OTC Story Mapping Opportunity

Community Story Project
Project Funds Available
Help Capture & Share Community Stories!
Apply today!
Deadlines Feb 20 & Mar 19, 2020

 

Per Emergency Executive Order 20-04 from Governor Walz, the Cultural Center will be closed now through March 27, with all events postponed or canceled. At this point we are taking a responsible, safety-first stance in working to flatten the curve of COVID-19 and help protect our communities. We also recognize the importance of the arts in providing creative solutions, opportunities for connections, and reminders of all the beauty that surrounds us, particularly during times of crisis. To this end, staff is working hard to provide ways to connect electronically and offer some “Daily Doses of Kulcher” for our communities. More Daily Doses of Kulcher on our Facebook.

What is your story? What is the story of your favorite place? Are there community stories you’d like to share or bring to life? Do you have project ideas around gathering community stories?

The Otter Tail County Story Mapping Project is a 10-month pilot project by Rethos: Places Reimagined in partnership with the Otter Tail County Historical Society and Springboard for the Arts.

The purpose of this project is to collect and map the stories of Otter Tail County by engaging community members through small projects led by local organizations, historians, artists, students, businesses, and people like YOU!

Workshops were held in New York Mills, Henning, and Pelican Rapids January 30-31st, but even if you missed them, you can still join in on this exciting opportunity!

Community members can apply for project funds ranging from $500 to $2,500 to implement a community story project between March and June 2020. The total project funds available from Rethos is $30,000. There are two deadlines for project proposals: February 20 and March 19, 2020.

While community story projects are in progress, Rethos will begin populating the online story map. The map will be a local resource for Otter Tail County that may assist the following: economic development strategies, pathways to safeguarding heritage resources, future philanthropic investment, planning and other policy decisions and promotion, and partnerships and connections.

Rethos is working with three community partners: New York Mills Cultural Center, Henning Landmark Center, and the community of Pelican Rapids, to assist with project selection and story mapping.

Have a project idea? Click the button below! OTC Story Mapping Project Proposal & Guidelines

For questions about this program, please contact Sarina Otaibi, Rural Programs Manager at sarina@rethos.org or call 320-262-9514.

This project was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.