and neighborhoods. STAR support will not only be financial; it will also signal important recognition for our community.
Award: $ 31,000.00
Chinese American Association of Minnesota Chinese Dance Theater
Exploring Chinese Culture with Young AudiencesThe goal of this project is to increase access and exposure to rich Chinese cultural programming for young audiences preK-12. With this funding CAAM CDT can create original, interactive, and engaging live performances based on Chinese stories and legends. Project is planned during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) in downtown St. Paul (i.e. Ordway Center for Performing Arts).
Award: $18,000.00
Circus of the Star
New Community VisionThe central goal of this project is to produce a comprehensive strategic plan that reflects the organization’s evolution from a founder-centered circus school to a community-centered performing arts organization.
Award: $12,500.00
City of St. Paul - Library Dept.
Saint Paul Public Library Collections MaterialsSPPL uses Cultural STAR funds to expand the depth of our collection, ensuring we have a wide range of cultural materials for patrons across the City to read, listen to and watch. These funds are crucial to expand the cultural reach of our collection, ensuring a broader range of stories & voices are present in the collection.
Award: $315,000.00
COLLIDE Theatrical Dance Company
Detention DiariesWe will offer 4 free school shows and 2 pay-what-you-choose (PWYC) public shows of Detention Diaries in early 2027. Set in a high school detention room and told through dance and music, it explores prejudice, isolation, and empathy, and is followed by a Q&A talkback to spark conversation. Performed by >50% St. Paul artists. Grant supports Park Square Theatre rental, artist & staff pay, and more.
Award: $11,250.00
ComMUSICation
Find Your Pride: ComMUSICation's workshops at the intersection of music and LGBTQ+ youth identitiesComMUSICation will bring together LGBTQ+ Twin Cities youth ages 13-24 for a series of workshops exploring music-making through the lens of their LGBTQ+ identities. The event will culminate in an open mic open to the public. Both will take place at Creative Arts Secondary School over the MEA weekend. Cultural STAR funds will support artist stipends, space rental, and transportation.
Award: $ 11,045.00
Como Community Council
Como Community Events 2026-2027The Como Community Council hosts seven or more inclusive neighborhood events in Wards 4 and 5 —including a local Pride celebration and Art Crawl—throughout the year in St. Paul, connecting over 2,000 residents with 50+ local artists and musicians. Cultural STAR funding helps us lower barriers, support diverse talent with fair pay, and strengthen community engagement through arts and culture.
Award: $ 9,600.00
COMPAS
Emerging Young Artists ExhibitCOMPAS will curate an exhibit to showcase exceptional 2D & 3D visual art by Saint Paul and East Metro middle and high school students. The exhibition will be open to the public and held in Landmark Center’s Gallery. It will run for 4 weeks in March/April 2027. It includes an evening celebration event, and artist-led workshops open to the public.
Award: $10,500.00
Creative Enterprise Zone
2026 Chroma Zone Mural FestivalChroma Zone Mural & Art Festival is an annual celebration of public art & community in Saint Paul's Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) that pays artists, ensures representation, connects people to place, promotes year-round tourism, & advances creative, cultural, & economic development. Mural production will take place over 12 days with three days of free public events on September 17, 18 & 19, 2026.
Award: $18,000.00
Elpis Enterprises
Voices of Young People Experiencing Unstable Housing Through Photography and VideographyFunds will be used to instruct and guide Elpis trainees (young people experiencing housing challenges) in developing photography and videography skills. Our social enterprises (using an earn and learn model) are the starting point for creative expression, introducing trainees to art related careers, developing entrepreneurial skills, and promoting their art to the community.
Award: $5,000.00
Face to Face Health & Counseling Service, Inc.
Arts at SafeZoneThe project continues arts programming at our day shelter for young people experiencing homelessness. Art classes and performance opportunities foster good mental health, emotional development, and provide opportunities for young people to share their stories. Benefits for youth include stress reduction, mental health recovery, healing of trauma, self-expression and discovery, and confidence development.
Award: $31,000.00
Festival of Nations MN/ DBA International Festival of Minnesota (IFest)
2nd Annual International Festival of MinnesotaBuilding on the legacy of the Festival of Nations, the 2nd annual IFest brings together over 70 ethnic communities through music, demonstrations, exhibits, dance and ethnic culinary arts who share their practices with the public. Held at the St Paul RiverCenter April 8 & 9, 2027, IFest strengthens cross-cultural understanding and ensure cultural artists have meaningful opportunities.
Award: $28,000.00
Film Score Fest
Film Score Fest 2026-27Founded in 2014, Film Score Fest is an annual festival that randomly pairs filmmakers and composers to make short films, and a 16-musician orchestra and guest musicians perform the scores live at the screening. Participation as an artist is free. With Cultural STAR support, we will once again host 2 performances, at History Theatre in April 2027, featuring 24 new film and music collaborations.
Award: $25,000.00
FilmNorth
FilmNorth Cinema Access GrantThe Cinema Access Grant will support filmmakers, artists, and community organizers seeking to present film and media events in FilmNorth’s screening cinema from 9/2026 to 3/2027. The program waives cinema rental fees, making it possible to host screenings and community media events in a professional theatrical environment for individuals and organizations which otherwise might not have access.
Award: $10,000.00
Frogtown Neighborhood Association
2026 Frogtown Arts FestivalFrogtown Arts Festival, for 12 years, has been bringing the culture, community, and arts together to celebrate the rich diversity of the Frogtown and Rondo communities. This year's festival will take place on September 19, 2026. Location also celebrates the 825 Theater and the surrounding corners of University Ave, Grotto to Victoria.
Award: $12,000.00
Grace Minnesota dba Don't You Feel It Too?
City Poetry & Civic Life CelebrationIn May 2027, we will offer “City Poetry & Civic Life,” a series of activities celebrating 19 years of St. Paul’s Sidewalk Poetry, held downtown, to elevate poetry in city infrastructure and civic discourse. This work has created thousands of poems locally and inspired dozens of cities nationwide. STAR funding helps the community celebrate this milestone and sets up the 20-year activities in 2028.
Award: $8,500.00
Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies
St. Paul Music PathwaysThis project will provide students – especially low-income and BIPOC youth—with accessible entry points and a supportive pathway for musical and personal development through our St. Paul-based Harmony strings program, 4 orchestras, private lessons, and Pathway Musicians program. Need-based scholarships, inclusive programming, and free concerts will expand access and inspire the broader community.
Award: $20,000.00
History Theatre, Inc
Cafe Au Lait by Vinecia ColemanTo support the world premiere production of Café Au Lait, a new play by Twin Cities Playwright Vinecia Coleman about Nellie Francis – best known for founding the Everywoman Suffrage Club and lobbying for the adoption of a state anti-lynching law. Cultural STAR funding will allow us to produce this important cultural story with authenticity and to better connect to the communities we serve.
Award: $31,000.00
Hmong Cultural Center of Minnesota
2027 Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts FestivalHmong Cultural Center will host the 2027 MN Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival at Union Depot on a Sunday in May 2027, involving a Sunday of comprehensive daylong programming to educate Hmong & non-Hmong about the Qeej instrument and other Hmong art forms including traditional musical instruments and Dance. Crafts for children and Hmong food vendors will also be available.
Award: $30,000.00
Hot Summer Jazz Festival
2027 Twin Cities Jazz FestivalSTAR funds will support the 29th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival, a free, all-ages event in downtown Saint Paul on June 18–19, 2027. Anchored by two outdoor stages in Mears Park and free performances at venues across Lowertown and Saint Paul, the festival will present 200+ artists and welcome 35,000 attendees. Funds will support performances and help the festival remain accessible and safe.
Award: $31,000.00
Illusion Theater and School, Inc.
Illusion in St. Paul: Allison VincentFunding will allow Illusion Theater to produce playwright Alison Vincent’s new play that weaves together stories from the Queer performing community, the life of Charlotte Cushman (in the 1800’s she played many male roles), and her own experience. The play will premiere in the spring of 2027 at the theater of the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists.
Award: $10,185.00
In Progress
The CollectiveTHE COLLECTIVE is a digital arts project offering workshops and mentorship for artists facing cultural, social, and economic barriers to participation. Based in Saint Paul’s North End, the project culminates in artist-led presentations and exhibitions that connect North End and downtown audiences. Cultural STAR funding will support public programming and artist participation.
Award: $16,800.00
Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts
Uniquinox Summer 2027Uniquinox (UNIQUE-win-ox) is a one-day festival of performances, music, visual art, hand-made jewelry and home goods, and more, created by emerging and advanced artists with disabilities. Staged indoors and outdoors in June at Interact Center in the Creative Enterprise Zone, STAR support will enable us to engage communities with artists with disabilities through a spectrum of arts experiences.
Award: $13,675.00
Katha Dance Theatre
The World Premiere of "Rang-E-Ishq - Colors of Love"“Colors of Love” is an interdisciplinary production rooted in the Indian dance form Kathak. Through dance, music, & poetry inspired by Sufi philosophy, the work explores love as a transformative force. Through rhythmic footwork, storytelling gestures & lyrical text, the project fosters cross-cultural dialogue and draws audiences to a Saint Paul venue for a night of healing and inspirational art.
Award: $12,000.00
Minnesota Boychoir
Youth Song ShareYouth from 7 metro and Greater MN choral groups will come together in a daylong
choral education and performance experience called Youth Song Share on April 18, 2027, at the Ordway Center in downtown St. Paul. Cultural STAR funds will support the engagement of 150-175 youth participants in building connections and gaining appreciation for different styles of choral music education and performance.Award: $19,230.00
Minnesota Children's Museum
Storytelling through PlayMinnesota Children’s Museum will utilize grant funds to support the development and implementation of on-site facilitated programming that enhances visitors’ engagement with the museum’s character-building exhibits. Actor-facilitators will guide visitors through immersive experiences where visitors use storytelling to explore traits like courage, empathy, resilience, and perseverance.
Award: $20,000.00
Minnesota Landmarks, Inc
Mosaic Festival: Dance and Music of World CulturesLandmark Center's Mosaic Festival (to be held on February 21, 2027) is a celebration of world cultures through music and dance. Presented in partnership between Minnesota Landmarks and Ethnic Dance Theatre, the festival (fourth annual) aims to immerse participants in cultures from around the globe. STAR funds will support artist fees and marketing efforts to draw in a more diverse audience.
Award: $10,500.00
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Arts and Cultural Programming and Engagement at the Minnesota Museum of American ArtThe M will present dynamic public programs centering Saint Paul artists and culture bearers including visual artists, writers, poets, filmmakers, musicians, and current exhibiting artists and local partners. By activating the museum as a vibrant hub of creativity and cultural exchange, these programs will open doors for stronger, lasting connections within the Saint Paul community at the M.
Award: $22,500.00
Minnesota Opera
The Many Deaths of Laila Starr - Minnesota OperaMN Opera will present "The Many Deaths of Laila Starr" at the Ordway in St. Paul from Oct. 31 - Nov. 8, 2026. This is the second opera to be produced as part of MN Opera's New Works Cohort. Our goal is to expand the circle of storytelling, add to the American canon, and diversify the stories MN Opera sings onstage. STAR funding makes such program diversity possible and confirms community need.
Award: $31,000.00
Mizna
Publishing Mizna: SWANA Literature + ArtMizna is seeking support for the publication of two issues of our award-winning literary journal, "Mizna: Southwest Asian Literature + Art." Support from CSTAR is critical for this project that is produced and printed in St Paul with a deep impact locally, nationally, and internationally. We will also hold at least one public journal launch event in the Cultural District, planned for June 2027.
Award: $31,000.00
Music Mission
Lakeside Guitar Festival 2026Lakeside Guitar Festival is a free, two-day celebration of music, arts and community that unites area and international artists, diverse audiences, and arts and crafts businesses of Saint Paul. Held in August 2026 at the Como Lakeside Pavilion, the festival aims to provide quality arts access to diverse audiences and showcase Minnesota's world class arts communities.
Award: $13,440.00
Nautilus Music-Theater
Nautilus Music-Theater: ROUGH CUTSNautilus Music-Theater seeks support for ROUGH CUTS, our works-in-progress series that supports the creation of new American musical theater and gives audiences a rare glimpse into the creative process. There will be 16 public performances over 11 months, from 9/1/26 to 7/31/27. Cultural STAR funding will make this program possible, securing it for Fiscal Year 2027.
Award: $31,000.00
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Support for the Ordway's Flint Hills Family FestivalThe 27th Flint Hills Family Festival will be held June 2 -5, 2027 in Rice Park and surrounding downtown St. Paul area. The goal of the festival is to provide world-class art experiences for schools and families. Cultural Star funding will support a variety of interactive arts experiences, from over 200 artists of various backgrounds who will perform on 2 outdoor stages and 2 indoor stages.
Award: $29,750.00
Pan Asian Arts Alliance (PAAA)
Culture in Motion: Food, Fashion & Future"Culture in Motion: Food, Fashion & Future" unites twelve BIPOC communities in a free, one-day intercultural festival at 19 Exchange Street East, St. Paul. Three immersive zones — 8 food-as-medicine culinary stations, a multicultural fashion runway, and a storytelling stage at the Theater — create cross-cultural encounters for 500+ participants at end of 2026 as a holiday communal celebration
Award: $15,000.00
Park Square Theatre
World Premiere Original Musical: THE OSTENTATIOUS OUTLAWS OF NEEHAI VALLEYPark Square Theatre in Downtown Saint Paul will produce a fully staged world premiere of MN Playwright Keith Hovis’s THE OSTENTATIOUS OUTLAWS OF NEEHAI VALLEY (June 2027), engaging young and diverse audiences, supporting local storytelling, and serving as a launch for a new work. Funding helps us stage this as a professional, full-scale production that will run adjacent to Pride events.
Award: $30,000.00
Penumbra Theatre Company, Inc.
Regional Premiere of Pearl Cleage’s “Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous”Penumbra will present the regional premiere of Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gorgeous by Pearl Cleage, February–March 2027 at our 135-seat theatre in Saint Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. Part of our 50th season, the production celebrates Black artistic legacy and intergenerational leadership. Cultural STAR support will underwrite production expenses and expand access for local audiences.
Award: $10,000.00
Ragamala Dance Company
Mythology Makes UsRagamala will present free workshops, performances, and community events in Saint Paul from Aug 2026–July 2027 as part of our engagement residency, Mythology Makes Us. Cultural STAR funding will support programs that explore dynamic tradition, cultural identity, memory, and belonging through the lens of South Indian dance, visual art, and philosophy.
Award: $22,500.00
Rain Taxi Inc.
Twin Cities Book FestivalRain Taxi will present its long-running Twin Cities Book Festival (TCBF) at Union Depot on Saturday, November 7, 2026. This one-day free event, which typically attracts nearly 10,000 people, includes a lively book fair, multiple author events, and all-ages activities. A STAR grant would help increase access to books and authors and cement the TCBF in its new home.
Award: $22,500.00
Ramsey County Historical Society
Saint Paul Arts Collective (SPAC) 50th Anniversary Celebration!Cultural Star funding will support Ramsey County Historical Society’s (RCHS) celebration of the Saint Paul Arts Collective (SPAC) 50th Anniversary. An exhibition, programs, and artists engagement will draw audiences to Landmark Center in summer of 2027, reflecting on SPAC’s history, legacy and impact in shaping the creativity and diversity of St. Paul’s arts community.
