Program/Grant: Creativity News Desk

Dovetail will create a print publication with stories about Midwest-based artists contributed by Midwestern writers. The publication will cover a range of visual art and diverse perspectives from artists and writers in rural or semi-rural areas. Dovetail will feature creatives who explore themes of immigration or displacement, and/or facilitate creative opportunities in their communities.

Detroit Metro Times plans to enhance their social media presence by producing and publishing high-quality videos to run alongside their “Artist of the Week” series and arts cover stories. These stories highlight local artists in their studios or their current art exhibitions, and other arts-related topics.

Buffalo's Fire will produce feature articles and a companion podcast that highlight Native American dentalium artists and their work. The series will provide an overview of harvesting dentalium, share its trade route history, and highlight current practitioners in the Plains region.

The Buckeye Flame will profile rural Ohio artists and organizations within the LGBTQ+ community through interviews, articles, podcasts, and video reporting. They will focus on the counties in Ohio that they have not yet had the capacity to cover. They will also produce the “This News is So Gay: An LGBTQ+ Reporters Roundtable" podcast, creating a forum for LGBTQ+ journalists to gather for panel discussions.

Barn Raiser will publish a series of articles highlighting the work of artists, photographers, community organizers, and artistic movements informing Midwestern creativity and social change. Stories will emphasize the cultural significance and contributions of BIPOC and Native communities, focusing on themes of food and the arts.

Calling writers and journalists in the rural Midwest! We’re looking for stories of creativity in rural places — stories that showcase a range of artistic, cultural, and creative practices.

Calling all Midwest videographers and content creators! We're commissioning nine videos to illuminate the work of Midwest Makers—creative Midwesterners who are deeply embedded in their communities.

Introducing the Creativity News Desk, a new Arts Midwest program that commissions stories and gives grants for projects that amplify the power of arts and creativity in the Midwest.