The Paramount Center for the Arts announced a major grant and partnership with the Cedar Cultural Center  in Minneapolis and community partners Wednesday.

The Paramount will be facilitating a $500,000 grant from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Foundation for Islamic Art.

Education and Outreach Director at the Paramount, Jane Oxton, describes the program as a series of five artist residencies over the next two years. The program is called Building Bridges: Arts, Culture and Ideology.

The Cedar Cultural Center is the key partner that will bring international artists from East Africa and other parts of the world to Minnesota. The artists will spend time in area schools, the Boys and Girls Clubs, with classes at St. Cloud State University and the St. Cloud Technical and Community College as well as interviews and live performances on KVSC radio. The program also will connect musicians with Minnesota State Mankato and performances at the Cedar Cultural Center.

The first group coming to St. Cloud is Somali-Kenyan hip-hop group Waayaha Cusub. Local band Heiruspecs will be backing up the vocalists in the St. Cloud residency starting October 25. A celebration concert will be held on Friday, November 4 at the Paramount Theatre.

St. Cloud State University student with a valid ID can attend the concert for free.