Award: $27,006.00
Reconnect Rondo
Rondo Arts & Culture Night at Winter CarnivalThe proposed project will be held on February 4, 2027, as a kickoff to Black History Month. Led by the Rondo Roundtable, it celebrates Rondo's legacy through music, storytelling, educational experiences, and Black-owned business activation. Cultural STAR funding will strengthen artist pay, production quality, marketing, event coordination and cultural programming.
Award: $30,000.00
Red Bird Chapbooks
Red Bird Chapbooks Reading SeriesRed Bird Chapbooks, headquartered in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul, will engage the community through a regular reading series highlighting local writers and other authors of books published by Red Bird. Funding will help us reach new audiences and spread the joy of contemporary writing.
Award: $5,600.00
Rhythmically Speaking
Rhythmically Speaking presents CHILL: The Entire Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack, Played Live and Danced!Rhythmically Speaking (RS) requests Cultural STAR Grant funds to help us compensate the artists in "CHILL: A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack", presented with live music and dance. Four performances of CHILL will take place Dec. 4-6th, 2026, at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, featuring the Jazz Outlaws Band and the RS company dancers. The show will add vibrancy to the St. Paul holiday season.
Award: $9,000.00
Rice Park Association
Summer Nights in Rice Concert Series 2027Rice Park Association proposes to continue the popular summer evening music series, "Summer Nights in Rice," in the summer of 2027, which has been made possible through STAR funds in past years. The series features a variety of free music performances on select evenings in Rice Park, with the goal of drawing visitors to downtown St Paul to enjoy the revitalized Rice Park and its amenities.
Award: $5,250.00
Saint Paul Art Collective
Creative Ecosystem FrameworkThe St. Paul Art Collective requests $40,000 to staff and grow our Creative Ecosystem Framework, a citywide initiative built around three core priorities: Access to the Arts, Connection, and Sustainability. Programming will take place throughout St. Paul with a focus on the Cultural District, serving 80,000+ residents annually between August 2026 and July 2027.
Award: $28,000.00
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Back by Popular Demand! Abel Selaocoe in Saint PaulIn the 2026.27 season, the SPCO will show a weekend of concerts featuring South African cellist Abel Selaocoe alongside percussionist Sidiki Dembélé and SPCO musicians in dynamic and exciting performances featuring a range of composers. Our goal is to diversify who appears on SPCO stages and to more fully represent our community. Cultural STAR funding would support artistic fees.
Award: $22,500.00
Saint Paul Civic Symphony
SPCS at Landmark 2026-2027The St. Paul Civic Symphony, celebrating its 81st year, will contribute to the cultural fabric of St. Paul by offering 3 free concerts at Landmark Center to be held in October, January and May. They will be performed by a volunteer membership seeking to promote a cultural repertoire for our diverse, citywide audience.
Funding from Cultural STAR will defray production costs for these concerts.Award: $17,580.00
Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation
Carnival of CulturesCarnival of Cultures will take place on Feb. 6, 2027, at the Landmark Center. The event aims to shine a light on all our community's diversity through music, dance, & art while providing a fun, interactive space for children, seniors, & families to participate together. Funds from STAR will enhance all event aspects, ensuring we engage a wider audience and create an impactful experience for all.
Award: $30,000.00
Science Museum of Minnesota
Beyond the Lab Coat: The Science of FashionThe Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) requests STAR funds to help visitors explore the science behind the things we wear by: Showcasing objects from our scientific and cultural collections, developing and delivering a new live theater show, supporting St. Paul artists and businesses, offering unique learning experiences in downtown St. Paul and driving visitors to St. Paul’s Cultural District
Award: $23,787.50
Scotty Reynolds, DBA Mixed Precipitation
Pickup Truck Opera on Harriet IslandContinuing an 18-year tradition of outdoor performances, Mixed Precipitation's summer tradition combines classical music with highly physical and theatrical storytelling. This family-friendly entertainment is offered for a suggested donation and welcomes all ages. Our 2026 production opens metro area performance on Thursday, August 20th, on Harriet Island, unfolding from the Target Stage.
Award: $7,500.00
Selby Ave JazzFest
2026 Selby Ave JazzFestJF26 is a FREE, all-day community celebration w/live jazz, food, kid's activities, art & more. Sat 9.12.26, Selby@Milton, St. Paul. To provide access to those w/unmet arts programming needs, positively reposition Selby Ave, & get folks from all walks of life to be of one community. Cult STAR funding helps to ensure JF26 is a safe, fiscally sound, and quality arts experience.
Award: $15,000.00
Sheletta Makes A Difference, Inc.
Live from the Cultural DistrictSheletta Makes A Difference (SheMAD) will produce two live concerts within Saint Paul’s Cultural District. Modeled after NPR’s Tiny Desk format, concerts will feature local artists of color and will be livestreamed in partnership with KARE 11+. Cultural STAR funding will support production and marketing to draw diverse audiences into the district and showcase Saint Paul’s creative community.
Award: $30,000.00
Six Points Theater
ONE SHOTSix Points Theater will produce the world premiere of Minnesota playwright Andrew Rosendorf's play ONE SHOT, a compelling coming of age story about two teenagers who experience racism, LGBTQ+ hate, and the complexity of undocumented immigration. Performances/programming will occur in the Theater at Highland Park Community Center in St Paul, fall 2026, to promote inclusion and understanding.
Award: $9,840.00
Sounds of Hope, Ltd.
A Mooring in HopeIn 2025-26, Saint Paul joined a global tradition of popular resistance to unpopular governmental actions and policies. In a project serving Saint Paul's general population, this tribute to peoples' hopes will present two city concerts performed by global youth in July 2027, while making video/audio recordings that explore the concert's global themes through the eyes of its youthful performers.
Award: $11,250.00
TaikoArts Midwest
TaikoArts Midwest Annual Ordway ConcertTaikoArts Midwest will produce a world class taiko concert at the Ordway concert stage in Spring 2027. We are building a tradition of making the Ordway our home for our annual concert, welcoming a broad base of taiko fans, newcomers, and St. Paul families to this art form. Our goal is to create a healing and inspiring event that connects us all through a shared global heartbeat.
Award: $31,000.00
Ten Thousand Things
Free Performance Series in St. Paul, 2026 Cultural STAR ProgramIn collaboration with St. Paul community organizations, Ten Thousand Things will create diverse avenues for arts access across 2026-2027. STAR dollars will enable us to tour professional theater programming directly into spaces that are already familiar to St. Paul audiences, lowering barriers to arts access such as cost, location, timing, and feelings of unease with traditional theater venues.
Award: $27,000.00
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library
2027 Minnesota Book AwardsThe Minnesota Book Awards is a yearlong program that connects thousands of readers and writers in MN through the stories of their neighbors. The program, currently in its 38th year, identifies and celebrates the best books by MN writers over the past year through a judging process, events showcasing finalists and winners, and an awards ceremony located in the Saint Paul Cultural Star district.
Award: $8,750.00
The Great Northern Winter Festival
Rooted“Rooted,” TGN’s first original documentary, premieres in Saint Paul at the Fitzgerald Theater October 2026, with a post-screening conversation and reception. A commissioned digital art piece—animation or multimedia—will screen prior to the documentary honoring TGN’s 10-year impact. CSTAR supports St. Paul artists and expands access to diverse agricultural stories and arts-based climate dialogue.
Award: $31,000.00
The Rondo Community Land Trust
Rondo to Downtown: RAAD Artist-Led Cultural ActivationsRondo CLT's Rondo African American Arts District (RAAD) will support 2–3 artists lead cultural activations with downtown Saint Paul businesses in 2027, such as spoken word or pop-up art in cafes and retail spaces. The project drives foot traffic, supports small businesses, and creates paid opportunities for local artists. Cultural STAR funds will support artist stipends, materials, and promotion.
Award: $31,000.00
Theatre 55
Theatre 55 presents Young FrankensteinTheatre 55 will produce and present Young Frankenstein, the theatrical musical based on the Mel Brooks movie, at the Gremlin Theatre in St Paul in October 2026. Theatre 55's mission is to enrich the lives of elders as actors, audience, and life-long learners and vision is to eliminate ageism and shift the paradigm to aging. STAR funding is essential and will leverage additional funding sources.
Award: $17,500.00
TriLingua Cinema
TriLingua Micro-Cinema Operations SupportTriLingua Cinema will progress our programming offerings, audience reach, and staffing to sustain our new community micro-cinema in Saint Paul. We will strengthen our structures for volunteers, multilingual community outreach, develop a sustainable ticketing model, and increase our year-round multilingual programming. STAR support transforms a new venue into a stable, long-term cultural asset.
Award: $24,000.00
TruArtSpeaks
Be Heard MN Youth Poetry Slam SeriesThe Be Heard MN youth poetry slam series occurs annually and seeks to identify six poets between the ages of 13-19 to represent youth voice in Minnesota as members of a year-long cohort through public performance, commissioned works, panel discussions, and more while simultaneously receiving mentorship in writing, performance, and publication from some of Minnesota’s premiere spoken word artists.
Award: $31,000.00
TU Dance
Performances of Yusha-Marie Sorzano’s full-evening dance work, THREAT.The dance work THREAT (4/23 & 24, 2027 at the O'Shaugnessy & student matinee 4/22) fuses Western & African diaspora dance & includes original/existing music, spoken word, & public figure soundbites. Goals: inspire reflection on cultural/power dynamics; offer dance to St Paul audiences & opportunities for inclusive dance artists. Support ensures relevant/thought-provoking artistic work for St Paul.
Award: $24,000.00
Twin Cities In Motion
Art in Motion – Twin Cities In Motion’s “26.2: A Marathon Poster Show”Twin Cities In Motion (TCM) will host a community event showcasing posters created by local artists that capture the spirit of "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America”. A featured Twin Cities Marathon week activity, the poster show will be held in a large venue in Saint Paul’s Cultural District, with the goal of engaging 400 attendees with original artwork by 26 artists.
Award: $13,775.00
Twin Cities Jazz Society
Jazz from "J to Z" Concert SeriesThis series serves as a re-launch of a previous popular series, and we feel two concerts would be a good number to begin with. Concerts will be held at the Landmark Center Weyerhaeuser Theater, the first show will be in the late fall (October/early November), and the second one will be in March/April. This grant will allow us to present these shows to the public free of charge.
Award: $5,000.00
Twin Cities Public Television Inc.
Modern Media: Control Room InfrastructureTwin Cities PBS (TPT), located in Lowertown St. Paul, seeks to upgrade our control room technology and equipment. At the end of its lifespan, this suite of equipment powers live studio productions. A capital grant from Cultural STAR will help ensure our control room remains a vibrant hub for impactful productions.
Award: $31,000.00
Victoria Theater Arts Center (DBA 825 Arts)
825 Arts Artist Membership Program825 Arts will grow our Artist Membership Program—in the number of projects produced, artists served, and diversity of artwork produced—at our arts hub at 825 University Ave W. Every month between 8/1/2026 and 7/31/2027, St Paul artists will connect with each other, present exhibitions, classes, and performances for public audiences, showcasing the rich diversity of the Frogtown & Rondo culture.
Award: $6,500.00
VocalEssence
Urban Choir FestivalVocalEssence will host the Urban Choir Festival in October 2026 at the Landmark Center in Saint Paul. More than 100 students from 16-18 high schools will work with composer and artist B.E. Boykin and VocalEssence artistic staff to learn challenging choral pieces showcasing the African American diaspora. The festival will culminate in a public performance for an audience of 300-450 people.
Award: $16,100.00
Walker West Music Academy
Rondo Community Music SeriesThe Rondo Community Music Series is a free, eight-part concert series from Sept 2026–May 2027 at Walker West in St. Paul’s historic Rondo neighborhood. Celebrating jazz, blues, and improvisation, the series promotes, preserves, and encourages the music and cultural heritage of the Rondo community. STAR funding helps keep it free, expanding access for those facing cost or transportation barriers.
Award: $12,500.00
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At their December 3rd, 2025 meeting, the Saint Paul City Council awarded $1,286,552 in Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) grants to support 78 arts and cultural projects. These grants will support programming, capital improvements, and organizational development activities for 78 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2026.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2025, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials.
(Neo)Muralismos de Mexico
Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island
Award Amount: $26,000.00
“Alebrijes: Keepers of the Island” is a large-scale public art exhibition on Raspberry Island celebrating the Mexican folk art of alebrijes - colorful, fantastical creatures that inspire imagination and creativity. This grant will fund international artist residencies, the presentation of 20-30 large-scale alebrijes, and staffing for community engagement and public presentations.
Actor's Theater of Minnesota
Marketing post Robert St. Rebuild
Award Amount: $15,000.00
Actors Theater seeks funds to celebrate the completion of the transformation of Robert Street and to engage a campaign to let audiences know the construction is over, the neighborhood greatly improved and the cabaret they love is once again easily accessible. Because of the financial strain caused by reduced attendance STAR funds would have a major impact on the project's success
American Composers Forum
I CARE IF YOU LISTEN series
Award Amount: $5,000.00
The I CARE IF YOU LISTEN series brings our multimedia platform to a live event. Hosted by staff like the site’s editor Amanda Cook and Executive Director Loki Karuna, the public is invited downtown to listen together: recordings of Minnesota artists, conversations with the artists, and questions from the audience. Funding would support room rental, promotion, artist honorariums, and staff time.
American Craft Council
American Craft Fest St. Paul 2026
Award Amount: $16,000.00
American Craft Fest St. Paul (ACF) is an all-ages celebration of contemporary craft in June 2026 featuring a marketplace and hands-on activities from local craft organization partners. ACF offers makers the opportunity to connect with new audiences and for the public to discover the life-enriching value of the handmade. Cultural STAR funding ensures ACF is high quality, immersive, and affordable.
Ananya Dance Theatre
Swapno Jhnap: Dream Jumping
Award Amount: $15,000.00
In our 20th season, Ananya Dance Theatre will create and perform SWAPNO JHNAP: DREAM JUMPING, in which dancers travel through 7 portals in search of a dreamed-of world of justice and connectivity. By integrating 7 vital medicines, they patchwork a methodology of dreaming that holds space for the waves of devastation that currently roll over us while literally bringing the desired world closer.
ArtStart
Celebrate St. Paul! Wearable Art Inspired by Music
Award Amount: $15,052.00
ArtStart’s "Celebrate St. Paul! Wearable Art Inspired by Music" will bring family-friendly artful reuse projects to nine different St. Paul celebrations during August 2025-July 2026. Cultural STAR funding will help ArtStart increase arts access, reach new family audiences, and raise its profile as a St. Paul arts education and cultural organization that emphasizes caring for our environment.
Asian Economic Development Association
2026 Little Mekong Night Market
Award Amount: $24,000.00
The 2026 Little Mekong (LM) Night Market will be on July 4th weekend. This free, outdoor cultural festival showcases SE Asian & other BIPOC contemporary & traditional arts & crafts, retail & food vendors, hands-on arts activities, & multidisciplinary performers—including BBoy & KPop dance competitions. CSTAR funds will support programming, artist stipends, & multilingual community outreach.
