Program/Grant: Creativity News Desk

Look into our region’s history and tell us about cultural and artistic milestones of the Midwest and Midwesterners!

These media professionals spent time getting to know each other, learning from their peers in the Twin Cities area, and reflecting on different models of working.

The video series will highlight eight unique creatives from throughout the Midwest region, showcased through the talents of eight filmmakers.

Tell us about your favorite road trip stops in the Midwest! Which hidden gems do you share with your friends who are traveling the region or visiting your community?

Ten organizations have been awarded a total of $150,000 as part of the Creative Midwest Media Cohort, a new year-long program facilitated through Arts Midwest’s Creativity News Desk. This initiative amplifies stories of arts, culture, and creativity in the Midwest.

SDPB aims to expand arts coverage of their premier daily local news and culture program “In the Moment with Lori Walsh.” They plan to do this with impactful social media storytelling and in-depth conversations with artists. In this process, they seek to diversify their arts features to reflect the full range of artists and art in SD, with a focus on BIPOC and rural artists, and diverse art-forms.

Sixty Inches From Center will launch a Midwest Writers Residency, centering two writers who reside in or lived a significant portion of their lives in Midwest cities outside Chicago. They will publish writings that highlight pressing cultural issues facing artists and arts workers and how that plays out in their city and regionally. Sixty will also host a public-facing virtual conversation with the writers to facilitate cross-regional conversations.

Project Optimist will launch its Biophilia program, a series of features—commissioned and community-sourced—that celebrate the beauty of the natural world. They plan to work with artists, naturalists, scientists, folk schools, and other thought leaders to explore our affinity with nature.

Input Fort Wayne will create an editorial series spotlighting artists in Northeast Indiana. Their artist profiles will feature original photography and social media videos showcasing the artist and their work. Input will also collaborate on a speaker series with Creator Space, an emerging organization focused on strengthening the creative community.

Hola Iowa will produce a multimedia series highlighting the contributions of the Latino community to the arts and culture landscape in Iowa and the Midwest.