The Cedar Cultural Center's 2022 Annual Report

The Cedar Cultural Center Annual Report 2022

The Cedar Cultural Center

Dear Friends of The Cedar,

It was an honor to step into the executive director position last year, a critical moment in the organization’s iconic, 33-year-old history. We were pivoting away from the online content we programmed during the pandemic and circling back to live music for in-person audiences: we were literally moving from digital to analog. This return has not been easy for any performing arts organization, including The Cedar. Traditional patterns of touring musicians were up-ended due to COVID-19; the growing ecosystem of for-profit presenters created new local competition; uncertainty about the stability of our beloved city of Minneapolis gave some concert-goers pause.

In the fall of 2022, we underwent an organization-wide planning session. We reached consensus to go deeper in the areas of programming; artist support; audience development; and allyship with our neighborhood. And we committed to deliver

these expansions through our values of antiracism and social equity. The 2022 Annual Report demonstrates the ways that our incredible board, staff, and volunteers showed up with passion, creativity, and commitment to navigate these complexities. This report outlines how we worked as a team to reawaken our venue with the illustrious enriching music The Cedar’s audiences expect.

The Cedar has made 33 rotations around the sun: we are the Long Play of music venues. And for that we are deeply grateful.

Sincerely,

Executive Director, Michelle Woster

THE RETURN OF GLOBAL ROOTS FESTIVAL

We were elated to welcome our beloved annual Global Roots Festival back to The Cedar for the 12th round, following a pause during the Covid shutdown. By presenting Puuluup, QWANQWA, Heart of Afghanistan, and Roopa in Flux, we continued our goal of reestablishing The Cedar’s world-wide reputation as a home base for international (and domestic artists with strong cultural ties) visiting the Midwest regionjourneys which had recently been impossible.

We warmly welcomed artists from Estonian, Ethiopian, Afghan, and Indian backgrounds. This melange of musicians lead to singular moments of cross-cultural richness such as QWANQWA’s krar player and Puuluup’s talharpa players seeing similarities between their respective four-stringed, folk instruments and jamming together backstage. We greeted over 600 audience members across three evenings of free shows at The Cedar. We also held an in-school program with Project Success to connect recently-arrived Afghan youth with famed Afghan musicians. We can’t wait to share next year’s lineup with you!

QWANQWA, a boundary pushing improvisational Ethiopian group, performed on September 26, 2022 as part of the 2022 Global Roots Festival. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

We

to share next year’s lineup with you!

Estonian folk duo Puuluup use an instrument called talharpa: a traditional Estonian horsehair bowed lyre. They took the stage on September 26, 2022 as part of the 2022 Global Roots Festival. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

Composed of four Afghan musicians sharing Afghan folk music, poetry, and more, Heart of Afghanistan took the stage on September 27, 2022 as part of the 2022 Global Roots Festival. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

can’t wait

THE 11TH ANNUAL CEDAR COMMISSIONS

The Cedar Commissions has been a hallmark part of our programming for the past decade, never missing a year even during the COVID-19 shutdown. As one of the main ways we support early-career Minnesotan artists, we’ve commissioned brand-new work by over 65 MN musicians through this program including Dessa, Aby Wolf, Adam Levy, Maria Isa, Gao Hong, Dua Saleh, and Dameun Strange.

In 2022, we featured six diverse artists and their works across two February evenings: Alicia Thao, Carlisle Evans Peck, Kat Parent, Maddie Thies, Nyttu Chongo, and Vie Boheme. With The Commissions, our hope is that even if you only know one of the artists involved prior to the weekend, you’ll be a fan of all six after witnessing the wide range and variety of creations.

2021-22 Cedar Commissions artist Carlisle Evans Peck presented their creation Iconoclasm on February 18, 2022 for the 11th Annual Cedar Commissions. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

2021-22 Cedar Commissions recipient Nyttu Chongo performed his project NKOVU WA XIAVU on February 18, 2022 as part of the 11th Annual Cedar Commissions. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

On May 16, 2023 we released our Call for Artists for the 2023-24 Cedar Commissions — we encourage emerging Minnesota musicians, composers, and sound artists to apply to be part of the 13th annual Cedar Commissions!

