The Wallace Foundation announced Thursday morning that it has awarded $6.9 million in Excellence Awards to eight arts organizations in the Twin Cities.

The money will support local organizations with four-year grants of $300,000 to $750,000.

An additional $1.6 million will be used in conjunction with Arts Midwest and the Minnesota Community Foundation for audience-building in the region and a learning network for local organizations.

“We created these awards to draw national attention to the importance of engaging more people in the arts, to encourage organizations to sustain and expand the impact of their work with local constituencies,” said The Wallace Foundation President Christine DeVita in a statement.

Excellence Awards were awarded to the following organizations:

• MacPhail Center for Music: $750,000 over four years to foster music participation among adults.

• Minneapolis Institute of Arts: $750,000 over four years to develop individual, social, and on-line experiences and participation.

• The Minnesota Opera: $750,000 to increase participation among adult women and advance select media relationships.

• The Minnesota Orchestra: $750,000 over four years to build audience through its “Inside the Classics” concerts.

• The Mixed Blood Theatre Company: $300,000 for grassroots marketing in order to expand participation among Latinos and people with disabilities.

• Northern Clay Center: $500,000 over four years to build participation among people over 55 years old.

• Ordway Center for Performing Arts: $750,000 in an effort to grow participation and diversity among college-age individuals.

• The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra: $750,000 over four years to develop a grassroots marketing model in an effort to expand audience.


The Wallace Foundation supports the arts through grants to increase participation and cooperation between organizations. It also issues grants for education initiatives.

Arts Midwest is a regional arts nonprofit headquartered in Minneapolis.

The Minnesota Community Foundation is a statewide philanthropic foundation based in St. Paul.