Bach Society of Minnesota
Baroque Tango
Award Amount: $7,000.00
With Cultural STAR support, Bach Society will present Outside the Box: Baroque Tango on 2/22/2026 at Hamline University’s Sundin Hall, in collaboration with the Tango Quartet and dancers Sabine Ibes and Fuego Tango Club founders J. Abling and Rachel Moon. Outside the Box is an initiative whose goal is to explore cross-cultural contrasts and commonalities through musical collaboration
Ballet Co. Laboratory
Freddie: Break Free // A Rock Ballet
Award Amount: $18,000.00
Ballet Co.Laboratory respectfully requests a grant of $30,000 to support the creation & presentation of “Freddie: Break Free”, a world-premiere rock ballet exploring the life of rock-&-rolls ultimate showman, Freddie Mercury. This production, on stage April 10-12, 2026, at the Ordway Center, will feature the professional dancers of Ballet Co.Laboratory performing 19 of Queen’s timeless hits.
Border CrosSing
Border CrosSing Presents: Un Milagro de Fe
Award Amount: $18,000.00
Border CrosSing will present a live performance of our debut album, “Un Milagro de Fe” (“A Miracle of Faith”) in the Ordway Concert Hall on 4/19/2026. This program uplifts BIPOC voices from across the Americas and expands the access of classical music to local Latinx audiences. As our second performance at the Ordway, Cultural STAR funds will ensure success and help us to reach a larger audience.
Center for Broadcast Journalism
7th Street LIVE Arts Festival
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Center for Broadcast Journalism will present our second 7th Street LIVE Arts Festival along Saint Paul’s 7th Street between Hope and Arcade Streets on August 9, 2026 Our goal is to bring diverse communities together around the arts and East Saint Paul’s diverse eateries and neighborhoods. STAR support will not only be financial; it will also add important recognition for our community.
Chinese American Association of Minnesota Chinese Dance Theater
Engaging Young Audiences in Chinese Culture
Award Amount: $25,000.00
Goal of this Project is to increase access and exposure to rich Chinese cultural programming for young audiences preK-12. With this funding CAAM CDT can create original, interactive, and engaging live performances based on Chinese stories and legends. Project is planned during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI) in downtown St.Paul theater (tentatively Landmark Center).
Circus of the Star
2026 Community Day and Arts Outreach Proposal
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Community Day at Circus Juventas in Saint Paul’s Highland Park will welcome about 1,000 guests to experience circus arts. Cultural STAR funding will help ensure this vital community outreach event continues to bring people together in celebration of rich circus traditions.
City of St. Paul - Library Dept.
Saint Paul Public Library Collections Materials
Award Amount: $175,000.00
SPPL uses Cultural STAR funds to expand the depth of our collection, ensuring we have a wide range of cultural materials for patrons across the City to read, listen to and watch. These funds are crucial for expanding the cultural reach of our collection, ensuring a broader range of stories & voices are present in the collection.
ComMUSICation
ComMUSICation - Melanie DeMore Residency and Performance
Award Amount: $16,112.00
In April 2026, ComMUSICation youth will present a concert with accomplished songwriter and educator Melanie DeMore to culminate DeMore’s weeklong residency with youth from our choral programs in St. Paul. Cultural STAR funds will support expenses related to DeMore’s residency and the final performance at Central Presbyterian Church in St. Paul’s Cultural District.
District 10 Community Council (Como Community Council)
Como Community Events
Award Amount: $6,000.00
The Como Community Council hosts inclusive neighborhood events in Wards 4 and 5 —including a local Pride celebration and Art Crawl—throughout the year in St. Paul, connecting over 2,000 residents with 50+ local artists and musicians. Cultural STAR funding helps us lower barriers, support diverse talent with fair pay, and strengthen community engagement through arts and culture.
COMPAS
Emerging Young Artists Exhibit
Award Amount: $9,000.00
COMPAS will curate an exhibit to showcase exceptional 2D & 3D visual art by St. Paul and East Metro middle and high school students. The exhibit will be open to the public for 4 weeks in March 2026 including an opening celebration and artist-led workshops. STAR funding will underwrite staff & artists’ time to curate the show and lead workshops; space rental; marketing; and accessibility costs.
Consortium Carissimi
The Influence of Baroque on Traditional Irish Music
Award Amount: $15,000.00
We will structure our project to 1) Perform selected Italian Baroque music; 2) Tell story of the Irish musician Turlough O'Carolan, influenced by Italian Baroque; 3) Introduce traditional Irish music, including Baroque influence; 4) Showcase unique Baroque period instruments and their relationship to traditional Irish music instruments; and 5) Facilitate discussion among musicians and audience.
Creative Enterprise Zone
2025 Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival
Award Amount: $9,000.00
Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival is an annual celebration of public art and community that connects people to place, advances local creative, cultural, and economic development, ensures representation, and promotes year-round tourism in Saint Paul's Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ). Mural production begins in May and wraps up with 3 days of free public events on September 18, 19 & 20, 2025.
Elpis Enterprises
Voices of Young People Experiencing Unstable Housing Through Photography and Videography
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Funds will be used to instruct and guide Elpis trainees (young people experiencing housing challenges) in developing photography and videography skills. Our social enterprises (using an earn and learn model) are the starting point for creative expression, introducing trainees to art related careers, developing entrepreneurial skills, and promoting their art to the community.
European Christmas Market
European Christmas Market 2025
Award Amount: $27,000.00
The ECM, now in its 12th year, has become an iconic Saint Paul winter tradition and will include over 80 kiosks filled with international crafts and hot foods, and a stage showcasing over 50 musicians and dance groups spanning a wide variety of genres.
A STAR Grant helps provide additional funding for updates and programs that improve our ability to deliver a fully engaging experience.Face to Face Health & Counseling Service, Inc.
Arts Programming at SafeZone
Award Amount: $29,000.00
Our proposed project is Arts Programming at SafeZone, our day shelter for youth experiencing homelessness. The intent is to provide creative, therapeutic opportunities for expression for underresourced young people, so that they can pursue their creative aspirations. Funding will allow us to continue art classes and performance opportunities for youth.
FilmNorth
Studio Thirteen Future Filmmakers Lab and the Tech Scout Collegiate Program
Award Amount: $15,000.00
Studio Thirteen Future Filmmakers Lab, held at FilmNorth in Saint Paul, is a filmmaking collective for youth. The Tech Scout Collegiate Program, an opportunity for youth to explore careers in media arts, will be held at Twin Cities Public Television in the Saint Paul Cultural District. Funds from Cultural STAR will allow FilmNorth to hire teaching artists and a CTEP worker to support the program.
Forecast Public Artworks
Making It Public: Creative Connections in Community
Award Amount: $9,000.00
Funding from Cultural STAR will support the development and facilitation of Making It Public: Creative Connections in Community - professional development for Saint Paul artists to enhance community involvement in their own projects, while also creating a workforce that can provide these services to others as the demand for this type of work grows. The workshop will take place in April 2026.
Frogtown Tuned-In
Tell Tour Pride radio program
Award Amount: $7,500.00
Funding from Cultural STAR will support WFNU in creating a 30-minute weekly radio show and podcast, Tell Your Pride, amplifying LGBTQIA voices in St. Paul. Hosted by Queer community members, it will foster community, raise awareness, and provide a safe space for dialogue, reaching local and global audiences.
Full Circle Theater Company
Full Circle's Production of CONSTELLATIONS: Centering Disability Stories presented at Park Square Theatre
Award Amount: $30,000.00
In 2026, CONSTELLATIONS will be at Park Square Theatre, Jan 28-Feb 2 & George Latimer Central Library, Feb 4-13. Through Native storytelling, monologue, scenes & ritual, we will raise visibility of disability stories & create accessible theater for disabled & able-bodied communities as the norm, not the exception. STAR funds will support artists, venue rental, access measures & production costs.
Germanic-American Institute
Interactive German Storytime
Award Amount: $5,000.00
The GAI will host three free German language learning family story time workshops at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul in winter 2025/26. Each event features live storytelling, crafts, and music/dance that celebrate Germanic culture. Cultural STAR funding will expand access to arts and culture for families, promote language learning, and support local artists.
Great River Passage Conservancy
Gateway Murals: Transforming the Sibley & Jackson Underpasses
Award Amount: $14,000
The Sibley/Jackson Underpass Revitalization will transform the dark, uninviting railroad underpasses at Sibley and Jackson streets into vibrant, welcoming gateways between the city and the Mississippi River, enhancing safety and accessibility while celebrating the Mississippi River’s cultural significance through murals and light installations created by local artists.
Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies
St. Paul Music Access Initiative
Award Amount: $10,000.00
This project will expand access and remove barriers for students—particularly low-income and BIPOC youth—by providing a pathway of high-quality instruction through our St. Paul-based Harmony string programs, orchestras, and lessons, helping them build both musical and personal skills. GTCYS students will also inspire audiences at our “Kids Playing for Kids” series and other free St. Paul concerts.
The History Theatre, Inc
Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical by Rachel Teagle and Keith Hovis
Award Amount: $20,000.00
To support the world premiere production of Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical, a new musical with book and co-lyrics by Rachel Teagle and music and co-lyrics by Keith Hovis commissioned by History Theatre. Cultural STAR funding will support the hiring of performers and musicians for the production, which focuses on the contributions of noted African American architect “Cap” Wigington.
Hmong Cultural Center Incorporated
2026 Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival
Award Amount: $30,000.00
Hmong Cultural Center will host the 2026 MN Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival at Union Depot on May 3, 2026, involving a Sunday of comprehensive daylong programming to educate Hmong & non-Hmong about the Qeej instrument and other Hmong art forms including traditional musical instruments and Dance. Crafts for children and Hmong food vendors will also be available.
Hot Summer Jazz Festival
2026 Twin Cities Jazz Festival
Award Amount: $30,000.00
STAR funds will be used to support the 28th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival on June 19-20, 2026. With two stages in Mears Park and 16 venues in Lowertown and around St. Paul, our goal is to host a diverse and free civic event in St. Paul. The festival will feature over 200 diverse performing jazz artists and youth musicians and attract 35,000 attendees to downtown St. Paul.
In Progress
The Collective
Award Amount: $11,000.00
THE COLLECTIVE is a digital arts project that provides mentorship, access and presentation opportunities to developing artists that face barriers to participation due to cultural, social and economic barriers. Activities take place in the north end neighborhood, with exhibitions extending to City Hall. Funding supports mentorship, participant goal planning
and exhibit activities.India Association of Minnesota
IndiaFest 2025
Award Amount: $24,000.00
India Association of Minnesota (IAM) is hosting IAM’s annual flagship event, IndiaFest, on the State Capitol grounds. This free cultural event, open to residents of Saint Paul and the wider Twin Cities area, relies on grant funding for its execution. We provide a platform for 20+ community groups and 5+ professional groups (~200 artists) to showcase their culture and talent.
Indigenous Roots
New Beginnings: Honoring Diversity, Connection, and Cultural Identity
Award Amount: $24,000.00
New Beginnings is a 4-part cultural festival series celebrating Lunar, Purepecha, Mexica, and Khmer New Year traditions through music, dance, art, and storytelling. Held Feb–Apr 2026 at Indigenous Roots, the series fosters cross-cultural exchange. Cultural STAR funding will support artist fees, event logistics, and cultural preservation efforts.
Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts
Uniquinox (unique-win-ox)
Award Amount: $13,675.00
Uniquinox (unique-win-ox) is a one-day festival of performances, music, visual art, hand-made jewelry and home goods, and more, by artists with disabilities. Staged in June at Interact Center in the Creative Enterprise Zone, with the recognition of STAR support our goal is to engage communities with professional artists with disabilities through an entire spectrum of lively arts experiences.
Irish Fair of Minnesota
Irish Fair of Minnesota
Award Amount: $30,000.00
The Irish Fair of Minnesota is dedicated to promoting and preserving Irish culture. We host an annual three-day celebration of all things Irish with music, dance, sports, food, family activities, and more. We utilize STAR funds to ensure that our visitors enjoy a wide variety of activities and entertainment, and an overall exceptional experience, which they have come to expect.
Japan America Society of Minnesota
Japanese Obon Festival
Award Amount: $5,500.00
The Japanese Obon Festival is an annual event that celebrates Japan and Japanese culture, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The event takes place on the grounds of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park and offers traditional arts and performances, in addition to food and information. The day culminates in a lantern-lighting event.
MINNESOTA HARD BOP COLLECTIVE
The Sit-In Series
Award Amount: $15,000.00
The “Student Mentorship Sit In Series'' aims to provide a formal opportunity for high school music students to perform with and learn directly from professional musicians at the MetroNOME (Nourishing Outstanding Music Education) Stage weekly, every Monday night; this will provide students with performance skills and confidence building that is not available in the classroom or open mic jam session.
Minnesota Landmarks, Inc
Mosaic Festival
Award Amount: $10,000.00
Landmark Center's Mosaic Festival (to be held on February 15, 2026) is a celebration of world cultures through music and dance. Presented in partnership between Minnesota Landmarks and Ethnic Dance Theatre, the festival (third annual) aims to immerse participants in cultures from across the globe. STAR funds will support local artist fees and marketing efforts to draw a more diverse audience.
Minnesota Opera
My Name is Florence - Minnesota Opera
Award Amount: $30,000.00
MN Opera will present "My Name is Florence" at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts from Jan. 31 - Feb. 8. This is the first opera to be produced as part of MN Opera's New Works Cohort. Our goal is to expand the circle of storytelling, add to the American canon, and diversify the stories MN Opera sings onstage. STAR funding makes such program diversity possible and confirms community need.
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Music All Year
Award Amount: $18,000.00
MPR’s The Current is celebrating 20th anniversary as a Saint Paul-based hub for music lovers in Minnesota this year. A Cultural STAR grant would help us bring a dynamic group of artists to our hometown, the cultural district, as we combine a highly visible and immensely fun yearlong celebration of music with our annual Minnesota Music Day event in April 2026.
Minnesota Vietnamese Language School
Lunar New Year (Tet) Celebration
Award Amount: $11,250.00
The Lunar New Year (Tet) Celebration is a free event at Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul, MN on February 7, 2026. Tet is the pinnacle celebration of Vietnamese culture, and the goal is to promote Vietnamese culture and diversity through cultural performance and artistry. Cultural STAR funding would expand programming, outreach, access, and inclusion to a wider audience.
Mizna
Publishing Mizna: SWANA Literature and Art
Award Amount: $20,000.00
Mizna is seeking support for the publication of two issues of our award-winning literary journal, "Mizna: Southwest Asian Literature + Art." Support from Cultural STAR is critical for this project that is designed, produced, and printed in St Paul and has a deep impact locally, nationally, and internationally.
Music Mission
Lakeside Guitar Festival 2025
Award Amount: $5,463.00
Lakeside Guitar Festival is a free, two-day celebration of music, arts and community that unites area and international artists, diverse audiences, and arts and crafts businesses of Saint Paul. Held on the picturesque shores of Como Lake, the festival features 16 performances across multiple stages, showcasing a rich tapestry of musical genres, family activities and a crafts marketplace.