COMMUNITY COLLABORATIONS

The Cedar is proud to be an organization working in community with other values-aligned groups. We collaborate with partner organizations to co-present, or “co-pro” as we often call it, fantastic shows in our hall and others’ halls, too. When we collaborate with other groups we are then able to reach wider audiences and audiences who may have deeper connections to the performer(s) in one way or another.

Washington State Poet Laureate for the April 2021-2023 term Rena Priest, of the Lhaq-temish (Lummi) Nation, shared her writings in between and in tandem with live musical performances from a world class five-piece ensemble. This evening titled Welcome to Indian Country held on August 10, 2022 was a celebration of Native culture through music and storytelling. It was a collaborative event between Indigenous Performance Productions, All My Relations Arts, Hennepin Theatre Trust, and The Cedar. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

In 2022 we had many exciting co-presentations including shows with:

All My Relations Arts

Alliance Française

Drone Not Drones

First Avenue, show at Turf Club

Hennepin Theatre Trust

Minnesota Orchestra

Sumunar: Indonesian Performing Arts

The Italian Cultural Center of Minneapolis - St. Paul

Theatre Mu

Walker Art Center

Meghan Kreidler, front-person of local group Kiss The Tiger, curated a night celebrating Asian excellence in the Twin Cities’ music community along with The Cedar and community partner Theater Mu. Photo courtesy of Sara J. Fish.

STANDOUT SHOWS: “THE CEDAR PRESENTS”

“[The Cedar is] an eclectic venue for music, performance and so many personal social events that have marked our lives. It is a rare gift to all that value music and culture without boundaries.”

DOMi & JD BECK (Oct. 28)

NOT TiGHT (Blue Note Records, 2022)

ATA KAK (Apr. 7)

Obaa Sima (Awesome Tapes From Africa, 2014*) *First released in 1994.

FEMI KUTI (Jun. 22)

Stop The Hate (Partisan Records, 2021)

TALISK (Feb. 15)

Dawn (Talisk Records, 2022)

- Cedar Audience Member

[Top Left]: Welcome to Indian Country. August 10, 2022. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

[Top Right]: Imarhan. Photo courtesy of Jon Behm.

[Bottom Left]: Jake Blount and Laurel Premo. February 8, 2022. Photo courtesy of Ryan Stopera.

[Bottom Right]: Minneapolis Afrobeats Dance Party. December 10, 2022. Photo courtesy of Ryan Stopera.

“The Cedar is a place where I have laughed and cried listening to music that has enriched my life.”

- Cedar Audience Member

CEDAR RIVERSIDE

Our location in the legendary Cedar Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis is a central part of The Cedar’s organizational identity. For 33 years our marquee has illuminated Cedar Avenue South after the sun’s exit for the day. Our role in community is important to us and informs organizational decisions day in and day out. Partnering with our neighbors such as KFAI Radio for on-air sponsorships has been a hallmark of our marketing for years, and we were thrilled to reinvigorate that partnership in early 2022 after a COVID-19 imposed pause. We have forged a deep bond with the Ndege family who runs TAMU, a Kenyan restaurant just a few blocks down Riverside Avenue. We co-present wonderful events such as the quarterly Minneapolis Afrobeats Dance Party together and we get catering from them for organizational events. We further support as many local businesses as we can by advertising restaurants and cafes nearby The Cedar on our website for interested patrons. Our staff works closely with local civic groups like the West Bank Business Association, the Cedar Riverside Community Council, and the Cedar Riverside Leadership Forum to share information and deepen our community network.

We are so very proud to join hands with our fellow Cedar Riverside inhabitants.

[Top]: The Cedar’s iconic marquee on October 10, 2022. Photo courtesy of Jon Behm.

[Bottom]: A sign in The Cedar’s iconic green room. Photo courtesy of The Cedar.

VOLUNTEERS

The last year has seen an incredible renewed interest from our community in volunteering at The Cedar. We had 200 active volunteers in 2022 with some of our largest volunteer orientation groups in many years. The Cedar is one of the last melting pots in Minnesota: college kids from Augsburg brushing shoulders with Cedar board members at the DOMi & JD Beck show; Drone music super fans seated peacefully and listening closely during William Basinski’s performance. The Cedar is a vessel for folks to connect, because we’re all lovers of music. Volunteers have provided the backbone of labor at every single show at The Cedar since 1989, and our volunteer community has remained sturdy through 2022, too.

