Do you want to know more about applying for artist grants? Here’s your chance to learn about upcoming grant opportunities for creatives, and best practices for writing successful grants. Artists and creatives of all disciplines are welcome!
Please join us on Tuesday, March 10 from 6-7 pm in our Depot Gallery for a panel discussion and Q & A session on grants for artists. Featured panelists include: Sharon Mansur - dance and visual/film artist, and Outreach & Accessibility Manager with the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council (SEMAC), and Jessalyn Finch - interdisciplinary artist based in Rochester, MN, working in large-scale drawing, sculpture, performance, and film.
Featured Panelists
Sharon Mansur
Sharon Mansur (she/her) is originally from Boston, and currently based in Winona, Mni Sota Makoce/MN, Dakota land. In her role at SEMAC she strengthens arts access across southeastern Minnesota by building partnerships, developing workshops, and ensuring our programs reach all communities to make the arts truly accessible for everyone.
She is a dance/interdisciplinary artist, curator, educator, arts administrator, and facilitator of gatherings that embody creativity, social justice and healing practices. Sharon has been fortunate to work at Dance Place, in Washington, DC, BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange in Brooklyn, NY, and more recently with Frozen River Film Festival and Art of the Rural in Winona. She also served on the dance faculty at Winona State University and University of Maryland, and currently directs The Cedar Tree Project, a creative platform for Arab contemporary art and artists. In the Driftless region Sharon loves hiking, rock climbing, bike rides by the lake, and tending to her pollinator gardens.
Jessalyn Finch
Jessalyn Finch (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist based in Rochester, MN, working in large-scale drawing, sculpture, performance, and film. Her practice explores relationships to the body, personal narrative, and identity through interactive installations and collaborations with modern dancers and filmmakers. Her work has been exhibited nationally in Minneapolis/St.Paul, Seattle, Bloomington, Rochester, and other arts venues throughout the Midwest. She has received grant support from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council and the Rochester Downtown Alliance, and has participated in residencies at NE Sculpture | Gallery Factory (Minneapolis), Fishbowl Studios (Seattle), and Threshold Arts (Rochester), among others.
Jessalyn holds a Master of Science in Project Management, which informs her approach to grant writing and creative planning. She views applications as both strategic frameworks and storytelling tools, balancing clarity, budgeting, logistics, and vision. After securing funding for exhibitions, collaborative film projects, and community programming, she launched a mid-career artist residency program in partnership with Olmsted County in 2026. She is passionate about helping artists approach their careers with confidence, structure, and authenticity.
Red Wing Arts is pleased to present our monthly ARTSpeak artist professional development program in 2026!
Join us at 6 pm on the second Tuesday of each month for this free program designed to support both emerging and established artists.
Each month we’ll alternate between panel discussions featuring experts on topics that build business skills and professional growth, and studio visits and networking sessions. Artists and creatives of all disciplines are welcome!
ARTSpeak is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.