Our Organization

In May 2009, 82 Eastern Carver County arts enthusiasts met at the MN Landscape Arboretum to reflect on The Role of the Arts in a Changing Community with Bill Cleveland, Director of the Center for the Study of Art and Community. The two most significant findings:  Our County is alive with art and talented artists; and, there is very little communication among artists and between the artists and the community as a whole.

In an attempt to close the gaps and put Carver County on the map as a nationally recognized arts community, significant accomplishments have been achieved.

Arts Consortium of Carver County History

2020

• Started out strong with several exhibits and classes until the Arts Center in Victoria was forced to close on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Annual Festivals, art and literary events and classes were cancelled
• Carver County Songwriters and Musicians created their 6th CD but there was no annual CD Release Concert to celebrate this accomplishment
• In September 2020 the ACCC moves from Victoria to the Chaska Community Center and launches with the annual Members’ Show and then the wildly popular Holiday Gift Show in the Gift Shop with record sales
• Barn Quilts/Art Tourism primarily paused during the pandemic
• Monthly Board Meetings held via Zoom, like most everything else!
• Membership of artists and supporters declines due to the pandemic but we are hopeful for a sharp rebound in 2021

2019

• Monthly exhibits held in the Arts Center including the featured Members’ Show and Holiday Gift Show
• 3nd annual Victoria Fine Art Fair and 9th ArtStock Art, Wine & Music Festival at Parley Lake Winery
• 6th annual poetry contest, 3nd annual flash fiction contest, 5th annual photography contest
• Multiple writers events and readings
• Introduced the New Song Collective with live music every other month
• Carver County Songwriters and Musicians created their 5th CD
• Successfully offered several art and literature classes
• Barn Quilts/Art Tourism continues to make presentations about Barn Quilts to regional, national, and international visitors
• Membership of artists and supporters hovers around 200 members with almost 1000 following our Facebook page
• ACCC adds Instagram to our marketing toolbox

2018

• ACCC Arts Center opens in Notermann Building, Victoria, in June; Grand Opening celebration held on August 2
• Three shows held in the Arts Center: Colors of Summer, Members’ Show, Holiday Gift Show
• 2nd annual Victoria Fine Art Fair and 8th ArtStock Art, Wine & Music Festival at Parley Lake Winery
• 5th annual poetry contest, 2nd annual flash fiction contest, 4th annual photography contest
• Three writers’ events held in the Arts Center: an author reading and two open “Writers Read” events; writers continue collaboration on exhibits in Sower Gallery
• Carver County Songwriters and Musicians created their 4th CD and 1st Christmas CD
• ACCC organized several shows of artists’ works at Ridgeview Medical Center and Chaska Community Center
• ACCC hosts with Charlson Meadows a house concert featuring Traveled Ground, Clark Machtemes and Jenn Bostic
• Barn Quilts/Art Tourism began bringing tours to the Arts Center and making presentations about Barn Quilts to regional, national, and international visitors
• Membership of artists and supporters has risen to over 200 members with almost 1000 following our Facebook page

2017

• First year of Victoria Fine Art Fair held in August.
• 7th ArtStock Art, Wine & Music Festival held at Parley Lake Winery in July
• 4th annual poetry contest and 1st annual flash fiction contest
• Discussion of “home” in Notermann Building in Victoria for ACCC
• 3rd CD created with 21 Songwriters and Musicians of Carver County
• 3rd annual photography contest
• ACCC oversaw exhibit space at Ridgeview Medical Center, Chaska Community Center, Victoria City Hall
• ACCC continued support for Edge of the Big Woods Art Wander (6th annual) and Barn Quilts/Art Tourism
• Writers collaboration with Sower Gallery in Chaska for exhibit “Spirit”
• 9 new Barn Quilts added to the 25 in place since 2013

2016

• Third poetry contest received greater participation from local schools – all levels
• Second CD – June Release Concert – Songwriters and Musicians of Carver County Vol II
• ArtStock Art & Wine Festival at Parley Lake Winery, drew 59 artists and more than 2000 guests
• ACCC continues to facilitate rotating art exhibits at Ridgeview Medical Center and Victoria & Shorewood City Halls.
• Second photo contest was administered and judged by local photographer and author, Stan Tekeila
• Successful “call for design” – Jonathan silo received its new facelift!
• A new exhibit space opened in Chaska, The Sower Gallery -hosted by Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church
• Art Wander – open studio tour; we support through fiscal agency

2015

  • Second poetry contest drew more than twice as many poems than last year
  • We produced our first CD, Songwriters and Musician of Carver County, Vol I
  • We have 3-year contracts with Ridgeview Medical Center and Carver County government facility – administrating rotating art exhibits
  • We provide rotating art exhibits for Victoria City Hall and Shorewood City Hall
  • We are sponsoring our first photo contest, Carver County in Color – to be judged by internationally renowned photographer, Steve Wewerka.
  • We are facilitating a design contest for the Jonathan silo
  • We continue to service as fiscal agents for the Art Wander and Barn Quilts of Carver County

2014

• We sponsored our first county-wide poetry contest
• Website – revamped allowing artists to upload their profiles and add their events to the calendar
• ArtStock grew – 43 booths – drawing more visibility, a wider audience
• We continue to service as fiscal agents for the Art Wander and Barn Quilts of Carver County

2013

• First large-scale membership drive was launched with business partner support
• Committee activity became more visible
• ArtStock grew into a viable county-wide Art Festival
• Concrete and measurable goals set for the year ahead

2012

• The ACCC supports the successful Art Wander and serves as a fiscal host
• ArtStock Art and Wine Festival continues to grow and attract county-wide arts attention
• Free Little Libraries spring up in Carver County – an ACCC collaboration with Hooked on Books in the Eastern Carver County schools.

2011

• A Charter Member drive was initiated; a school collaboration was born; Pillars of the Arts were featured through local media; a membership gala was held; a county-wide arts initiative – the Barn Quilts of Carver County – was sponsored;  and, the first annual ArtStock event was held.

2010

• Organization by-laws were created; mission and vision statements were written;  a logo contest was held and an organizational logo selected;  a website was developed and launched.

2009

• The ACCC was organized in 2009 with a group of volunteers and art supporters and communication began. The ACCC was registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, effective December 7, 2009.