ABOUT
Mid West Music Fest (MWMF) is an all-ages, alcohol free, multiple-venue, multiple-genre and multiple-day music festival coming to Winona in the summer of 2010. It will serve as a fundraiser for local non-profits and a platform for local and regional artistic expression. Winona has a strong music and artistic community and we intend to build upon that foundation. MWMF is an event with programming ranging from hands-on family arts and crafts to music acts for all-ages.
This year, we have chosen three fundraising recipients: Semcac Head Start, Winona Fine Arts Commission and Winona360.
Semcac Head Start
Part of the Net Proceeds from MWMF will go to playground development for Winona Semcac Head Start. Head Start presently has trikes for the children to use, but no good place for them to ride. We are raising money to be able to install a bike path for the kids. This is an important cause because many 3-4 year olds come to school never having the experience of pedaling, which is an important motor skill for early childhood development.
Winona Fine Arts Commission
The Winona Fine Arts Commission exists to promote, educate and facilitate efforts concerning the performing, literary and visual arts in the Winona area. Part of the proceeds from MWMF will go towards supporting the Winona Fine Arts Commission’s granting for programming.
Winona360
Winona360 is a nonprofit news Web site connecting the Upper Mississippi River Valley region, educational institutions and local civic organizations to improve community access to information and education. The project was created on an open source, Drupal platform and is based at Winona State University in Winona, Minn.
With the funds from the Mid West Music Fest, Winona360.org leaders will develop curriculum and host community journalism workshops targeted to different markets in the Winona region. Through these workshops, citizens in local nonprofit organizations and interested community members will learn techniques needed to develop an article or to take a compelling photograph – techniques that enhance coverage of local news by putting the power in the citizen’s hand.
These workshops will introduce Winona360 to the community and train members on how to gather and pass on news and information throughout Winona. Winona360.org communicates the needs of the community by inviting citizens and organizations to share their ideas, stories and visions with others. The news Web site promotes active citizen engagement in our regional community.