Nautilus Music-Theater
ROUGH CUTS: Musical theater works-in-progress
Award Amount: $21,000.00
Nautilus Music-Theater seeks support for ROUGH CUTS, our ongoing works-in-progress series, facilitating the creation of new American musical theater works, and giving audiences a rare glimpse into the art of collaboration and the creative process. There will be 16 public performances over 8 months featuring the work of many of the finest musical-theater artists in the Twin Cities.
One Voice Mixed Chorus
"Royalty" at the Ordway Concert Hall
Award Amount: $14,000.00
One voice will perform "Royalty" at the Ordway Concert Hall June 27 and 28, 2026 during Pride month in St Paul. Featuring music and performances by LGBTQ artists.
Oratorio Society of Minnesota
Korean Choral Music and Culture
Award Amount: $9,000.00
The theme of OSM's Summer Chorus 2026 project is Korean Choral Music and Culture. The project will include 8 workshops/rehearsals and a performance at the Ordway Music Hall on July 31, 2026. The concert will feature Korean folk music along with classical and contemporary Korean choral music. STAR funding will help pay for production expenses: instrumental artists and arts partners.
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
2026 Family Festival
Award Amount: $30,000.00
For 4 days next spring, the Ordway’s 2026 Flint Hills Family Festival will transform Rice Park and the downtown Saint Paul area. In part, our goal is to provide an exceptional, positive arts experience for schools and families. Funding will support our ability to host 2 outdoor and 2 indoor stages, and a wide range of interactive arts experiences-highlighting over 200 artists from varied cultures.
Oyate Hotanin
Celebrate and Preserve Traditional American Indian Stories and Songs
Award Amount: $24,000.00
We will create and deliver a series of Indigenous cultural storytelling events that celebrate and preserve traditional American Indian stories and songs. The series will weave story-telling, music, and illustrations in four live performances at the Lost Fox in the heart of the Cultural District, with an aligned public art event at Indian Mounds Park, the site of sacred Indigenous burial mounds.
Park Square Theatre
Park Square's Production of the Musical "A Chorus Line."
Award Amount: $25,000.00
Park Square Theatre will produce “A Chorus Line,” a musical by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban. We are requesting partial support to cover musicians, set materials, props, costumes, lighting equipment, and sound needs, including renting high-quality wireless microphones for 18 principal actors and 7 ensemble members.
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute
Rondo: History & Values Anthology
Award Amount: $5,000.00
PPGJLI’s project, the semi-annual publication of “Rondo: History & Values Anthology,” will occur in St. Paul during late 2025 and early 2026. The goal is to use art to facilitate community building and cultural preservation. The impact of funding would inspire Black literary artists to use the arts as a strategic tool for social change advocacy and community engagement.
Public Art Saint Paul
Wakpa Triennial Art Festival
Award Amount: $23,000.00
Meant as a platform for promoting the careers of largely local Indigenous public artists and to draw attention to the concerns of local Indigenous communities, the Wakpa Triennial Art Festival's second edition is slated for June and July of 2026, in Saint Paul's Cultural District, partly for its proximity to its namesake Wakpa, "river" in Dakota.
Ragamala Dance Company
Mythology Makes Us
Award Amount: $18,000.00
Ragamala will present free workshops, performances, and community events in St. Paul from Aug 2025–July 2026 as part of our engagement residency, Mythology Makes Us. Cultural STAR funding will support programs that explore dynamic tradition, cultural identity and belonging through the lens of South Indian dance, art, and philosophy.
Rain Taxi Inc.
Twin Cities Book Festival
Award Amount: $12,000.00
Rain Taxi will present its long-running Twin Cities Book Festival at Union Depot on Saturday, November 8, 2025. This one-day free event hosts a lively book fair, author events, and activities for all ages, and typically attracts nearly 7000 booklovers. A STAR grant in our first year in St. Paul would provide funds for transition costs, helping to cement the TCBF in its new home for years to come.
Red Bird Chapbooks
Red Bird Chapbooks Reading Series and Workshops
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Red Bird Chapbooks, headquartered in the Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul, will engage the community through a regular reading series highlighting local writers and also offer bookmaking workshops for anyone interested in learning the skills and process to make hand-bound books. Funding will help us reach new audiences and contributors.
Rice Park Association
Summer Nights in Rice Concert Series
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Rice Park Association proposes to continue the popular summer evening music series, "Summer Nights in Rice," in the summer of 2026, which has been made possible through STAR funds in past years. The series features a variety of free music performances on select evenings in Rice Park, with the goal of drawing visitors to downtown St Paul to enjoy the revitalized Rice Park and its amenities.
Saint Paul Art Collective
St. Paul Art Collective - Organization Enhancement (website redesign phase 2)
Award Amount: $7,000.00
SPAC will redesign its primary website to improve accessibility, increase artist visibility, and expand engagement. The project runs Aug 2025–July 2026. STAR funding will support vendor services to deliver a modern, mobile-friendly platform with features for event promotion, artist profiles, and community connection, supporting long-term growth.
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Finale: Abel Selaocoe in Saint Paul
Award Amount: $20,000.00
In the 2025.26 season, the SPCO will feature two weeks of concerts featuring South African cellist Abel Selaocoe alongside SPCO musicians in dynamic and exciting performances featuring a range of composers. Our goal is to diversify who appears on SPCO stages and to more fully represent our community. Cultural STAR funding would support artist fees and costs to arrange musical selections.
Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation
Rondo Arts & Culture Night at Winter Carnival
Award Amount: $12,000.00
The Saint Paul Winter Carnival saw great success bringing the community together through Rondo Night as part of the annual festival in 2023 and 2024. We are requesting $25,000 to pay for artists, performers, marketing and educational experiences. The purpose of the project is to celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of the Rondo community as we come together at the Coolest Celebration on Earth!
Science Museum of Minnesota
Community Science Days
Award Amount: $10,000.00
The Science Museum of Minnesota (SMM) and St. Paul Public Housing Authority (SPPHA) propose Community Science Days to boost cultural representation in science. Events are planned for August at Exchange or Wabasha Hi-Rise and at SMM in the fall/winter. SMM and SPPHA staff will partner with residents to organize the August event and invite cultural performers to fall/winter Community Science Days.
Selby Ave JazzFest
2025 Selby Ave JazzFest
Award Amount: $11,250.00
The 2025 Selby Ave JazzFest is a FREE, all-day community celebration featuring great live jazz, food, kid's activities, artist demonstrations & more. Sat 9.13.25, Selby@Milton, St. Paul. GOALS To provide arts access to an underserved mkt, positively reposition Selby, & get folks from all walks of life to be of one community. IMPACT STAR $ will be used to cover '25 performing artist expenses
Sounds of Hope, Ltd.
Songs of Hope On The River
Award Amount: $7,000.00
The project, to occur on Harriet Island in July of 2026, will use a musical and artistic celebration of rivers worldwide to focus public attention on the history and environmental importance of one of Saint Paul's most celebrated natural and commercial assets, the world-famous Mississippi River, which runs through the heart of the city.
Springboard for the Arts
Springboard on Ice
Award Amount: $15,750.00
Funding will support “Springboard on Ice,” a series that provides equitable access to artist-led programming hosted on a pop-up outdoor ice rink at Springboard's University Avenue location (Winter 2026). With partner Brownbody, we will bring culturally responsive creative programs to local residents who do not have access to, and who frequently do not see themselves represented, on the ice.
TaikoArts Midwest
TaikoArts Midwest Healing Taiko Concert
Award Amount: $30,000.00
TaikoArts Midwest will produce a dynamics collaborative concert at the Ordway concert stage in June 2026. Performers include local taiko favorite, Enso Daiko, and special guest artists,Tiffany Tamaribuchi (featured in Finding Her Beat film), and Japanese folk artist Aki Takahashi (vocals/shamisen from Toronto, Canada). We are making St. Paul and international center of excellence for taiko art.
Taste of Minnesota Foundation
Taste of Minnesota
Award Amount: $24,000.00
The Taste of Minnesota is a free community-driven festival showcasing local chefs, artists and businesses. It will be held on the Upper and Lower Mall of the Minnesota Capitol grounds on July 4 & 5, 2026. Support from Cultural STAR will boost representation for emerging artists, helping grow the festival's commitment to inclusion and accessibility.
Teatro del Pueblo
Los Profanadores
Award Amount: $27,000.00
"Los Profanadores de La Calle Arena" is a powerful new play by Lelis Brito about a resilient family surviving in a public cemetery amid climate change. We will premiere the play in February 2026 at Park Square Theatre’s Andy Boss Theater. This Spanish-language production (with subtitles) will bring diverse audiences together for a rare and vital cultural experience in downtown Saint Paul.
The Cookie Cart
Lowertown Sounds
Award Amount: $20,000.00
Lowertown Sounds is back for its sixth year! The beloved community concert series takes place on Thursdays, June-August and represents the best of what Lowertown has to offer, serving as the only free local music, food and beverage showcase in Mears Park. The Cultural STAR Program is used to fund the bands/sound production that brings people together to discover new music and celebrate community.
The Great Northern Winter Festival
Frostline
Award Amount: $25,000.00
“Frostline” is an on-ice performance by Brownbody, a Black-led company blending skating, dance, and narrative, in partnership with a live jazz concert, for the 2026 The Great Northern Festival. Complemented by community skating lessons, this event series expands access to inclusive winter arts. Funding ensures artist pay, accessibility, and community participation.
The Schubert Club
FamilyJam, KidsJam and Museum Minis
Award Amount: $9,000.00
Schubert Club presents free music events for students and families throughout a season. Programs include KidsJam, FamilyJam, and Museum Minis. Each program is designed to showcase local and internationally known artists demonstrating to audiences their instrument, music performance and the history and culture behind the musician and music being played. Cultural STAR funding will keep programs free.
Theater Mu, Incorporated
Theater Mu's World Premiere of HMONG FUTURES by Katie Ka Vang
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Theater Mu will produce the world premiere of HMONG FUTURES by Katie Ka Vang in our 2025-26 mainstage season at Gremlin Theatre in Saint Paul. This project will celebrate Minnesota’s Hmong and Southeast Asian communities during the 50th Anniversary of Southeast Asian Resettlement in the U.S. Katie Ka Vang and Mu are 2024 recipients of the prestigious Joyce Awards to develop and produce this play.
Transforming Generations
2026 TG PrideFest & Drag ON Talent Mentorship Program
Award Amount: $24,000.00
TG Pride Fest is a free LGBTQ+ Hmong family-friendly event in June, combining TG's programs: Pride BBQ, Drag Tale Times and Pride Concert with the goal of providing space for LGBTQ+ Hmong/Southeast Asian community to celebrate Pride. Cultural STAR funding would support us to combine these along with a 9 month cohort-style Drag mentorship program in addition to an added resource fair.
TruArtSpeaks
Be Heard MN Youth Poetry Slam Series
Award Amount: $20,000.00
The Be Heard MN youth poetry slam series occurs annually and seeks to identify six poets between the ages of 13-19 to represent youth voice in Minnesota as members of a year-long cohort through public performance, commissioned works, panel discussions, and more while simultaneously receiving mentorship in writing, performance, and publication from some of Minnesota’s premiere spoken word artists.
Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective
2026 Nowruz (Persian New Year) Concert and Community Gathering
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Our 2026 Nowruz (Persian New Year) concert will feature Iranian blues singer Rana Farhan and her band. Farhan sings in Farsi and English, sounds like Billie Holiday, and creates a musical bridge between two rich cultural traditions - which is also the goal of TCICC. Without Cultural Support, ticket sales alone would not be sufficient to make this possible.
VocalEssence
Global Rhythms, Joyful Voices
Award Amount: $22,000.00
VocalEssence will present a multi-sensory concert called Global Rhythms, Joyful Voices at the Ordway and Rice Park featuring music from the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Interactive activities with local partners before and after the concert will further explore how diverse cultures and traditions weave together the American story.
Walker West Music Academy
Rondo Community Music Series
Award Amount: $15,000.00
The Rondo Community Music Series is a free, 12-part concert series from Sept 2026–May 2027 at Walker West in St. Paul’s historic Rondo neighborhood. Celebrating jazz, blues, and improvisation, the series promotes, preserves, and encourages the music and cultural heritage of the Rondo community. STAR funding helps keep it free, expanding access for those facing cost or transportation barriers.
Wonderlust Productions
Wonderlust Productions Hidden Stories of St. Paul Season 3
Award Amount: $30,000.00
Wonderlust seeks support to create a third season of short, place-based, audio plays peeling back the curtain on what makes our city tick, inspired by true stories gathered from people who live and work downtown. Audiences will be able to understand St. Paul in new, unexpected ways by taking a listening tour of the city following an online map and QR codes displayed around town.
Young Dance, Inc.
Growing Young Dance: Space, Impact, Community
Award Amount: $10,000.00
Young Dance will expand into an additional studio, allowing us to embark on new programming initiatives and build partnerships to serve more St. Paul residents. Funding from Cultural STAR will allow us to invest in space and develop a sustainable revenue stream while we expand infrastructure to support artists, students, and families.
Zorongo Flamenco, Inc
Bringing Tablao Flamenco to St. Paul
Award Amount: $10,000.00
Zorongo requests funding to support 3 tablao flamenco performances featuring 2 guest artists (guitarist and singer) at MetroNOME Brewery and Amsterdam Bar & Hall in 2025-26. Tablao performances are rare outside of Spain and offer an intimate opportunity for audience-performer connection. We aim to increase opportunities to experience flamenco and deepen engagement with audiences in St. Paul.
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At their November 6 meeting, the Saint Paul City Council awarded $1,108,775 in Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) grants to support 68 arts and cultural projects. These grants will support programming, capital improvements, and organizational development activities for 67 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2025.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2024, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials.
American Association of Woodturners
Woodturner International Symposium
Award Amount: $24,000.00
The Woodturning Symposium June 12-15, 2025 at the Landmark and RiverCentre will bring together artists, enthusiasts and the public in celebration of the art and craft of woodturning. Cultural Star funding will integrate the international event with St Paul cultural gem, the Gallery of Wood Art though expansion of exhibitions and open hours as well as supporting public programming at the Symposium.
American Craft Council
American Craft Fest St. Paul
Award Amount: $13,000.00
American Craft Fest, on June 28-29, 2025 at the Union Depot, seeks to make learning about craft fun and accessible for all ages, connect regional makers with audiences, and build community. ACC will use roughly $36,000 in general operating funds to make this event possible; Cultural STAR funding is critical in providing a high quality, immersive, craft-centered event that is free to all.
Ananya Dance Theatre
ANTARANGA: BETWEEN YOU AND ME
Award Amount: $17,000.00
ADT will rehearse and perform ANTARANGA: BETWEEN YOU AND ME, an original full-length dance theatre work. Premiere: 9/27-9/28 @ O’Shaughnessy. In ANTARANGA, most people have lost the ability to recognize each other as fellow human beings. A few humsafar (“fellow travelers” in Urdu) remain, blessed with heart-opening powers. As they journey, they forge a solidarity that may yet heal the world.
