Mark Your Calendar
April 11 Writers Read Poetry, Arts Center, 6:30 pm
April 11 Culture and Community exhibit opens
April 13 Ted Hajinasiewicz concert, Arts Center, 3-5pm
April 18 Artist’s Reception, Culture and Community, Arts Center, 6:30 pm
Arts Center Events
It’s National Poetry Month
Please join us to celebrate Poetry Month and the winners of our 2019 Poetry Contest at Writers Read Poetry, April 11 at 6:30 pm at the ACCC Arts Center in Victoria. The theme of our contest and of the evening is “Minnesota: Our Home.” Our special guest and contest judge, Joyce Sutphen, Poet Laureate of Minnesota, will read some of her poems, and help award ribbons to our winners. All those who submitted a poem, the judges who reviewed them, and any others who would like to read their poetry about Minnesota (people, places, lifestyle, etc.) are invited to participate on the 11th. Bring up to 3 poems to read if there is time. Family and friends are invited, too! If you have any questions, please contact Susan Coultrap-McQuin.
Visual Arts
Have you seen the Youth Art Show yet? Do stop by the Arts Center during our regular hours to view the great talents of the students from District 112. Their art work is wonderful! Culture & Community is the theme of our next exhibit in the Arts Center, which will run from April 11 to June 7. Works include photography, drawing, painting and 3D. You will find it interesting to see how each artist interprets the theme. We hope everyone will join us on April 18 for the Artist’s Reception from 6:30-8:30 in the Arts Center. Contact Mary Strother with questions.
Starting in April, we will feature one of our member’s works, and each month another Member will be invited to show their work. The first artist is Teresa Vining, from the Belle Plaine area. Ms. Vining works in oil and draws heavily from her years living in Germany. She uses much of the same scale, perspective, detail and color of the Northern Renaissance. We are pleased to share her work in the Arts Center throughout the month of April. Please stop by and enjoy her work.
House Concert
On Saturday, April 13th from 3 to 5pm, the Arts Consortium will sponsor a concert by Ted Hajnasiewicz at the Arts Center. 7924 Victoria Drive, Victoria. Ted Hajnasiewicz is a local Singer Songwriter who has just released a new CD called This Is What I Do. The CD is a culmination of 30 years of song crafting. This is a sort of “greatest hits” package, compiling Ted’s favorite songs into one album to provide a relatable soundtrack for the lover, the loser, the sinner and the saint – roles we all play at any given moment in life. Learn more about Ted Hajnasiewicz, visit tedhtunes.com. Ted’s CD will be available for purchase at the concert. A $5 suggested donation will be accepted the night of the concert.
Annual Meeting
On March 19, 2019 the Arts Consortium of Carver County held our annual meeting at the Arts Center. We shared information about the past, present and future of the ACCC, mingled, and met new friends.
Read our 2019 Annual Statement – It includes a letter from our President, expanded Mission, Reports from our Genre and Committee Leaders, our signature annual Events, Board of Directors (current and new members), and finally our Financial Statement and Annual Budget.
We are proud to celebrate our 10 year anniversary this year and we are looking forward to working together as an expanded team thanks to our new volunteers and board members. We will add their profiles to our Meet the Board page soon. New Board of Directors – at Large are Anne Krocak, Amy Rottunda, Jody Clark, Sue Thompson Steenhoven, Terrie Myers and Trudi Meloche. Continuing Board of Directors -at Large are Barbara Cobb, Deb Barce, Mary Strother and Steve Kelzer. The Executive Committee is Cynthia Anderson (President), Janet Fahey (Vice President), Susan Coultrap-McQuin (Secretary) and Linda Jo Stuckey (Treasurer). Barb Kelzer is our Arts Center Volunteer Coordinator. We appreciate our outgoing Board Members Barb Hone, Past President, and Jim Kane, Literary Liaison.
Thank you to everyone who supports the ACCC with your Membership, Donations, Sponsorships, your many volunteer hours, ideas, commitment and for being an ambassador and sharing the ACCC with others you meet along the way. We look forward to a successful 2019!
Registration is Open
Artists can register for booth space for ArtStock Art, Wine & Music Festival held on July 13 & 14, 2019 at Parley Lake Winery and Victoria Fine Art Fair held on August 3, 2019 in downtown Victoria near the Charlson Thun Community Bandstand and Bayfront Park. Registration is open to ACCC Members and Members will receive a $25 Coupon prior to paying for the booth. Details are on each festival’s page on our website.
Music
Songwriters and Musicians: The finishing touches are being put on The Songwriters and Musicians of Carver County Vol. V. There will be a CD release concert June 7th at the Chaska City Square Park with seven songwriters performing. Mark your calendars now! Contact Steve Kelzer for details.
Literary
Flash Fiction Contest Winners Announced: Fifteen writers submitted their work to the 2019 Flash Fiction Contest with entries from as far away as the Chicago area and Indonesia! Anne Jackson was awarded first place for her story “Round Robin,” a tale about a creepy neighbor and severed robins heads. Anne is a Chaska resident and member of several writers’ groups. Second place went to Tamara Shaffer for her story “Foiled,” a story about romantic hope aboard mass transit. Tamara lives in the Chicago area. Barb Zimmerman won third place for her story “A Surprise Discovery,” a story that suggests there’s more to fear in the woods than lions and tigers and bears. Barb is a member of the Waconia Writers Group. Anne and Barb read their stories at the Annual Meeting and received their award ribbons there. Read their stories.
