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ABOUT

The City of La Crosse Arts Board is committed to fostering a vibrant community by supporting diverse artistic activities and cultural programs. Through our Annual Grant Program, we provide funding and opportunities for artists and arts organizations, nurturing creativity and artistic expression while advocating for the arts and shaping a supportive environment within our community. We aim to integrate and advance arts and culture as an essential and transformative part of life in La Crosse by bridging divides, promoting inclusivity, contributing to economic growth, and enhancing the quality of life for all residents and visitors.

ANNUAL GRANT PROGRAM

The Arts Board is dedicated to empowering and supporting individual artists and non-profit groups whose projects directly impact the vibrant visual and performing arts scene within the City of La Crosse. We are committed to fostering inclusivity and diversity by ensuring equitable geographic distribution of public art throughout the city and providing a platform for a wide range of artists and art forms. Grant requests will be reviewed quarterly (January, April, July, and October) during the monthly Arts Board meeting, with disbursements being made the following month.

If you are interested in applying, please review the below documents to learn more about the annual grant program and requirements:

  1. Annual Grant Program Information & Requirements
  2. Grant Proposal Evaluation & Scoring
  3. Final Report Submission Requirements
  4. Small Project Grants
  5. Creative Development Grants
  6. Community Impact Grants

To apply, please submit your application by visiting this link: http://lacrosseartsboard.slideroom.com/ 

GRANT WRITING RESOURCES

  1. Grant Writing Basics: How to Put Your Best Foot Forward with Funders
  2. How to Write an Art Proposal in 16 Easy Steps
  3. Applying for Grants: Creating a Realistic Budget
  4. Tips for Effectively Writing and Talking About Your Work
  5. The Artist Guide to Grant Writing

LATEST NEWS

Creative Champion Award. In October 2022, Create Wisconsin honored the City of La Crosse for its support of and investment in the arts, culture, and creativity as essential to community well-being, quality of life, and economic, workforce, and civic growth and strength. The award was presented to La Crosse Mayor Mitch Reynolds, City Arts Board President Jennifer Williams and founder Don Smith, Pump House Center for the Arts Director Allison Kryzch, and other city leaders at the League’s conference in La Crosse on October 20, 2022.

American Rescue Plan Act Funding. In November 2023, the La Crosse City Council passed legislation to grant the Arts Board $75,000 in ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding. Thank you to everyone who wrote letters and emails to support our request. With this money, we are able to support more local artists and bring even more art and culture to La Crosse. Thank you also to City Council members and Mayor Reynolds for your support! 

MEETINGS, AGENDAS, & MINUTES

Beginning in Summer 2023, the Arts Board will meet the first Tuesday of each month at 8:30 am at La Crosse City Hall in Council Chambers. To present a topic at a meeting, please send a letter of request, including supporting documents, to Kate Kroll at least one week prior to the meeting date.  Please refer to the Legislative Information Center for an accurate meeting schedule, as well as the meeting agendas and minutes.

BOARD MEMBERS

Eva Black

Eva Black

Eva Black is a multidisciplinary graphic designer and artist with a passion for creating striking and immersive design. With over a decade of experience in the design industry, Eva has worked with a wide range of clients from small businesses to large brands such as Microsoft, The New Yorker, Adobe among others. More recently, Eva has been experimenting with abstract painting exploring the interplay between her design background and the tactile medium of canvas.

Originally from La Crosse, Eva spent nearly 15 years in Los Angeles before recently moving back to the area. While in Los Angeles, Eva earned her BFA in Graphic Design and leveraged the time there to cultivate her craft by connecting with fellow creatives and brands. Upon arrival to La Crosse Eva became connected to the vibrant arts community and is committed to nurturing the creative ecosystem with her involvement.

maureenMaureen Freedland

Maureen was born and raised in New Orleans which gave her deep early exposure to art and music, from both street artists and professionals. That impressed on her the need for arts education for children, and the importance of public support for art.

In college, she flirted with majoring in History of Art, but eventually followed her commitment to work with people and communities in need and went to law school instead, spending most of her legal career as a legal aid and public interest lawyer. The first organizations she joined upon moving to Wisconsin in 1986 with her husband Robert were the League of Women Voters and Friends of the Symphony.

Maureen’s strong love for the local arts continues through ticket
subscriptions and attendance, and fundraising. She was the
Conductor Wannabe for the La Crosse Symphony in 2019 and served as co-chair with Robert for UFAH, United Fund for the Arts and Humanities in 2022. She has represented District 4 on the La Crosse County Board in south La Crosse since 2005. She serves on the Arts Board as the La Crosse County Board mayoral appointment.

Sana Illahe

Sana Illahe

Sana Illahe is a singer trained in Hindustani-Pakistani Classical Music tradition. Apart from singing the centuries old traditional songs that are passed on to her orally by her music teacher in Pakistan, she is also a lyricist and composes her own songs. She has a collaborated with a number of local musicians for creating new music.

Musically, she belongs to the Sham-Churasi gharana or school, and follows their principles and rigor in singing Kheyal, Thumri, Ghazal and Kafi song forms. She also plays instruments such as the Harmonium, Surmandal and Tanpura during her performances. She performs in La Crosse frequently as well as other towns she gets invited to.

