The Southwest Minnesota Arts Council serves 18 counties as a source of funds and technical assistance to enable local organizations, educational institutions and individuals to sponsor and/or create and promote arts in their communities. The office and gallery are at 114 North Third Street in Marshall. Workshops and grant writing webinars are free of charge, but advance registration is required. Call 800-622-5284, email info@swmnarts.org, or see the website at www.swmnarts.org. Below are the grant deadlines for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

Open office support: Dec. 14, in-person, the second Tuesday of the month, between 10 a.m.and 2 p.m., for assistance with any grant-related questions. Or schedule an appointment with the grants administrator.

Virtual grant Q&A: get your questions answered about our grant programs in one of two sessions from 7 to 8 p.m. Jan. 6.

Webinars: grant-writing webinars are listed with each grant below.

Monthly grants

The monthly grants for arts organizations for the 2021-22 fiscal year are first-come, first-served with deadlines the first of each month August through April. Earliest start date will be the first of the following month. The last grant writing webinar is recorded and available on he website.

Quick support for organizations: Provides up to $2,500 for activities such as planning for an Art Legacy Project, strategic planning or board training, costs to apply for 501(c)(3) status, small equipment purchases, or small arts projects. Grant writing webinar Dec. 7.

Quick support for artists: Provides up to $1,000 for activities such as purchasing

supplies, attending classes, and small artist-led community projects. Grant writing webinar on Jan. 18.

Receiving a Quick Support for Artists grant recently was:

Cindy Demers, Madison, $940; to evolve her pointillism style to include multimedia pieces, combining high quality colored pencil with alcohol inks on multi-layered works. She will study with experienced alcohol inks artist Melanie Gabbert-Gatchell of Granite Falls and plans to produce 8-10 finished works of portraits and still lifes.

Artists Equity grants

The artist equity grants provide up to $4,000 to aid Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other artists of color with projects that will advance their skills and artistic careers. Receiving a grant was

Autumn Cavender-Wilson, Granite Falls, $4,000, to continue with her project "Wowicakekage - Dakota Art Encoded," which she describes as an artistic research project exploring the application of traditional Dakota art and design into digital and virtual spaces. She has experience with beadwork, quillwork, traditional paints and watercolor, and quilting. Last year she was awarded a SMAC Artist Equity grant that allowed her to begin developing her skills as a digital artist; this grant will continue exploration of these digital techniques.

Grants for schools

Arts in the Schools: For artist residencies or field trips that include educator training and community involvement; juried student art exhibits; and prepackaged theater experiences. Up to $4,000 (artist residencies) or $2,500 (field trips, juried exhibits, or prepackaged theatre), no cash match this year; deadline Jan. 26, grant writing webinar Dec. 15, earliest start date March 1.