Asian Economic Development Association
2025 Little Mekong Night Market
Award Amount: $17,000.00
The annual street festival Little Mekong Night Market will return in June 2025 to the Little Mekong cultural district at University Ave & Western and in Central Village Park. The free family event promotes St Paul's cultural & economic vibrancy. It showcases Asian art, culture, food & offer performances, interactive arts activities & revenue earning opportunities for artists and small businesses.
Bach Society of Minnesota
Outside the Box
Award Amount: $18,500.00
With STAR support, Bach Society will present two Outside the Box concerts – with a goal to explore cross-cultural contrasts and commonalities through musical collaboration.
Ballet Co. Laboratory
Ballet Tuesday at the Landmark Center
Award Amount: $15,000.00
Ballet Co.Laboratory (BCL) respectfully requests a $20,000 grant from Cultural STAR to help support "Ballet Tuesdays – a program offering free dance performances & workshops at the Landmark Center (October through April). This program brings people to Saint Paul to engage in the performing arts in a casual, accessible, affordable, and welcoming setting.
Border CrosSing
Golijov's Oceana with Border CrosSing
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Border CrosSing will present a concert of works by Osvaldo Golijov, including "Oceana," in the Ordway's Concert Hall on 4/5/2025. This project uplifts the voices of underrepresented musicians and expands the access of classical music to local Latinx audiences. This is our most ambitious self-produced project to date, and Cultural STAR program support will ensure its success.
Brownbody
CapaCITY GRANT
Award Amount: $24,000.00
This marketing and organizational capacity project with the goal of broadening Brownbody's audience, increasing our digital and social media presence, and diversifying our revenue will occur in St. Paul Minnesota at our offices at Treasure Island Center. Some documentation of our residency work will occur at Highland Ice Arena or Tria Ice Arena depending on Ice time availability.
Cantus
Cantus and The Swingles: In Concert
Award Amount: $6,500.00
Cantus will host international a cappella ensemble, The Swingles, for a once-in-a-lifetime collaborative concert at the Ordway Concert Hall in March 2025. This concert will provide access to virtuosic artistic quality and a message about international collaboration to St. Paul residents and attract visitors to the St. Paul cultural district from all around the country.
Center for Broadcast Journalism
7th Street LIVE Arts Festival
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Center for Broadcast Journalism will present the 7th Street LIVE Arts Festival along Saint Paul’s 7th Street between Metro State University and Beacon Bluff on August 10, 2024. Our goal is to bring diverse communities together around the arts. STAR support will not only be financial, but will also add an important sign of endorsement for this event.
Circus of the Star
Rigger Communication System
Award Amount: $14,000.00
Circus Juventas respectfully requests STAR funds for the purchase of a multi-channel radio system. This would have major implications for Circus Juventas:
1)Increase show and year-round class safety, allowing communication over multiple channels, and
2)Ramp up outreach possibilities, allowing us to bring youth circus all over Saint Paul, including: Saints games, parks, and to other partners.CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio)
Fiesta Latina 2024
Award Amount: $14,000.00
CLUES intends to use project funding to support a festival celebrating Latinx artistic and cultural heritage and tradition during our Fiesta Latina for National Hispanic Heritage month at out St. Paul CLUES building.
ComMUSICation
Growing ComMUSICation's individual giving program
Award Amount: $14,000.00
ComMUSICation proposes to increase our fundraising capacity and infrastructure by hiring a contract grant writer to allow the Executive Director to focus on growing individual giving. Cultural STAR funds would fund part of the grant writer and of a fundraising consultant to provide fundraising coaching. The investment will support CMC to become an even more responsive and sustainable organization.
East Side Arts Council
SOLIDARITY STREET GALLERY 2024
Award Amount: $6,000.00
SOLIDARITY STREET GALLERY 2024 is an arts & cultural celebration along Payne Avenue, to be held Oct 4-6. This year’s theme, ‘Migration and Memories,’ unifies the stories and backgrounds of all the diverse communities who have and are making the Eastside their home. The STAR grant will fund artists representing these communities to engage our audiences with art exhibits and performance programs.
Elpis Enterprises
Photo/Video Visual Arts: Voices of Young People Experiencing Unstable Housing
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Funds will be used to retain artists to guide Elpis trainees (young people experiencing housing challenges) in developing photography and videography skills. Our social enterprises (using an earn and learn model) are the starting point for creative expression, introducing trainees to art related careers, developing entrepreneurial skills, and for promoting their art to the community.
ArtStart
Rhythms of the City: Art Inspired by Music
Award Amount: $15,775.00
ArtStart’s project, “Rhythms of the City: Art inspired by Music,” will bring family-friendly artful reuse activities & performers to 10 different St Paul celebrations between Aug 2024 & July 2025. The STAR Cultural grant will help ArtStart to raise its profile as a St Paul arts education & cultural organization that emphasizes caring for our environment, & help us to reach new family audiences.
Film Score Fest (Fiscal Sponsor: FilmNorth)
Film Score Fest 2024-25
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Founded in 2014, Film Score Fest is a biennial festival that randomly pairs filmmakers and composers to make short films based on a theme, and a 16-musician orchestra performs the scores live at the screening. Participation is free and open to all. With Cultural STAR support, we will expand our fest to 2 performances at History Theatre in April 2025, featuring 24 new film and music collaborations.
FLYING FOOT FORUM
“DANDELIONS” – A world premiere dance/theatre production
Award Amount: $9,750.00
Flying Foot Forum (FFF) will produce DANDELIONS (working title), a world premiere dance concert for a diverse audience of approx. 1,600 youth & adults in downtown St. Paul at Park Square Theatre in May 2025. We will present 8+ performances over 2 weeks featuring a combination of tap dance, clogging, flamenco & kathak dance. STAR funds will help employ 16+ diverse dance, theater & music artists.
Full Circle Theater Company
Full Circle’s Production of THE ADVENTURES OF A TRAVELING MESKWAKI presented at Park Square Theatre
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Full Circle’s production of THE ADVENTURES OF A TRAVELING MESKWAKI by Oogie_Push (Meskwaki) at Park Square Theatre’s Andy Boss Stage, November 6-24, 2024. Through Native storytelling, movement, film, and ceremony, ADVENTURES will inspire audiences to take action steps for the ecological healing of the planet. STAR funds will support professional theater artists, venue rental, and production costs.
Funny Asian Women Kollective (Fiscal Sponsor: Springboard for the Arts)
The FAWK SUPER SHOW
Award Amount: $24,000.00
The Funny Asian Women Kollective’s SUPER SHOW is a one-night comedy performance featuring Asian Pacific Islander Desi American women/femme artists at the Fitzgerald Theater on November 8, 2024. Aiming to celebrate, empower, and build cross-cultural understanding about APIDA women and the Saint Paul public. Cultural STAR funds will equitably pay performers, filmmakers, designers, and more.
Great River Passage Conservancy
Music on the River Series
Award Amount: $18,500.00
Music on the River is a new live music series that will premiere in spring of 2025. The program is aimed at bringing vitality to downtown Saint Paul and engaging people with the Mississippi River. Cultural STAR funds will connect Saint Paul residents and visitors to the Mississippi River through three music events.
History Theatre, Inc
Secret Warriors by Rick Shiomi
Award Amount: $24,000.00
To support the world premiere production of Secret Warriors, a new play by Rick Shiomi commissioned by History Theatre. Cultural STAR funding will support the hiring of AAPI performers for the production, which shares an important piece of MN history and brings another story into the theatre library of producible works from the Asian American community.
Illusion Theater and School, Inc.
Illusion Theater in St. Paul: "PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG GAY MAN"
Award Amount: $12,000.00
Illusion seeks $16,000 to help pay artist & ADA expenses to produce, PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST AS A YOUNG GAY MAN, for 8 to 12 performances at the Lowry Lab in St. Paul during Spring 2025. Patrick Scully will share stories & videos to provide historical context as he explores his development as an artist & activist during the tumultuous ‘70s as those who were LGBTQ+ struggled to protect their rights.
India Association of Minnesota
IAM India Fest 2024
Award Amount: $17,000.00
India Association of Minnesota (IAM) in hosting IAM’s flagship event, the annual IndiaFest on the state capitol grounds. This cultural event, which provides free access to residents of Saint Paul and the wider Twin Cities area, relies on grant funding for its execution. We provide a platform for 20+ community groups and 5+ professional groups (~200 artists) to showcase their culture and talent.
Indian Music Society of Minnesota (IMSOM)
IMSOM presents Masters of Percussion led by Zakir Hussain
Award Amount: $13,000.00
IMSOM will present a special concert to commemorate its 45th Anniversary, featuring Masters of Percussion, led by the world-renowned Tabla virtuoso, Zakir Hussain. The concert is expected to enthrall an estimated 900 attendees and raise IMSOM's profile in the Twin Cities cultural landscape as it furthers its mission to bring people and cultures together through its musical offerings.
Irish Fair of Minnesota
Irish Fair of Minnesota
Award Amount: $24,000.00
The Irish Fair of Minnesota organizes an annual celebration of arts and culture to engage our visitors in the richness of Irish heritage. We provide a diverse array of popular and traditional styles of Irish music, dance, historical insights, sports, culinary delights, and more. We utilize Cultural STAR funds to guarantee top-notch programming and to elevate the enjoyment of our guests.
Katha Dance Theatre
World Premiere of "PRAKRITIR PRATISODH – Nature’s Revenge" in downtown St. Paul
Award Amount: $16,500.00
KDT will present the world premiere of PRAKRITIR PRATISODH – Nature’s Revenge, a dance/theater program sharing the art, culture & history of India through Kathak dance in June 2025. Performed by KDT’s professional dancers, it will feature thrilling spectacles of spinning bodies & intricate footwork in downtown St. Paul. Funding will support employing the artists involved, marketing & promotion.
Lower Phalen Creek Project (dba Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi)
Wakan Tipi Center Finance, Facilities, and Operation planning
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Wakan Tipi Awayankapi is seeking support from the St. Paul Cultural STAR board hire consultants and support staff time as we develop our Finance and Operations plan for Wakan Tipi Center that reflects our evolving purpose, long-term staffing and program strategies, and also revenue opportunities created by our presence in the new building.
Maia Maiden Productions (FS: Springboard for the Arts)
ROOTED: Hip Hop Choreographers' Evening
Award Amount: $24,000.00
ROOTED: Hip Hop Choreographers' Evening, a dance presentation featuring dozens of local Hip Hop dancers and choreographers in performance at the Park Square Theatre June 2025. The event will include guest artist and classes. We seek Cultural STAR funds to cover the costs of our accommodations, travel and fees for artists and technical staff.
Midwest Special Services, Inc.
World Music Series at MSS
Award Amount: $5,000.00
MSS will partner with COMPAS to host world music performances for over 150 adults with disabilities on the east side of St. Paul from fall of ’24 to summer of ‘25. The goal is to increase diversity among audiences in St. Paul and expose participants to a range of world music experiences including music from Bulgaria, Brazil, Congo, eastern Europe, pan-African and Aztec music and dance.
Minnesota Children's Museum
Community Day of Play
Award Amount: $6,500.00
Minnesota Children’s Museum will host our annual Community Day of Play at our 2024 Summer Block Party on Saturday, August 17 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. This free event will offer family friendly activities curated by our Museum Experience Team and partner organizations. Funding from Cultural STAR will help us bring members of community together to play!
MINNESOTA HARD BOP COLLECTIVE
The MN Hard Bop Collective Student Weekly "Sit In Series" at MetroNOME
Award Amount: $19,500.00
The “Student Mentorship Sit In Series'' aims to provide a formal opportunity for high school music students to perform with and learn directly from professional musicians at the MetroNOME (Nourishing Outstanding Music Education) Stage weekly, every Monday night; this will provide students with performance skills and confidence building that is not available in the classroom or open mic jam session.
Minnesota Landmarks, Inc
Mosaic Festival at Landmark Center
Award Amount: $14,000.00
Mosaic Festival at Landmark Center is a celebration of world cultures through music and dance - a partnership between Minnesota Landmarks and Ethnic Dance Theatre (EDT), on February 16, 2025. Its purpose is to immerse participants in cultures across the globe – a mini “Festival of Nations.” STAR funds will support this event by helping expand reach and draw a more diverse audience.
Minnesota Opera
THE SNOWY DAY - MINNESOTA OPERA
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Minnesota Opera will present THE SNOWY DAY at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts from February 8-16, 2025. To engage youth and families, this regional premiere will be joined by three-day literacy festival and student-invited dress rehearsal. This project will diversify the stories MN Opera sings onstage. STAR funding makes such program diversity possible and confirms community need.
Minnesota Public Radio
2025 Minnesota Music Month Showcase, presented by The Current
Award Amount: $24,000.00
MPR’s The Current is approaching its 20th anniversary as a Saint Paul-based hub for music lovers in Minnesota. A Cultural STAR grant would help us bring a dynamic group of artists to our hometown, and to the cultural district, as we combine a highly visible and immensely fun yearlong celebration with our 2nd annual Minnesota Music Month showcase in April 2025.
Minnesota Vietnamese Language School
Lunar New Year (Tet) Celebration
Award Amount: $10,000.00
The Lunar New Year (Tet) Celebration is a free event at Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul, MN on January 25, 2025 (tentative). Tet is the pinnacle celebration of Vietnamese culture, and the goal is to promote Vietnamese culture and diversity through cultural performance and artistry. Cultural STAR funding would expand programming, outreach, access, and inclusion to a wider audience.
Music Mission
Lakeside Guitar Festival 2024
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Lakeside Guitar Festival is a free, three day music and arts celebration held at Como Lakeside Pavilion in Saint Paul, Minnesota. LGF 2024, the tenth edition, will take place August 9-11, 2024. STAR support would allow MM to expand to 15 music acts across 3 stages, family activities, a community strum along, a pedal and gear swap, and a vibrant marketplace featuring independent crafts makers.
Opera Reading Project
Igniting New Audiences: Opera Fusion to Opera Readings
Award Amount: $13,000.00
Opera Reading Project will host the opera/pop-rock fusion band Voxspex (led by ORP’s Artistic Director) for 1 public concert, perform 1 Opera Reading, and lead 2 community education classes on cross-genre music. Our goal is to ignite interest in the art form and increase opera concert attendees. STAR funds will help ORP pay artists fairly and engage a larger St. Paul Cultural District audience.
Opera Reading Project
Opera Storytellers
Award Amount: $6,000.00
ORP will present a series of six short and educational concerts (called OPERA STORYTELLERS) in STP community spaces for youth, the elderly, and the general public. Our goal is to broaden our audience and facilitate community connections through opera and storytelling in unexpected places. STAR funding will help ORP pay artists fairly and engage a larger audience throughout St. Paul.
Pan Asian Arts Alliance
Fortune Tales: MN Asian Music Festival
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Fortune Tales: MN Asian Music Festival at St. Paul Union Depot celebrates the diversity of Asian and Asian-American cultures through a dynamic showcase of local talent. From traditional tunes to contemporary compositions, it offers a captivating journey through Asia's soundscape. This inclusive event fosters cultural exchange, uniting performers and audiences in celebration of heritage and music.
