Phyllis Wheatley Community Center is a recipient of the Minnesota Humanities Center Grant

Jun 23

3 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

Awards Nearly $6 Million in Legacy Grants to Support Cultural Heritage

For Immediate Release

JUNE 15, 2026—ST. PAUL, MN— The Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC) announces 74 Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment awards totaling $5,952,545 to individuals and organizations to support Cultural Heritage across Minnesota. The following organizations were selected to receive an award:

826 MSP, $81,350
AMPERS, $47,500
Ananya Dance Theatre, $40,000
Andrea Swensson, $55,000
Art From The Inside, $247,320
Bear Paws Cultural Art, $15,500
Brian Malloy, $25,542
Brook LaFloe, $23,000
Cambodian American Partnership in Minnesota, $66,960
Center for People and Craft, $24,000
Center for Performing Arts Minneapolis, $57,309
Chris Stedman, $24,800
Colleen Sheehy, $37,025
Dakhóta Iápi Okhódakičhiye, $287,500
Dakota Wicohan, $142,950
East Side Arts Council, $9,900
Ely’s Historic State Theatre, $67,500
Feben Talile Gobena, PhD, $24,980
Firefly Center for the Arts & Wellbeing, $105,895
Folk Will Save Us, $105,895
Franconia Sculpture Park, $124,375
Green Card Voices, $125,000
Hennepin History Museum, $100,000
Hmong Cultural Center, $150,000
Hmong Early Childhood Coalition, $63,000
Hmongtown Connections, $100,000
Immigrant Development Center, $100,000
In Progress, $42,700
Irreducible Grace Foundation, $90,000
John Ngoc Nguyen, $10,000
Karina Kelton, $23,000
Lanesboro Arts Center, $40,000
Laurel School of Music, $56,000
Leech Lake Tribal Council, $40,000
Legal Rights Center, $100,000
Lotus Arts Center, $22,740
MacRostie Art Center, $101,664
Mankato State University, $134,000
Mendota Mdewakanton Dakota Tribal Community, $23,000
Mewinzha Ondaadiziike Wiigaming, $150,000
Milkweed Editions, $28,830
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, $39,340
Minnesota State Band, $20,000
New Native Theatre, $165,000
Npaus Baim Her, $22,925
One Voice Mixed Chorus, $40,000
Oromo Irreechaa Festival, $12,347
Owámniyomni Okhódayapi, $145,000
Park Rapids Area School, $11,500
Plymouth Christian Youth Center, $100,000
People in Action, $150,000
Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, $106,000
Picture Book Parade, $24,900
Project FINE, $77,000
Project Sweetie Pie, $60,000
Public Functionary, $50,000
Queermunity, $150,000
Red Wing Arts, $128,500
Sacred Bundle, $150,000
Safe Summer Nights, $24,500
Saint Paul Neighborhood Network, $43,900
Scandia Heritage Alliance, $75,000
Siengkane Lao MN, $75,000
Soul of Music Community Development, $20,000
Stairstep Foundation, $55,000
Taiwan Online Library, $60,000
Taste of Minnesota, $150,000
The Link, $92,407
The Lower Sioux Indian Community, $135,000
The People’s Depot Film, $140,000
Ukrainian Global Symphony 26, $93,450
Victoria McWane-Creek, $16,000
Walker West Music Academy, $175,000
White Earth Tribal and Community College, $250,000

The Minnesota Legislature appropriated $6,299,000 to MHC (less 5.5% administrative fees) from the Legacy Fund to administer grants through a competitive application process for Cultural Heritage grants. These grants, consistent with Legislative intent, will work to create, celebrate, and teach the art, culture, and heritage of the many diverse cultural groups that make up Minnesota, including but not limited to Indigenous organizations, communities whose culture and heritage have been historically underrepresented, recent immigrant communities, and veterans.

MHC received 267 applications totaling $34,782,719.89 in requests for proposed projects. Thirty-six percent of the awards are outside of the 7-county metro area.

“One of the many reasons that Minnesota is a wonderful place to live is because of the richness of traditions, cultures, and backgrounds that make up our state,” said MHC CEO Kevin Lindsey, “we are grateful to Minnesota voters who approved the Legacy Amendment, which allows us to pass on knowledge and cultural heritage through the humanities."

About the Minnesota Humanities Center (MHC)

MHC, an affiliate to the National Endowment for the Humanities, was founded as an independent non-profit organization in 1971. MHC strengthens our society by promoting the humanities and increasing shared understanding of our collective pasts. MHC creates a wide variety of humanities programming in collaboration with individuals, creators, scholars, and organizations to build a more curious, inclusive, and connected society. MHC has a long history as a grantmaking organization and operates a full-service event center in a historic building in St. Paul. More information is available at mnhum.org.

About Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment

The Minnesota Legislature passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) in 2008 to ensure clean water, preserve opportunities for Minnesotans to enjoy nature, parks, and trails, and to appreciate arts and culture that exists within the State. The Legacy Amendment increases the state sales tax by three-eighths of one percent to fund four distinct funds to achieve the goals of the Legacy Amendment. – 19.75% of the funding raised under the Legacy Amendment is dedicated to the Legacy arts and cultural heritage fund.

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