[Top]: Jared Hemming, The Cedar’s Events Manager/ Volunteer Coordinator, conducts volunteer orientations throughout the year. Check our website for the next one! Photo courtesy of Youa Vang.

[Middle]: Poster celebrating the grand opening of The Cedar on September 16, 1989. Photo courtesy of The Cedar.

[Bottom]: Cedar audience members, staff, and volunteers mingle in the lobby on October 10, 2022. Photo courtesy of Jon Behm.

FINANCIALS

On behalf of The Cedar’s board of directors, I’m pleased to provide an update on our organization’s financial position. 2022 was a year we continued rebuilding and re-imagining how The Cedar would operate in a new environment. While the scale of our work was smaller than before COVID-19, the passion and excellence of Cedar programming has returned in full-force. Audiences and donors are also returning with excitement, trending us in the right direction for a healthy future for the organization.

Our 2022 audit is underway and we will share our 990 on The Cedar’s website upon its completion. We are proud to have received Guidestar’s Platinum Seal of Transparency, putting The Cedar in the top 0.1% of charities nationally in terms of transparency. The Seal indicates that our organization shares clear and important information with the public about our goals, strategies, achievements and progress indicators.

We would like to thank all of our long-term supporters of The Cedar. Through your support, The Cedar has survived the unknown and is positioned to continue to thrive for years to come.

These unaudited numbers reflect financial activity between January 1 and December 31, 2022. A strong cash position at the end of 2021 allowed The Cedar board to approve a 2022 budget with a deficit, in anticipation of uncertainty around ticket revenue. Our income and expense statements reflect that intentionality.

TO OUR SUPPORTERS THANK YOU

I have been The Cedar’s Development Director since August of 2022. This dream job marries my love of music — I’m a longtime DJ at KFAI — with my development skills and I just couldn’t be more thrilled to be here! Our talented team is dedicated and impressive. Everyone does their part to make the amazing performances happen flawlessly. Our board of directors is engaged, committed and delightful to work with.

It often strikes me that the vast majority of our supporters are, much like me, complete music fans: Wikipedia calls us ‘melophiles.’ I find that so endearing, relatable, and just further proof that I’ve landed at the right place. I’ve got a special love and dedication for our mission and I feel that our donors and volunteers do as well. We are proud to continue the great legacy of The Cedar’s community at large and hope to honor that tradition.

Moving forward, I’m working on developing relationships with foundations who may not have been familiar with us. We plan on hosting house parties, happy hours and more donor events. I love to talk with people and will always find time to chat with you to talk about our plans and your opinions.

I wish to express how much I appreciate your contributions of time, money, and ideas. You share in my love for The Cedar’s mission and vision. It is much appreciated. Thank you.

Institutions

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Institutions

Thank you to the below companies for matching employee donations to The Cedar.

Individuals

These donors donated $250 or more between January 1 and December 31, 2022. If you discover an error with this list, please contact Patti Walsh at pwalsh@thecedar.org and accept our apologies.