Park Square Theatre
The Production of a Family Holiday Play "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson and student matinees and school residencies
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Park Square Theatre will produce "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson based on her award-winning children’s book in November/December 2024 and provide 10 student matinees and artist residencies in St. Paul School classrooms. We are requesting partial support for production costs, personnel expenses, teaching artists, educational materials and subsidized student tickets.
People Incorporated
Artability
Award Amount: $24,000.00
People Incorporated’s Artability Community Showcase, featuring multiple opportunities for artistic engagement for residents in Saint Paul, will have its 30th anniversary this October. Events will include expanded art creation opportunities, games, and family-friendly opportunities, to create, learn, and PLAY! This open-to-the-public event, will be October 24th through 26th at the Union Depot.
Planting People Growing Justice Leadership Institute
Rondo: History & Values Anthology
Award Amount: $6,500.00
PPGJLI’s project, the publication of “Rondo: History & Values Anthology”, will occur in St. Paul during 2024. The goal is to use art to facilitate community building and cultural preservation. The impact of funding would inspire Black literary artists to use the arts as a strategic tool for social change advocacy and community engagement.
PRIME Productions
PRIME Voices; The Playwright Series. Staged readings of new plays by mature female identifying playwrights.
Award Amount: $24,000.00
We will commission a diverse group of female-identifying playwrights over 50 to write plays about mature women for 3 staged readings to be performed at Park Square Theatre in Feb/Apr./& Jun 2025, with 2 readings per script. We intend to foster plays that tell mature women's stories from their perspective. STAR Funding allows us to offer tickets free of charge and enlarge the scope of the audience.
Rhythmically Speaking
Rhythmically Speaking presents Live Dance and Musical Performance of Jazz Standards
Award Amount: $8,000.00
Rhythmically Speaking will present 3 performances of original dance pieces set to jazz standards played live. The shows take place at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, a longtime partner in downtown Saint Paul, in November 2024, adding vibrancy to downtown. STAR funding supports artist compensation and the cost of production, as well as allows discounted tickets for those with limited resources.
Rice Park Association
Summer Nights in Rice 2025
Award Amount: $6,500.00
Rice Park Association proposes a 2025 season of the popular summer evening music series, "Summer Nights in Rice," which was made possible through STAR funds in past years. The series features a variety of free music performances on select evenings in Rice Park, with the goal of drawing visitors to downtown St Paul to enjoy the revitalized Rice Park and its amenities.
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
SPCO Collaboration with Abel Selaocoe
Award Amount: $22,500.00
In the 2024.25 season, the SPCO will feature two weeks of concerts featuring South African cellist Abel Selaocoe alongside SPCO musicians in dynamic and exciting performances featuring a range of composers. Our goal is to diversify who appears on SPCO stages and to more fully represent our community. Cultural STAR funding would support artist fees and costs to arrange musical selections.
Scotty Reynolds, DBA Mixed Precipitation (FS: Springboard for the Arts)
Pickup Truck Opera Presents Faust
Award Amount: $6,000.00
Mixed Precipitation creates a new show, "Pickup Truck Opera Volume Four: Faust," performing on Harriet Island on September 8, 2024. Continuing a 16-year tradition of outdoor performances, Mixed Precipitation's event combines classical music with highly physical and theatrical storytelling.
SEWA-AIFW
Breaking Boundaries: South Asian Feminist Narratives
Award Amount: $24,000.00
SEWA-AIFW seeks Cultural STAR support for its innovative endeavor, "Breaking Boundaries: South Asian Feminist Narratives," aimed at delving into the complex themes of patriarchy, feminism, and culture within the South Asian diaspora community. This project represents an expansion of our "Celebrating Survivorship" STAR initiative, aiming to delve deeper into the upstream cultural challenges.
Six Points Theater
The Messenger
Award Amount: $5,000.00
THE MESSENGER, a new play by Jenny Connell Davis about bigotry in an American city, will run March 8-30 2025 in Highland Park Community Center as part of a National New Play Network rolling world premiere. The play and programs, free/open to the public, will foster tolerance and increase SPT audience diversity. Funding will enable SPT to hire top artists with design elements of high artistry.
Skylark Opera
A Cultural Celebration of Opera
Award Amount: $6,500.00
Skylark will present two opera programs in the Spring of 2025 designed to highlight opera selections from the Black diaspora and to introduce zarzuela, music from the Spanish and Latinx operatic genre. Both are infrequently presented; both highlight culturally diverse talent; and both have broad appeal. Cultural STAR funding will add diversity and vibrancy to cultural offerings in St. Paul.
Sod House Theater
The Mother
Award Amount: $6,000.00
Sod House Theater will create THE MOTHER, a dance/music/theater event that depicts workers struggles during the Bolshevik revolution. The production will be presented in the summer of 2025 at the Czech Hall in St. Paul. Our goal is to modernize this story of social justice and present it to provoke conversations about the economic challenges faced by some in our state.
Springboard for the Arts
Springboard on Ice: Artist-Led Creative Programming in St. Paul’s Frogtown/Rondo communities
Award Amount: $14,000.00
Cultural STAR funds will support “Springboard on Ice,” a series of artist-led performances and programming hosted on a pop-up outdoor ice rink at Springboard's University Avenue location (Winter 2025). With partner Brownbody, we will bring culturally responsive creative programming to Saint Paul residents who do not have access to, and who frequently do not see themselves represented, on the ice.
Teatro del Pueblo
Nuestras Voces
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Nuestras Voces is a Latinx Broadway musical revue scheduled for March 2025 at Park Square Theatre. It will showcase talented Latinx performers singing a repertoire of Latino Broadway songs. Our project aims to nurture and highlight Latinx singers and actors. Support from the Cultural Star grant would indelibly impact Teatro’s commitment to continuing to develop its pool of Singers/Actors.
Ten Thousand Things
Free Performance Series in St. Paul
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Ten Thousand Things (TTT) will reduce barriers to arts participation by presenting 18 free theater performances and 6 free theater workshops in partnership with 10 St. Paul organizations serving those who may not have easy access to live, professional theater. We will present directly in partner spaces, 2 of which are located in the Cultural District.
The Saint Paul Festival Association
Partnership to Revive the Festival of Nations
Award Amount: $20,000.00
The SPFA has partnered with the MN Festival Foundation to revive the Festival of Nations (FON). The FON was run International Institute of MN. Unfortunately the IIMN permanently ended the FON in 2023. The SPFA will enlist a team of experienced individuals to help revive this needed event on May 7 & 8 at the St. Paul RiverCentre. SPFA will provide the needed experience to assure long-term success.
The Schubert Club
A Window Into the Past Multi-Media Installation Project for the Schubert Club Museum
Award Amount: $6,500.00
The Gilman Ordway Manuscript Collection is a significant part of the Schubert Club (SC) Music Museum Collection. SC desires to exhibit original letters in the gallery and to create a dynamic and engaging experience surrounding them through a multi-media presentation revealing much about the human side of some remarkable musicians. Visitors select a story about a letter and a narrative unfolds.
TU Dance
TU Dance’s 20th Anniversary Dance Concert at The O’Shaughnessy
Award Amount: $17,000.00
Tu Dance requests support for our organization's 20th anniversary celebration concert in spring of 2025 at The O'Shaughnessy, April 25-26, 2025.
Twin Cities Gay Men's Chorus
Leading Ladies of Broadway at the Ordway
Award Amount: $24,000.00
TCGMC will present two performances of LEADING LADIES OF BROADWAY at the Ordway Concert Hall on June 21 and 22, 2025. Our intent is to increase the presence of LGBTQIA+ culture and representation in the Cultural District while geographically diversifying our audience. STAR support will leverage TCGMC’s recent venue subsidization grant from the Knight Foundation to create a high-profile event.
Twin Cities Metro IBA
Lowertown Sounds Cultural STAR Grant Application
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Twin Cities PBS
St. Paul Sound: TPT’s Audio Board Replacement
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Twin Cities PBS (TPT), located in Lowertown St. Paul, seeks to replace our Control Room Audio Board by December 2024. The equipment fixture is essential to delivering sound for live studio production, multi-camera studio production, and community events. A capital grant from Cultural STAR will help TPT deliver reliable, connected, and efficient sound to our audiences.
Twin Cities Pride
You Belong Fall Fest
Award Amount: $18,000.00
You Belong Fall Fest is an event to highlight local LGBTQ+ artists and musicians in a welcoming space and raise awareness of resources available to the community. The event will take place at Urban Growler Brewing Company in St. Paul, whose owners are also LGBTQ+ community members. Cultural STAR funds would allow us to pay artists & performers, cover event costs, and provide resources to guests.
Victoria Theater Arts Center
SPEAK OUT AND LEAD Youth Arts Festival
Award Amount: $9,750.00
Victoria Theater Arts Center (DBA “825 Arts”) seeks funding for the 4th annual SPEAK OUT AND LEAD Youth Arts Festival (SOAL), happening in April of 2025 at our newly renovated space at 825 University Ave W, St. Paul, MN 55104. SOAL centers the art and voices of youth ages 14-21, providing them a platform for their talent via paid performances, workshops, and vending opportunities.
VocalEssence
VOZ EN PUNTO Residency
Award Amount: $13,000.00
VocalEssence will host A cappella Mexican vocal ensemble VOZ EN PUNTO for a week-long artist residency in Saint Paul in September 2024, which will include performances, community sings, and a celebration of Mexican Independence Day. The VOZ EN PUNTO residency will engage Mexican and Latino/a/e communities in Saint Paul as well as introduce new audiences to a unique Mexican A Cappella musical sound.
Walker West Music Academy
Supporting the Rondo Community Music Series
Award Amount: $17,000.00
Walker West Music Academy requests project support for the Rondo Community Music Series starting in the Fall of 2024. We plan to offer 11 concerts (September 2024 - July 2025). The goal is to promote, preserve, and encourage the music and cultural heritage of the Rondo Community in St. Paul. Funding from Cultural STAR directly invests in performing artists from the Twin Cities and the community.
Wonderlust Productions
Hidden Stories of St. Paul Season 2
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Wonderlust seeks support to create a second season of short, place-based, audio plays peeling back the curtain on what makes our city tick, inspired by true stories gathered from people who live and work downtown. Audiences will be able to understand St. Paul in new, unexpected ways by taking a listening tour of the city following an online map and QR codes displayed around town.
Young Dance, Inc.
Community Partnership Manager
Award Amount: $5,000.00
Young Dance requests $20206 to support a new staff position, Community Partnership Manager, that will be devoted to managing Community Partnership programming and evaluation. In collaboration with Young Dance staff, they will ensure the continued quality and growth of our expanding community partnerships programs, deepening existing relationships and bringing Young Dance to new communities.
Young Dance, Inc.
Dancing Bodies, Young Dance All Abilities Dancing Performance
Award Amount: $24,000.00
Young Dance will present Dancing Bodies, March 22-23 at the Park Square Theater, a performance that will elevate the artistry of dancers with disabilities and celebrate 15 years of the All Abilities Dancing initiative. The performance, directed by Gretchen Pick and Gabriel Rodreick, will feature an ensemble of dancers, ages 13-55, with and without disabilities.
City of St. Paul - Library Dept.
Saint Paul Public Library Collections Materials
Award Amount: $325,000.00
SPPL uses Cultural STAR funds to purchase a wide range of cultural & art materials for patrons across the City to borrow. Materials are purchased in multiple formats for all age groups including books, DVDs, CDs & online access. These funds expand the cultural reach of more authors of color, local authors, debut & self-published authors, & ensure a broader range of stories & voices are represented.
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The Saint Paul City Council approved the 2023 Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) Grant Program awards on November 15, 2023. These grants, totaling nearly $1.3 million, will support programming, capital improvements and organizational development activities for 66 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2023, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials.
(Neo)Muralismos de México
Chiapas - Minnesota Residency and 10,000 Alebrijes
$30,000- (Neo)Muralismos de México, a Saint Paul-based nonprofit focused on Mexican and Latino public art, seeks support for two programs:
- Chiapas - Minnesota Residency: Visiting artist program for painters from Chiapas, Mexico, who will present art and share indigenous Maya Tzotzil culture
113
Lowertown Improv Series
$10,000113 seeks support for a series of nine community-oriented concerts led by a diverse roster of local and traveling musicians, with emphases on free and guided improvisation, invented instruments, noise, free jazz and audience participation. 113's project goal is to offer a platform for diverse artists working in mediums with little or no institutional support.
Ananya Dance Theatre
Digital Infrastructure to Build the Future
$20,233Ananya Dance Theatre will engage Next in Nonprofits to design, build and implement two digital tools: a constituent relationship management (CRM) system and the digital infrastructure to support a new communications strategy. From October 2023 to July 2024, consultants will work with staff/board to build mission-aligned efficiencies that support long-term organizational sustainability.
Art from the Inside
Supportive Arts Programming
$22,232Art from the Inside (AFTI) elevates the voices of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated artists in Minnesota through community-centered exhibitions of their art. We will pilot supportive arts programming centered on healing and our collective power to transform. A special focus this cycle will be centered on engaging youth as we re-imagine a paradigm for community safety through the arts.
Asian Economic Development Association
2024 Little Mekong Night Market
$20,235The Little Mekong Night Market street festival will be held June 22-23, 2024 at University Avenue and Western Avenue. The night market celebrates Saint Paul's cultural diversity; provides Southeast Asian art & cultural performances, offers food and retail experiences; and provides Southeast Asian artists and vendors and Little Mekong businesses revenue-generating opportunities. Cultural STAR will help bring back this beloved street festival after four years of cancellation.
Bach Society of Minnesota
Bach Society Mobile Mini-Concerts
$12,560Mobile Mini-Concerts are free 15-minute outdoor pop-ups by solo musicians in neighborhoods across Saint Paul. Our goal is to introduce new audiences to classical music in ways that enliven community life.
STAR will support over 100 mobile mini-concerts in 35 neighborhoods from September 2023 to June 2024, with two multi-performer, culminating concerts in Central Village Park and the Lowertown Farmers Market.
Ballet Minnesota
Minnesota Dance Festival
$10,000Funding to support the 34th Annual Minnesota Dance Festival, the largest annual gathering of young dancers and professional dance artists in the upper Midwest, taking place in Saint Paul. Minnesota dance artists and audiences will be artistically inspired and challenged through performances, education and exchange.
Cantus
Cantus and Canadian Brass: In Concert
$10,000Cantus hosted international brass quintet, Canadian Brass, for a once-in-a-lifetime collaborative concert at the Ordway Concert Hall in February 2024. This concert provided access to virtuosic artistic quality and a message about international collaboration to Saint Paul residents and attracted visitors to the Saint Paul cultural district.
Chinese American Association of Minnesota Chinese Dance Theater
Engaging Audiences at Lunar New Year
$7,000Funding for new marketing efforts to recover and increase audiences after COVID, for the Chinese American Association of Minnesota Chinese Dance Theater's hallmark dance program created each year to celebrate the Lunar New Year at the O'Shaughnessy.
Chinese American Association of Minnesota Chinese Dance Theater
Exploring Chinese Legends with Young Audiences
$30,000Working to bridge cultural gaps, increase racial equity and encourage access, CAAM Chinese Dance Theater will create an original live performance and interactive program at Landmark Center in Downtown Saint Paul based on a Chinese legend ("Nezha's Amazing Underwater Adventures") to serve primarily young audiences through their schools and other programs during Asian Heritage Month.
CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio)
Fiesta Latina 2023
$20,000CLUES intends to use Cultural STAR project funding for festival celebrations of Latinx artistic and cultural heritage and tradition during our Fiesta Latina for National Hispanic Heritage Month at our Saint Paul CLUES building. This free event brought over 3,500 people to Saint Paul last year.
COLLIDE Theatrical Dance Company
Wonderland School Tour
$22,000This grant will support nine free performances of "Wonderland," our educational show on mental health, for Saint Paul schools serving diverse student populations, as well as a public community show. Our goal is to open up conversations about mental health and offer valuable resources for help. The shows will positively impact up to 2,000 people: approximately 1,850 students and 200 community members.
Como Community Council
D10 Como Community Events Diversity Programming
$8,500Our project will increase diverse vendor representation at the Como Community Council's five annual community events. This funding will allow us to more publicly celebrate the growing diversity of our neighborhood by hiring a representative group of performers and artists. This project will increase the sense of welcome at our community events and within our organization, for all of our neighbors.
COMPAS
Emerging Young Artists
$12,000COMPAS will curate an exhibit to showcase exceptional 2D & 3D visual art by Saint Paul and East Metro middle and high school students. The exhibit will be open to the public for 2-3 weeks in March 2024 and include events to invite a diverse audience to attend. STAR funding will underwrite staff and artists' pay to curate the show and lead workshops; space rental; marketing; and accessibility costs.
Compassionate Action for Animals
Music at 2023 Twin Cities Veg Fest
$8,900Funding from Cultural STAR will bring audiences to hear music in downtown St. Paul, enable musicians to share their music with new audiences, and give audiences access to musical experiences they would not otherwise be able to access.
Consortium Carissimi
Introducing Paolo Costa's Organ to Saint Paul with Monteverdi
$10,989Our project is two-fold: 1) Bring to Saint Paul, MN, and introduce, permanently, an exquisite portative hand-crafted Italian organ, unique among local instruments; and 2) Introduce this instrument with a performance of Monteverdi's great collection Selva morale e spirituale - which translates as 'moral and spiritual forest.' Performances will occur April-June 2024 at venues described below.
Creative Enterprise Zone
2023 Chroma Zone and Art Festival
$15,000Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival is an annual celebration (September 14-16, 2023) of artistry and community that connects people to place, advances creative and economic development through tours and events, and ensures representation by BIPOC, Women, Queer and Nonbinary artists with the commission of outdoor public murals in Saint Paul's Creative Enterprise Zone (South Saint Anthony Park).
District 6 Planning Council
2023 Marydale Festival
$5,000Marydale Festival is in its seventh year. The festival is held on the fourth Saturday in September and at Marydale Park (542 Maryland Avenue). An annual event such as Marydale Festival can be especially effective in a community with great social, ethnic and economic diversity.
East Side Freedom Library
Digital repository for community connection
$20,233Creating a digital repository of cultural information at the East Side Freedom Library to augment community connection, organizing, and collective action in the community. Access to these materials will improve understanding and outcomes for the diverse communities of Saint Paul, focusing on materials previously unavailable in digital formats.
Face to Face Health & Counseling Service, Inc
Arts Programming at SafeZone
$35,000Our proposed project is Arts Programming at SafeZone, our day shelter for youth experiencing homelessness. The intent is to provide creative, therapeutic opportunities for expression for under-resourced young people, so that they can pursue their creative aspirations. Prior funding allowed us to expand the program to include multiple art forms and we are seeking funding to continue these offerings.
FilmNorth
Studio Thirteen
$5,000FilmNorth requests funding to support Studio Thirteen, an intensive lab for talented creative youths who are interested in honing their filmmaking skills. Studio Thirteen will take place three days a week from September 26 through December 21, 2023 at FilmNorth in the Creative Enterprise Zone in Saint Paul. Cultural STAR funds will be used to bring in guest artists and ensure the lab is free.
Full Circle Theater Company
Full Circle’s Production of ANON(YMOUS) presented at Park Square Theatre
$35,000Full Circle's production of ANON(YMOUS) by Naomi Iizuka, directed by Stephanie Lein Walseth, at Park Square Theatre, November 2-19, 2023. Based on Homer's Odyssey, ANON(YMOUS) will illuminate the many refugee and asylum seeker crises around the globe, as it follows the harrowing journey of a mother and son. STAR funds will support professional theater artists and accessibility costs.
Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies
Harmony
$20,000Harmony is an extra-curricular year-round strings program that transforms low-income BIPOC students' lives by creating long-term access to music. Funding would support instruction for 2nd - 5th grade Harmony participants at Riverview Spanish/English Dual Immersion School (Saint Paul) and costs for Harmony alumni (6th - 12th grade) to participate in lessons and GTCYS' orchestras as they progress.
Historic Saint Paul Corporation
Theory of Change
$18,250Historic Saint Paul respectfully requests funding to complete a Theory of Change and resulting workplan. As historic preservation evolves into a more diverse, community-involved endeavor, this effort is crucial for our future Historic Saint Paul is the only preservation group focused on Saint Paul, and we are excited to more fully demonstrate the effects that the city's histories and stories have on its culture.
Hmong Cultural Center of Minnesota
2024 Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival
$30,000Hmong Cultural Center will host the 2024 Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival at Landmark Center on June 2, 2024, involving a Sunday of comprehensive daylong programming to educate Hmong & non-Hmong about the Qeej instrument and other Hmong art forms including traditional musical instruments and dance.
Illusion Theater and School, Inc.
IN THIS MOMENT…NOW: Illusion Theater in Saint Paul
$20,000Illusion requests $20,000 to help pay artist & ADA expenses to produce IN THIS MOMENT NOW (ITMN) for 3 weeks at the Lowry Lab in Downtown Saint Paul during Spring 2024. Led by renowned African American artists, T. Mychael Rambo & Amiee Bryant, ITMN features Black artists who share their views on how theater, spoken word, dance and song serve our community as we continue to deal with systemic racism.
In Progress
The Collective
$12,704THE COLLECTIVE is a digital arts project that provides mentorship, access and presentation opportunities to developing artists that face barriers to participation due to cultural, social and economic barriers. Activities take place in the North End neighborhood, with exhibitions extending to City Hall and State Capitol. Funding supports mentorship, participant goal planning and exhibit activities.
Indian Music Society of Minnesota (IMSOM)
IMSOM presents virtuosos Kaushiki and Ambi
$20,000IMSOM will present a special duet concert to commence their 45th season, featuring the sensational young virtuosos, Kaushiki Chakraborty (Vocal) with Ambi Subramaniam (Violin).
The concert is expected to enthrall an estimated 600 attendees and raise IMSOM's profile in the Twin Cities cultural landscape as it furthers its mission to bring people and cultures together through musical offerings.
Indigenous Roots
Intertribal Cultural Corridor Mural Expansion
$20,233We are planning on creating a series of murals on the side of the building at 781 Hope Street and the Indigenous Roots Arts and Cultural Center. These murals will become part of our initiative to highlight the 7th Street Intertribal Cultural Corridor and raise a sense of ownership and representation within the community.
Irish Fair of Minnesota
Irish Fair of Minnesota
$35,000Each August, Irish Fair of Minnesota (IFM) hosts a three-day arts and culture festival on Harriet Island intended to immerse our attendees in Irish culture. We offer popular and traditional Irish music, dance, history, sports, cuisine and more. Our event attracts 30,000+ people. Cultural STAR funds are used to ensure high quality programming and an enhanced guest experience.
Lower Phalen Creek Project (dba Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi)
Wakan Tipi Center - Star Map Exhibit
$22,232WTA is requesting support for the design, fabrication and installation of a Dakota Star map for the main gathering hall at the new Wakan Tipi Center. Minnesota is the ancestral homeland of the Dakota people, numerous sites hold sacred significance representing Dakota spiritual beliefs and cosmology.
Minnesota Hard Bop Collective
The MetroNOME Jazz Mentorship Project
$30,000The MetroNOME Jazz Mentorship Program aims to provide a formal opportunity for music students to perform with and learn directly from professional musicians at the MetroNOME (Nourishing Outstanding Music Education) Stage from November 2023 to June 2024. This will provide students with performance skills and confidence building that is not available in the classroom or open mic jam sessions.
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Lambert's Landing Mural Re-envisioning Project
$35,000The M will support artist Seitu Jones in the process of restoring "Confluence," an important public mural the artist mounted along Lambert's Landing in 1986. The work has fallen into disrepair, while the site along the Mississippi has become an encampment for the unhoused. This project will take place August 2023 - July 2024, and will involve re-envisioning "Confluence" for today's communities.
Minnesota Museum of American Art
Seitu Jones Retrospective
$22,226The M seeks funding for an artist residency for Seitu Jones to prepare an immersive exhibition featuring his multi-faceted, community-based work that pushes beyond traditional art spaces. Seitu will collaborate with Black archivists and co-curators Alexandra Nicome and Ego Ahalwe Sowinski and the M's curator, Laura Joseph, on a community-based archival process to inform the exhibition.
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Music Month Showcase
$35,000MPR's The Current will host a Minnesota Music Month showcase in downtown Saint Paul and adjoining neighborhoods in April 2024. We envision hosting one event per weekend for four weeks, starting on April 5 and ending on or about April 28. Funds will make it possible to bring 12-16 of the best local bands and a buzzy atmosphere to venues and businesses in the cultural district.
Minnesota Transportation Museum
African American Railway Workers Exhibit
$20,233Add to the cultural identity of Saint Paul by exhibiting the legacy of early 20th century African American railway workers who worked at Union Depot, as porters on the trains, supported and educated their families, and helped build the cultural and economic fabric of Saint Paul. The project will create a permanent home for this exhibit at the Jackson Street Roundhouse which was unveiled early in 2023.
Minnesota Vietnamese Language School
Lunar New Year (Tet) Celebration
$14,500The Lunar New Year (Tet) Celebration is a free event at Washington Technology Magnet School in Saint Paul on January 27, 2024. Tet is the pinnacle celebration of Vietnamese culture, and the goal is to promote Vietnamese culture and diversity through cultural performance and artistry. Cultural STAR funding would expand programming, outreach, access, and inclusion to a wider audience.
Mizna
Publishing Mizna: SWANA Literature and Art
$30,000Mizna is seeking support for the publication of two issues of our award-winning literary journal, "Mizna: Southwest Asian Literature + Art," one of which will be a special Cinema Issue, and the other will feature a tribute to Baya, the overlooked early 20th-century Algerian painter whose work was coopted by Picasso and other modernist artists.
One Voice Mixed Chorus
The Art of Joy at the Ordway Concert Hall
$25,000One Voice will perform "The Art of Joy" at the Ordway Concert Hall during Saint Paul Pride Weekend, June 22-23, 2024. Featuring music and performances by LGBTQ artists, "Joy" will celebrate One Voice's 35th Anniversary Season, and spotlight the role Joy plays in binding together the multidimensional and intersectional queer community.
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
Ordway's Flint Hills Family Festival
$35,000For four days next spring, the Ordway's 2024 Flint Hills Family Festival will transform Rice Park and the downtown Saint Paul area. In part, our goal is to provide an exceptional, positive arts experience for schools and families. Funding will support our ability to host 2 outdoor and 2 indoor stages, and a wide range of interactive arts experiences-highlighting over 200 artists from varied cultures.
Penumbra Theatre
Flex
$20,233The goal of this project is to enhance, explore, express, and celebrate Black culture through a series of interdisciplinary activities combining arts and athletics including: the regional premiere of the play FLEX, a fellowship for young creative professionals, an arts-driven youth basketball clinic, an intergenerational panel discussion, and student matinees.
Ragamala Dance Company
Children of Dharma: Interactive Workshop & Community Conversation Series
$25,000To create an original six-month Interactive Workshop and Community Conversation Series hosted by multiple partner venues in the Saint Paul Cultural Corridor, in alignment with our new multi-disciplinary production Children of Dharma, premiering January 2024. The Series will incorporate live performances & engagements to address critical issues of culture & identity impacting our local communities today.
Rhythmically Speaking
Rhythmically Speaking presents: CHILL - The Entire Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack, Played Live and Danced!
$6,352CHILL is a crowd-favorite evening of original jazz dance works, set to the "Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack and played live by the Nordeast Jazz Band. The show - being held 12/1/23 - 12/3/23 at the space of long-time partner Amsterdam Bar & Hall - will add vibrancy to downtown Saint Paul during the holidays, and STAR funding will help us compensate the artists at the center of the project.
Saint Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation
Bringing Us Together Again at Rondo Night
$9,538The Saint Paul Winter Carnival saw great success bringing the community together through Rondo Night as part of the annual festival in 2023. We are again requesting funding to pay for artists, performers, and educational experiences. The purpose of the project is to celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of the Rondo community of Saint Paul as we come together at the Coolest Celebration on Earth.
Saint Paul Public Library
Saint Paul Public Library Collections Materials
$175,000Saint Paul Public Library uses Cultural STAR funds to purchase a wide range of cultural & art materials for patrons across the City to borrow. Materials are purchased in multiple formats for all age groups including books, DVDs, CDs & online access. These funds expand the cultural reach of more authors of color, local authors, debut & self-published authors, & ensure a broader range of stories & voices are represented.
Six Points Theater
TORCH SONG by Harvey Fierstein
$13,950TORCH SONG, a comedy about a Jewish drag queen, will be produced to increase understanding and tolerance, and will enlarge SPT's LGBTQIA+ audience. It will run May 4-19 in Highland Park Community Center. Several free/open to the public programs ("Doorways") will complement the play. Funding will enable SPT to hire top actors, appropriately compensated, and have design elements with high artistry.
Sounds of Hope, Ltd.
Songs of Hope Downtown Concert
$9,000In the upcoming summer of 2024, building on the success of last year's first efforts, we intend to continue looking for new Songs of Hope audiences in the downtown area. STAR funding will help support a concert within the Cultural District in Wacouta Commons, a small, attractive, and underutilized City park near the corner of West Seventh and Wacouta Street.
Springboard for the Arts
Springboard on Ice: Artist-Led Creative Programming in Saint Paul’s Frogtown/Rondo communities
$15,000Cultural STAR funds will support "Springboard on Ice", a series of artist-led performances and programming hosted on a pop-up outdoor ice rink at Springboard's University Avenue location (winter 2024). With partner Brownbody, we will bring culturally responsive creative programming to Saint Paul residents who do not have access to and who frequently do not see themselves represented on the ice.
TaikoArts Midwest
TaikoArts Midwest International Taiko Concert
$35,000TaikoArts Midwest will produce an international collaborative concert at the Ordway concert stage on May 12, 2023. Performers include local taiko favorite, Enso Daiko, and special guest artists, Yuichi Kimura & Daichi no Kai (Taiko group from Kobe, Japan), and Japanese folk tenten (vocals/shamisen from Toronto, Canada). We are making Saint Paul and international center of excellence for taiko arts.
