KVSC is honored to have been selected as the recipient of the 2015 St. Cloud Arts Award, in recognition of its contributions to the arts in the St. Cloud community.

The St. Cloud Arts Commission says for the past three years, KVSC has made a unique addition to St. Cloud’s arts offerings with Granite City Radio Theatre, featuring music, sketch comedy, trivia contests and Shade’s Brigade, a crime noir radio drama, performed in front of a theater audience and broadcast live from Pioneer Place on Fifth Theatre. Musical guests have included some of Minnesota’s major talents such as “The Voice’s” Nicholas David, Chan Poling of the Suburbs and New Standards and, this year, Gary Louris of the Jayhawks. It is supported by a grant from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

The station’s arts and cultural heritage producer, Jeff Carmack, produces an “Untold Stories of Central Minnesota” series that has featured everything from local authors to the Native Skywatchers art workshop, and its “Arts and Culture Collage” provides a daily look at area arts and cultural events.

KVSC’s spring concert series has brought in acts that don’t often come to St. Cloud, such as Trampled by Turtles, Doomtree, Har Mar Superstar, Haley Bonar and Jeremy Messersmith, to local venues like the Paramount Theatre, Red Carpet Nightclub and Pioneer Place on Fifth.

Additionally, all radio shows are hosted by students and community volunteers. "When you listen to KVSC you’re hearing the voices of your community," says Jo McMullen-Boyer.

In addition to its own programming,  KVSC in the past year has helped diversify the St. Cloud area’s radio options. The station worked with the St. Cloud Area Somali Salvation Organization to create St. Cloud Somali Radio, which is currently a webstream but has applied for a low-power FM license.

The Arts Award was created to recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations whose contributions to the arts have made our community a better place to live. Read full press release here.

Thank you to KVSC’s members and listeners who support our programming and arts events year-round.