The Minot Area Council of the Arts has been named as one of 61 Midwestern arts and culture organizations, one of only seven in North Dakota, to receive new COVID-19 relief grants from Arts Midwest through phase 2 of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund.

The Minot Area Council of the Arts is the only Minot organization to receive the grant and was awarded the highest dollar amount in the state at $25,000.

“The arts are a crucial part of the lives of North Dakotans, and are a special part of the magic in the Magic City. We are honored to have our important work recognized and supported by this grant, and are excited to use this money to support the Minot arts community as we struggle with the impact of COVID-19,” said Minot Area Council of the Arts Executive Director Justin Anderson.

In total, over 800 Midwestern organizations were nominated by community members to receive money through the Resilience Fund. The 61 selected organizations from phase 2 will each receive $10,000-$50,000 as a one-time investment. Phase 2 of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, which was designed to support small arts and culture organizations with annual budgets between $50,000 and $249,999, was provided thanks to a $1.5 million gift from an anonymous donor.

The United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund’s goal is to invest in historically under-resourced arts and culture organizations across the United States as they work to weather the COVID-19 pandemic. Recipients may direct grant funds to their most pressing needs and opportunities, from response activities to investments that build resiliency and sustainability.