Director Wade Benson shares his professional acting-directing history and the upcoming Thief River Falls (MN) Area Community Theater production of Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite.

This year’s Northwest Minnesota Arts Council’s (NWMAC) “Arts Advocate of the Year” is Ann Novacek of Greenbush, MN. Ann is a prolific painter (watercolor) and for over 35 years has been actively promoting the arts in northwest Minnesota. The award is given annually to recognize arts advocates within the seven-county region served by the NWMAC.

NW Minnesota Arts Council (NWMAC) Director Mara Hanel talks about an outstanding photograph that she has on display in the NWMAC current exhibit at Northland Community & Technical College (Thief River Falls MN campus) called “Artists of Northwest Minnesota” (which includes artists from the NWMAC artist booklet)…….upcoming exhibits, grant opportunities, and the search for new NWMAC board members.

Kansas Jensen of Goodridge, MN was my guest on the 10-12-21 NW Minnesota Arts Council update. Kansas won first place in the student category during the NWMAC Art Exhibit, held recently in Warroad, MN. Her creation incorporated a well-known image with a pandemic message. 

The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council is pleased to announce that Donald Kakaygeesick of Warroad has been selected as the 2021 Northwest Minnesota Star Artist of the Year for his lifetime achievement in art. Kakaygeesick received his award at a program in Warroad on August 26.

Donald has had a long history of representing Warroad and Roseau County in the arts field. He was born in 1959 and comes from a long line of Ojibwe artisans and a well-known family of artists along with his brothers Robert, John and his sister Karen. The Kakaygeesick name is synonymous with Warroad history, culture and art. In high school, Donald designed the Warroad Warrior logo for the public school. He has experience with many mediums including acrylic, oils, watercolor, and carving.