Ten Thousand Things
Free Performance Series in Saint Paul
$15,000Ten Thousand Things (TTT) will increase arts access by presenting 12 free theater shows in 2024 in partnership with: St. Paul Opportunity Center; Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists; Episcopal Homes senior facilities; Ramsey County Corrections; Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts; Dellwood Gardens; Black Youth Healing Arts Center; Avalon School; and MSS.
The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library
2024 Minnesota Book Awards
$7,068The Minnesota Book Awards connects thousands of readers and writers in MN through the stories of their neighbors. The program, in its 36th year, identifies and celebrates the best books by MN writers over the past year through a judging process, awards ceremony, and events showcasing finalists and winners. Cultural STAR funding would support expenses for the awards ceremony and panel discussions.
The Great Northern Winter Festival
Tunde Olaniran
$19,056TGN will present events featuring Tunde Olaniran, a multidisciplinary artist from Flint, MI. In addition to a concert at Amsterdam, the festival will share a screening of their film Made A Universe followed by an artist conversation. Olaniran's work draws on their intersectional identities as a Black and queer person. STAR funding will make the project possible.
The Saint Paul Conservatory of Music
The Saint Paul Chamber Music Festival at MetroNOME Brewery
$9,528SPCM seeks Cultural Star funding to support four free public concerts at MetroNOME Brewing in Lowertown, as part of our new Saint Paul Chamber Music Festival. These performances will feature nationally renowned professional musicians and SPCM faculty and students in an accessible, informal setting for audiences of all ages.
The Schubert Club
Schubert Club Mix presents Shruthi Rajasekar and Friends
$10,000Shruthi Rajasekar & Friends- Sunday, February 18, 2024, Ordway Concert Hall. Rajasekar curates a concert celebrating South Asian arts and culture in Minnesota. Fusing western classical and Carnatic music, it includes a new work by Rajasekar, script, film, dance and food samples. Dual goals are to elevate the visibility of local South Asian artists and to bring the MN South Asian community to the Ordway.
Theater Mu
Blended Harmony: The Kim Loo Sisters
$35,000To support the world premiere production of Blended Harmony: The Kim Loo Sisters, a new musical co-commissioned by Theatre Mu and History Theatre. Cultural STAR funding will support the co-production, which shares an important piece of MN history and shines a light on often overlooked Asian American stories. Cultural STAR will also support increased community engagement.
Tlalnepantla Arts (Fiscal Sponsor: Springboard for the Arts)
Festival de las Calaveras presents Dia de los Muertos Festival and Family Art Day 2023
$26,000Festival de las Calaveras' Dia de los Muertos Festival and Family Art Day 2023 is a public community gathering that will share vibrant Latinx cultural arts centered on the Mexican Day of the Dead traditions. This all-day festival will create space for Latinx community-building and sharing in Saint Paul through cultural arts expression, ancestor celebrating, while demonstrating artistic excellence.
Transforming Generations
Pride BBQ Festival
$35,000Held at Harriet Island in June, TG Pride BBQ Festival is a free LGBTQ+ Hmong family-friendly event combining TG's programs: Pride BBQ, Drag Tale Times and Pride Concert with the goal of providing space for LGBTQ+ Hmong/Southeast Asian community to celebrate Pride. Cultural STAR funding would support us to pilot an event combining these three programs and a 9 month Drag mentorship program/cohort.
TU Dance
Yusha-Marie Sorzano’s THREAT at The O’Shaughnessy
$20,233TU Dance requests support for the development and premiere of THREAT by Yusha-Marie Sorzano, a new full-evening dance work, to be performed at The O'Shaughnessy, April 26-27, 2024.
Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective
2024 Nowruz (Persian New Year) Concert and Community Gathering
$10,068Our 2024 Nowruz (Persian New Year) Concert and Community Gathering, to be held March 30 at the Ordway Center Concert Hall, will share Iran's rich musical heritage with the larger Minnesota public, raise awareness of Iranian culture, and help to transform public perceptions of the Iranian people. Cultural STAR funding will make it possible to afford artists and a venue of the highest caliber.
Twin Cities Jazz Festival
Twin Cities Jazz Festival
$35,000STAR funds will be used to support the 26th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival held in Mears Park and surrounding Lowertown venues June 21-22, 2024. The goal is to once again have a diverse thriving free civic event in St. Paul to include over 200 diverse performing jazz artists and youth musicians in as many downtown venues as possible.
Twin Cities Metro IBA
Lowertown Sounds
$19,056Lowertown Sounds, an outdoor music series nearly every Thursday evening from June - August, serves as a local music, beverage maker, and food truck showcase, celebrating community by bringing all ages and backgrounds together to enjoy a fun evening in historic Mears Park. The grant will bolster our budget for bands and sound production to enrich our programming and expand our audience.
Twin Cities PBS
Don't Believe the Hype: Next Generation
$19,056TPT requests support for the 2023-34 program year of DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE: NEXT GENERATION, TPT's youth media arts and mentorship initiative that amplifies the unique voices of BIPOC high school students. HYPE helps youth craft their own narratives through hands-on media production, relationship building and career exploration, all informed by youths' desired outcomes for the program.
Wonderlust Productions
Hidden Stories of Saint Paul
$22,232Inspired by the STAR program's focus on Saint Paul's cultural district, Wonderlust seeks support to use stories gathered from people who live and work behind the scenes downtown to create short, place-based, audio plays peeling back the curtain on what makes our city tick. Audiences will be invited to take a listening tour of the city by following an online map and QR codes displayed around town.
Young Dance, Inc.
Young Dance All Abilities Dancing Strategy Development
$10,000Young Dance will create an All Abilities Dancing strategy including codifying curriculum and training Teaching Artists and educators. All activities will take place at Young Dance and Saint Paul community partner sites from September - June. Funding will support embedding All Abilities Dancing into our infrastructure, laying the path for Young Dance to be a leader for access and inclusion in our community.
zAmya Theater Project
A Challenge to Change
$20,000"A Challenge to Change" is a 60-minute performance and dialogue event developed by zAmya with residents of Catholic Charities' Dorothy Day Place. Grounded in personal experiences with homelessness, the event is designed to build understanding and connection between residents and employees in downtown Saint Paul. A STAR grant would support 11 events in downtown Saint Paul locations and online.
Cultural STAR Grant Annual Reports
In May 1993, the Minnesota State Legislature authorized the City of Saint Paul to levy a half-cent sales tax to make improvements to the Saint Paul RiverCentre complex and invest in capital improvements and arts and cultural activities in Saint Paul. The Neighborhood, Year-Round, and Cultural STAR grants programs make these investments through annual, competitive grants programs.
Neighborhood and Cultural STAR Advisory Boards volunteer hundreds of hours of their time and expertise to review proposals, interview applicants, and make funding recommendations to the Mayor and City Council each year.
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2025 CSTAR Board Members
Maia Maiden, Chair - Small Cultural Organization
Bethany Gladhill, Vice Chair - At-Large
Lindsay Kimball - Large Cultural Organization
Georgina Chincilla Gonzalez - Mid-Sized Cultural Organization
Alina Hornfeldt - Business Community
Jon Jee - At-LargeSummary
At their December 3rd, 2025 meeting, the Saint Paul City Council awarded $1,286,552 in Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) grants to support 78 arts and cultural projects. These grants will support programming, capital improvements, and organizational development activities for 78 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2025 through July 31, 2026.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2025, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials.
What was accomplished?
STAR funds are granted to projects that fulfill a public purpose for the City of Saint Paul. Cultural STAR awards are for projects that do one or more of the following:
- Increases access to different art forms and cultural offerings
- Addresses cultural needs
- Builds audiences for the arts in St. Paul
- Broadens or strengthens cultural offerings in St. Paul
Awardee Demographics
Woman owned/led: 53%
Minority owned/led: 49%
Both: 36%
Small Business or Organization: 68%What was leveraged*?
CSTAR: $10.7 million
*Additional resources for projects receiving STAR funds, as reported by awardees.Projects by type
Type Number of Projects Percentage of Total Projects Funded Percentage of Total Dollars Awarded Special Projects 74 94% 85% Organizational Development 4 5% 14% Capital 1 1% 1% List of awarded projects for 2025
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2024 CSTAR Board Members
Maia Maiden, Chair
Bethany Gladhill, Vice Chair
Lindsay Kimball
Georgina Chincilla Gonzalez
Johnathan Nguyen
Jon Jee
Lori GreenSummary
At their November 6, 2024 meeting, the Saint Paul City Council awarded $1,108,775 in Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) grants to support 68 arts and cultural projects. These grants will support programming, capital improvements, and organizational development activities for 67 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2024 through July 31, 2025.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2024, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials.
What was accomplished?
STAR funds are granted to projects that fulfill a public purpose for the City of Saint Paul. Cultural STAR awards are for projects that do one or more of the following:
- Increases access to different art forms and cultural offerings
- Addresses cultural needs
- Builds audiences for the arts in St. Paul
- Broadens or strengthens cultural offerings in St. Paul
Awardee Demographics
Woman owned/led: 48%
Minority owned/led: 30%
Both: 22%
Small Business or Organization: 61%CSTAR Audiences
Over 600,000 audience members
*as noted in close out reports from awardeesWhat was leveraged*?
CSTAR: Over $5.1 million
*Additional resources for projects receiving STAR funds, as reported by awardees.Projects by type
Type Number of Projects Percentage of Total Projects Funded Percentage of Total Dollars Awarded Special Projects 61 90% 90% Organizational Development 5 7% 7% Capital 2 3% 3% List of awarded projects for 2024
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2023 CSTAR Board Members
Maia Maiden, Chair
Bethany Gladhill, Vice Chair
Cheniqua Johnson
Georgina Chincilla Gonzalez
Johnathan Nguyen
Jon Jee
Lindsay Kimball
Lori GreeneSummary
The Saint Paul City Council approved the 2023 Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) Grant Program awards on November 15, 2023. These grants, totaling nearly $1.3 million, will support programming, capital improvements and organizational development activities for 66 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2023, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials.
What was accomplished?
STAR funds are granted to projects that fulfill a public purpose for the City of Saint Paul. Cultural STAR awards are for projects that do one or more of the following:
- Increases access to different art forms and cultural offerings
- Addresses cultural needs
- Builds audiences for the arts in St. Paul
- Broadens or strengthens cultural offerings in St. Paul
Awardee Demographics
Not collected until 2024.
CSTAR Audiences
Over 500,000 audience members
*as noted in close out reports from awardeesWhat was leveraged*?
CSTAR: Over $2.3 million
*Additional resources for projects receiving STAR funds, as reported by awardees.Projects by type
Type Number of Projects Percentage of Total Projects Funded Percentage of Total Dollars Awarded Special Projects 59 89% 90% Organizational Development 5 8% 7% Capital 2 3% 3% List of awarded projects for 2023
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2022 CSTAR Board Members
Lindsay Kimball, Chair
Clarence White, Vice Chair
Maia Maiden
Bethany Gladhill
Cheniqua Johnson
Georgina Chincilla Gonzalez
Jon JeeSummary
The Saint Paul City Council approved two rounds of the 2022 Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) Grant Program awards on September 7, 2022 (Round 1) and January 25, 2023 (Round 2). These grants, totaling $1,947,377, support programming, capital improvements and organizational development activities for local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2022-July 31, 2024 (Round 1) and January 15, 2023-January 14, 2024 (Round 2).
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2022, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials. A budget allocation of $100,000 for Events for Neighborhood Cultural Organizations in Downtown was also included in 2022.
What was accomplished?
STAR funds are granted to projects that fulfill a public purpose for the City of Saint Paul. Cultural STAR awards are for projects that do one or more of the following:
- Increases access to different art forms and cultural offerings
- Addresses cultural needs
- Builds audiences for the arts in St. Paul
- Broadens or strengthens cultural offerings in St. Paul
Awardee Demographics
Not collected until 2024.
CSTAR Audiences
Over 1,000,000 audience members
*as noted in close out reports from awardeesWhat was leveraged*?
CSTAR: Over $4.8 million
*Additional resources for projects receiving STAR funds, as reported by awardees.Projects by type
Type Number of Projects Percentage of Total Projects Funded Percentage of Total Dollars Awarded Special Projects 76 84% 77% Organizational Development 7 7% 15% Capital 7 7% 1% List of awarded projects for 2022
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2021 CSTAR Board Members
Lindsay Kimball, Chair
Clarence White, Vice Chair
Dayna Martinez
Khamara Pettus
Maia Maiden
Mark Pfeifer
Saymoukda Vongsay
Shannon Forney
Steve HecklerSummary
The Saint Paul City Council approved the 2021 Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization (STAR) Grant Program awards on August 25, 2021. These grants, totaling $1,414,050, support programming, capital improvements and organizational development activities for 94 local non-profit arts and cultural organizations. These programs and activities will take place from August 1, 2021-December 31, 2022.
In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2021, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials and $100,000 for Events for Neighborhood Cultural Organizations in Downtown.
What was accomplished?
STAR funds are granted to projects that fulfill a public purpose for the City of Saint Paul. Cultural STAR awards are for projects that do one or more of the following:
- Increases access to different art forms and cultural offerings
- Addresses cultural needs
- Builds audiences for the arts in St. Paul
- Broadens or strengthens cultural offerings in St. Paul
Awardee Demographics
Not collected until 2024.
CSTAR Audiences
Over 300,000 audience members
*as noted in close out reports from awardeesWhat was leveraged*?
CSTAR: Over $6.3 million
*Additional resources for projects receiving STAR funds, as reported by awardees.Projects by type
Type Number of Projects Percentage of Total Projects Funded Percentage of Total Dollars Awarded Special Projects 75 83% 74% Organizational Development 12 13% 22% Capital 7 4% 4% List of awarded projects for 2021
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2020 CSTAR Board Members
Lana Barkawi, Chair
Lindsay Kimball, Vice Chair
Dayna Martinez
Chris Widdess
Clarence White
Khamara Pettus
Mark Pfeifer
Shannon Forney
Steve HecklerSummary
The Saint Paul City Council approved the use of Cultural STAR funds for General Operating Funding at their September 9, 2020 meeting due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Cultural STAR program awarded 86 general operating grants totaling $2,268,300 to local non-profit arts and cultural organizations in 2020.
Cultural STAR funds of $40,000 were also awarded to Springboard for the Arts for an Emergency Relief Fund for artists to award $500 grants to artists who have experienced income loss or other financial impacts due to COVID-19.In addition to awarding competitive grants to nonprofits, the Cultural STAR program also supports the Saint Paul Public Libraries with an annual budget allocation. In 2020, the Cultural STAR program budget included $175,000 in funding for library materials.
What was accomplished?
STAR funds are granted to projects that fulfill a public purpose for the City of Saint Paul. Cultural STAR awards are for projects that do one or more of the following:
- Increases access to different art forms and cultural offerings
- Addresses cultural needs
- Builds audiences for the arts in St. Paul
- Broadens or strengthens cultural offerings in St. Paul
Awardee Demographics
Not collected until 2024.
CSTAR Audiences
Not collected in 2020 due to the pandemic.
What was leveraged?
Not collected in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Projects by type
Type Number of Projects Percentage of Total Projects Funded Percentage of Total Dollars Awarded General Operating 86 100% 100% List of awarded projects for 2020