Jun 24, 2015

KVSC Receives St. Cloud Arts Commission Arts Award for 2015

KVSC 88.1 FM to receive 2015 St. Cloud Arts Award

The St. Cloud Arts Commission, on behalf of the City of St. Cloud, is proud to announce KVSC 88.1 FM as the recipient of the 2015 St. Cloud Arts Award.

KVSC, St. Cloud State University’s 24/7 educational public radio station, has become an important part of the St. Cloud area’s arts and culture landscape since it started broadcasting in 1967, thanks to its diverse programming, arts reporting and events such as its annual 50-hour trivia contest, speaker series and spring concert series.

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. Granite City Radio Theatre represents a true community artistic venture because it happens in partnership with Pioneer Place on Fifth and features local writers, actors, musicians and technicians creating a show that is locally produced and broadcast, plus available as a podcast. 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.

KVSC has secured Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage funding to bring the St. Cloud community projects including “Trial by Mob: The Duluth Lynchings” a radio drama based on Michael Fedo’s book “The Lynchings in Duluth,” aired on KVSC and KUMD and available as a podcast, and speakers such as TyRuben Ellingson, a St. Cloud native and St. Cloud State graduate who was one of the key designers for the movie “Avatar.” 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.

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. Another new station, student-run RadioX 97.5 FM, uses KVSC’s studios to broadcast alternative ‘90s music.

KVSC is perhaps best known for its musical contributions to the community. Its 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.

The station’s diverse format includes shows ranging from folk to hip-hop, Minnesota artists to world music. Its “Monday Night Live” show annually brings about 25 bands to St. Cloud State for performances broadcast live on KVSC and St. Cloud State’s television station, UTVS. Since it started in 1991, “Monday Night Live” has featured nearly 500 groups, from up-and-comers to some of the state’s most well-known bands.

The 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, station manager.

The St. Cloud Arts Commission is honored to present KVSC 88.1 FM the 2015 City of St. Cloud Arts Award in recognition of its contributions to the arts in our community.

Mayor Dave Kleis and the arts commission will present the Arts Award before the Lemonade Concert at the Granite City Days opening ceremonies on Thursday, June 25.

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. Eligible Arts Award recipients include: individual visual artists, literary artists, performing artists, arts organizations and arts supporters including, but not exclusively, volunteers, board members, educators, leaders and philanthropists.

The St. Cloud Arts Commission is a seven-member volunteer mayoral advisory commission for the City of St. Cloud. For more information on the St. Cloud Arts Award, please call Jennifer Penzkover at (320) 650-3148.

 

Thank You Underwriters

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