Dr. Illahe has her Ph.D. in Sociology and her research focuses on how transgender people negotiate mobility in urban spaces of Pakistan. She teaches in the Race, Gender and Sexuality Studies department of UWL. She has also collaborated with the Music department at UW-L for a residency that featured her concert as well as talks in and outside of classes, which allowed for engagement with the students as well as the local community, exposing them to non-western styles of music.

paigePaige Manges

Paige returned to the Midwest this past Spring after spending 10+ years in Nashville, TN working in the Commercial Advertising and Production industry. As a Producer, she partnered with talented artists across various mediums ranging from directors, cinematographers, graphic designers, photographers, muralists, 3D artists, improvisers, painters, and musicians on a variety of projects. Her ability to pair talent to meet creative objects opened doors to work on projects for local businesses, non-profits, national companies, and global brands such as Chinet, Sherwin Williams, Red Kap, Huhtamaki, SERVPRO, Molson Coors, Trex Decking, First Horizon Bank, The Nashville Predators and Perkins Restaurants. Paige’s heart for people pushed her to co-launch The Nashville Living Wage in 2020, an awareness non-profit aimed to highlight businesses that pay all their employees a sustainable wage. Her love for community, the outdoors, and creativity has brought her to the Coulee region where she aims to use her knowledge, connections, and passions for the betterment and growth of all people living in La Crosse. 

Paige is currently the Administrative Coordinator for WisCorps (the parent organization to The Nature Place and Wisconsin Conservation Corps) and a Partner at Art and Science Tree Care. She's excited to serve on the Arts Board to shape the perception of La Crosse as a creative community for everyone to succeed. 

Dillon McArdleDillon McArdle, Vice Chair

Dillon has served on the La Crosse Arts Board since 2017, and is in his second term as Co-Chair. In 2021 Dillon was appointed the Director of the Fine Arts Center at Viterbo University. Dillon also serves as a Co-Director of the Weber Center for the Performing Arts. Dillon has previously worked as the Executive Director of the Weber Center for the Performing Arts and the Scenic Designer and Technical Director for La Crosse Community Theater.

Mark Neumann

Mark Neumann

Dr. Mark Neumann, MD, is a La Crosse City Council Member for District 13 and the Arts Board City Council Representative. Mark is a retired pediatric critical care medicine specialist in La Crosse, WI, with over 40 years of experience in the medical field. He graduated from Saint Louis University / Health Sciences Center in 1982.

 

Kaylan SmithKaylan Smith

Kaylan Smith is a compassionate individual with a steadfast dedication to serving both people and her community. She served as both a team leader and heavy operation senior truck driver in the United States Army National Guard for eight years, during which she deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Kaylan's educational background includes an AAS in marketing from Western Technical College, BS in management from UW-Stout, and an MBA from UW-Whitewater. She currently holds the position of Senior Marketing Engagement Specialist and manages a global webinar program that transcends cultures and languages.

Beyond her professional role, she actively participates in volunteer initiatives that create opportunities for young individuals to establish meaningful connections. She is a strong advocate for intergenerational volunteering programs, firmly believing that each generation holds invaluable insights that can significantly benefit others. During her free time, you can often find her indoors at her local yoga studio or enjoying the outdoors with her husband, Brant. They love hiking, golfing, biking, or even snowboarding together.

Zach Stensen

Zachary Stensen, Chair

Zach Stensen, a Wisconsin native, is an Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, teaching courses in printmaking and drawing. He earned a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking and a Book Arts Certificate from the University of Iowa, and has participated in more than 50 national and international exhibitions. His work is in several collections, including the University of Minnesota Libraries' Special Collections and Rare Books, the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Kohler Art Library Artists’ Book Collection, and Koto University in Japan.

Before relocating to La Crosse in 2020, Zach was an assistant professor in the VCUarts Qatar Painting + Printmaking program (2011-2020). During this tenure, he helped establish the first fine arts major in Qatar's history. In addition, he also served as Master Printer for the university’s print publishing program, Fanoon: Center for Printmedia Research, organizing and producing over 25 visiting artist projects with renowned artists such as Shahzia Sikander, Ranjani Shettar, and Trenton Doyle Hancock.

Mary Cate Weslingmarykate

Mary Cate is a creator trained in education and theatre. She has been an employee of La Crosse
Community Theatre since 2017. She has risen the ranks in the organization, currently holding the title of Artistic Operations Director. She is privileged to direct 2 productions a year with LCT, searching out the creative staff for the remaining productions of the season. Mary Cate has a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Education from Viterbo University. She will complete the Nonprofit Leadership Development Collaborative course at Viterbo University this May. Mary Cate is a transplant to La Crosse but has found her home and creative outlet within this wonderful city. She is excited to continue to develop the arts in a more meaningful way while a part of the La Crosse Arts Board. 

Jacqui Marcou Jacqueline Marcou, City of La Crosse Arts Coordinator

 Jacqueline Marcou was born and raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin, She is the City of La Crosse Arts Coordinator, a part time position created in early 2023 to advocate for the arts within the city and to cultivate connections in the community. Jacqueline brings a knowledge of city government to the position, serving on La Crosse’s City Council in 2017, representing the downtown area. It was through this service where she made lasting connections and found a passion for arts advocacy.

She is a longtime supporter of the arts and has been involved with managing community art projects, several mural projects and has collaborated with local school art initiatives that included an artist in residency and a school garden mural project.

Jacqueline also works as a registered nurse at Mayo Clinic Health Systems. She serves as Co-Chair of Mid West Music Fest, a local music fest that celebrates both La Crosse and Winona, MN. She co-created La Crosse’s Art Club, a grassroots monthly art group that encourages connections within the art community. She has two daughters, and enjoys hiking and biking through the driftless region.

ARTS BOARD-SUPPORTED PROJECTS

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Habitat for Humanity, Renew the Block Mural, Landon Sheely, 2024

Natalie_Hinahara

Natalie Hinahara, Yarrow and Vervain, 2022

Landon Sheely - Helping Hands

Landon Sheely, Helping Hands, 2018

4th Street Stage Project

4th Street Stage Project, 2022-2023