James Abbott Ladner & Tracy Van Steenburgh

Nancy Andrews

James Bialke

Mimi & Dick Bitzan

Gene & Barb Case

Caralyn Champa

Terrance & Laurie Christiansen

Andrew Clark

Karen Collyard

Natalie Connelly

Arne & Jessica Cook

Karen Cooper

Andrew & Mary Coulter

Jill Dawe & Sarah Johnson

David Edminster

Sue & Chris Eidem

Paul Epton

Lucas Corty Erickson

Patricia Fair & Randall Arnold

Charlotte Forsythe

Jeff & Melinda Gau

Janice Gepner & Eric Newman

Amy Gilbert & Frank Worth

Loren & Mary Ann Gross

Lili Hall

Karen & Mark Happe

Rick & Joanna Harig

Tom Hatch & Stacy Mattingly

Stefan & Lonnie Helgeson

Glen Helgeson

Scott Helgeson & Laura Preves

Brent Hickman & Ann Bauers

Johanna M. Hill

Joseph Hoopman

Dave Hoppenrath & Anna Sower

Jim Howitt

Quinlivan & Hughes

Benjamin Jacobson

Steve Katz & Jennifer Leopold

Steven C Kerbaugh

Jessica & Ryan Kopischke

Richard & Mary Kvitek

Nancy Lacika

Marcia Leatham

Allen & Kathy Lenzmeier

Gretchen & David Lindgren

Molly Malchert

Brian & Katy McGrane

T.T. McVay

Robert Meisel

Thomas R Mueller

Patrick Murphy

Robert Nordin & Nancy Kosciolek

Matthew Osmundson

Kevin & Cathy Palmer

Ann Pampusch-Love

Dan Steichen Personal Wealth Partners

Don Pitlik

Fred Quirsfeld & Linda Campbell

Jane Ramseyer & Susan Haugh

Bob & Wendy Rubinyi

Rob & Carol Salmon

David & Susan Sanborn

Jim & Judy Seaberg

Gary Seim

Sue Shepard & Don Helgeson

Rob Simonds & Karen Margolis

Joe Smedsrud

Jason Spaeth

Lisa Speedling

Guy & Candice Stearns

Chuck & Jennifer Tatsuda

Curt Trisko

Andy Tso

Scott Van Koughnett

Karen & Walter White

Ann Whittemore

Carole Wilson

Mitchell Wittenberg & Jaine Strauss

Maryam Yusefzadeh

Staff & Board

STAFF

Executive Director, Michelle Woster

Operations Director, Faysal Abraham

Booking Director, Mary Brabec

Development Director, Patti Walsh

Senior Box Office and Development Operations Manager, MJ Gilmore

Senior Events Manager, Caleigh Souhan

Community and Grant-Funded Programs Manager, Robert Lehmann

Events Manager/Volunteer Coordinator, Jared Hemming

Marketing and Communications Manager, Shasa Sartin

Accounting Clerk, Sydney Larson

HOUSE MANAGERS

Matt “Doc” Jones

Otto Katz

Drey Kereakos

Patrick Larkin

Sydney Larson

MollieRae Miller

Jordan Olsen

Kendall Pruitt

Jacob Strauss

CONTRACTORS

Accountant, Tori Burggraff

Marketing and Promotions

Representative, Youa Vang

HOUSE SOUND ENGINEERS

Aren Frymire

Chris Frymire

Eric Hohn

Tony Molinaro

Raymond Yates

BOARD

Brent Hickman, President Senior Vice President, Head of Strategic Capital Management, US Bank

David Edminster, Treasurer Data Manager, Travelers (Retired)

Jill Dawe, Music Department, Augsburg University

Sue Eidem

Ritika Ganguly, PhD. Grant Strategy Consultant, WeCollab LLC

Alana Horton, Communications Officer, Arts Midwest

Mohammedamin Kahin, Real Estate Consultant; President, Milestone Community Development; Member, Governor’s Workforce Advisory Committee; Community Activist

Steve Katz, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLC

Jessica Kopischke, Vice President of Compliance, Renters Warehouse

Garrett McQueen, Interdisciplinary Arts Activist

Karen Quiroz, Learning and Development Manager, Nexus Community Partners

Curt Trisko, Attorney, Cozen O’Connor

Robert Van Nelson, Treasurer, Donaldson Company Inc.

Maryam Yusefzadeh, President, MY Consulting Inc.; Co-founder, World Music Ensemble, Robayat, Migrations

THECEDAR.ORG/DONATE 416 CEDAR AVE S, MINNEAPOLIS, MN, 55454 | 612-338-2674

Ukrainian artists Marichka and Mark Marczyk are the founders and leaders of Lemon Bucket Orkestra: a “guerrilla-folk party-punk massive” based in Toronto, Canada. They played at The Cedar on August 19, 2022. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.

[Front Cover]: Ata Kak performed live at The Cedar on April 7, 2022. This tour marked the Ghanian artists’ first ever US tour and was behind his beloved 1994 tape Obaa Sima. Photo courtesy of Buck Holzemer.