Classes
ACCC’s first literary class, Romeo & Juliet, taught by Barb Hone at the Arts Center, has just ended. The syllabus was completed; the students were enthusiastically engaged; and the class was honored to have guest speakers, Poet Laurate, Dr. Joyce Sutphen and Dr. Walter Cannon. Sutphen and Cannon shared their professional areas of expertise in the Renaissance and Shakespeare, respectively. The final class was a “fieldtrip” to Barb Hone’s house for a potluck brunch, a viewing of Zeffirelli’s movie, Romeo & Juliet, and the following written testimonials: “A casual approach to what can be intimidating.” “Fantastic way to learn.” “Awesome and enriching, worthwhile!” They all agreed, “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”
Art Tourism / Barn Quilts of Carver County, MN
The 2019 tourism season is off to a fast start with interest from across the State, from groups wanting to visit Carver County, MN. Our first group, from the St. Cloud, MN area, coming to the Arts Consortium Arts Center is scheduled for Thursday, June 6th . The tours often include visiting our Communities, Countryside and Culture. The “Culture and Community Exhibition” could not be more timely. If you are in the area and want to say “hello” to the tour group at the Arts Center, join us at 1:00 p.m. on June 6th! Questions? contact Janet Fahey.
Around Carver County
Springfest Artisan Fair, hosted by the NYA Area Chamber of Commerce and the NYA Economic Development Commission, will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2019 in Norwood Young America, MN. This event will unite local painters, designers, authors, potters, quilters, craft brewers, farmers, musicians, and others together in a small-town setting to display their talents and wares with the ultimate intention of bringing awareness to the arts, along with history and celebration in Historic Downtown Norwood.
Most events will be outdoors on Elm Street & Union Street in NYA with art vendors lining the streets with their displays. Some of the other preliminary events are a quilt show sponsored by a local quilting company, dance performances, food trucks, wine & craft beer tastings, a cribbage tournament, and goat yoga! Please plan to join us for this 1st Annual Springfest Artisan Fair!
Volunteers are Always Welcome
Arts Center Volunteers: We always welcome new volunteers to help us in the Arts Center for a few hours every month. We will provide training by experienced volunteers before you would work on your own. You can always choose to work with others. It is fun and supports the arts in our county. If you are interested, please fill out the Volunteer Form.
Volunteers are needed. We can use more volunteers in many areas, including for ArtStock: Art, Wine & Music (July 13-14) , Victoria Fine Art Fair (Aug 3), and on Liaison committees in the Visual, Literary, Music or Performing Arts. If you are interested in helping out on either of the festivals or with a committee, please fill out the Volunteer Form.
Thank you for your support of the Arts Consortium of Carver County!
Member Directory Listings
Hello ACCC Members! Thank you to those Artists, Businesses and Organizations who have completed their online Directory Listing on the ACCC website. If you haven’t logged into your new ACCC Membership Account for the first time yet, please start on our
Account page by requesting your password. Contact Michelle Aspelin with any Membership questions at
admin@artsofcarvercounty.org.
Join the ACCC – Membership Info
To become a Member of the Arts Consortium of Carver County, please visit our
Membership page. You’ll find a list of Member benefits as well as different membership levels to choose from. Thank you for supporting the Arts in our community!
We INVITE YOU to attend the Arts Consortium of Carver County Annual Meeting to celebrate with us the changes we’ve made in an unprecedented year. We have experienced the solitude of the pandemic and the excitement of moving into our new location, all within our 11th year. We are thankful for our community partners we work with to lift others up and we are thankful to have had such diligent board members, volunteers, class instructors, donors, sponsors, members, business and organization advocates.
We are seeking volunteers for the following roles/positions. If you are interested in learning more, please fill out our 
Spring is just around the corner, bringing not only warmer weather but more fantastic writing events! The Poetry Contest deadline is today, March 1, 2021, by midnight, so you still have time to enter! See our website for 
Waconia resident Jillian Van Hefty has been awarded 1st Place in the adult category of the 2021 flash fiction contest sponsored by the Arts Consortium of Carver County. In her story, Speechless, a mother’s love and determination is miraculously rewarded.
EJ Haas took 1st Place in the young adult category with Mary’s Manger, an encounter with a vulnerable girl at a hospital.
ArtStock Art, Wine and Music Festival 2021 is on Saturday July 10th and Sunday July 11th. Find detailed information on how to apply for a booth on the 
Thanks, from the Art Tourism Committee, for the robust response to our call for Ag Art. Twelve photographs were submitted in January and February. This month we announce a call for “silo art.” Images will be accepted through the end of April. To submit a photograph, 
Fresh Art – A community based Art Opportunity for ACCC Members
The ACCC Arts Center located at 7924 Victoria Drive in Victoria is open for business! Our current art exhibit is entitled 
New! “Rock the Arts”
