ARAC Seeks Board Members

ARAC is currently seeking individuals who are interested in serving on its board. We are currently looking for representatives in the following locations:

• Aitkin County representative

• Lake County representative

• Fond du Lac nation representative

• Student Liason

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (ARAC) is seeking new board members for the next fiscal year (FY24, starting on July 1, 2023). The ARAC Board of Directors is the governing body of the organization – primarily ensuring financial health and providing strategic direction.

The ARAC Board works in partnership with the ARAC staff team to ensure that the organization’s culture, practices, and relationships align with the values, mission, and vision we set forth.

Specifically, we are looking for board members that reside in Aitkin County, Itasca County, Koochiching County, Lake County, as well as members from the Fond du Lac, Bois Forte, and Leech Lake nations. Ideal expertise includes finance, legal, human resources, and experience working in the public sector. Individuals who are of African American, African, Afro-Latinx/a/o, Afro-Caribbean, Latinx, Latina/o, Chicanx, Chicana/o, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American/Native Alaskan, and SWANA (South West Asian and North African) descent, with Disabilities, and/or Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Agender, Two-Spirit (LGBTQIA2+) are encouraged to apply.

Board Responsibilities
The ARAC Board is responsible for setting and overseeing policy and broad direction of the organization. The staff is responsible for taking policy and board direction and putting it into action. The board does not get involved in program planning or management of the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Board members are elected for a three-year term and may be elected to a second term for a total of 6 years of service. We seek a balance of representation on the board – geographic, artistic discipline, constituent/non-constituent, age, racial/cultural background, gender, and organizational experience.

Each board member adds value to the organization by bringing their experiences as a resident of the region, a member of their community, an artist in their discipline, and many other circumstances that influence their whole being. The role of the board member is to bring those experiences to inform decisions made about the entire Arrowhead Region.

The ARAC Board has 6 meetings per fiscal year which include 4 quarterly business meetings, an orientation in July, and a board planning retreat. Business meetings and orientation are scheduled on the third Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Meeting months are July (orientation), October, January, April, & June. All business meetings take place over Zoom and are conducted in the spirit of the Open Meeting Law.

Prior to each board meeting, board members receive important materials related to decisions and discussions for the meeting- this can include financials, staff reports, funding recommendations, etc.

ARAC uses a committee system to do more in-depth and additional work outside of the monthly board meetings. Current active committees include the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee, the Review Process and Planning Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the Appeals Committee – all committees are made up of board and staff members.

Board members may be called upon by staff for counsel and particular expertise. Staff also relies on board members to make referrals of future panelists from their community and colleagues.

ARAC Board members are expected to be advocates of the arts and to understand the importance of the legislative process to ARAC’s funding. Including the relationships with the Forum of Regional Arts Councils of MN, the MN State Arts Board, and MN Citizens for the Arts.

ARAC Board members may be reimbursed for parking, mileage, or lodging related to attendance to meetings and events where they are officially representing ARAC. Requests for reimbursement shall be made using ARAC’s Board Expense Reimbursement Form.

It is important for members to share information/insight about arts activities in their county and/or community. Board members are required to attend ARAC-funded events in their area, when able, with tickets being reimbursed.

Board members are also given a monetary stipend for attending official meetings.

Quarterly Meetings:
Instead of meeting monthly 10 times a year, the ARAC board will meet a total of 6 times a year (to keep within the bylaw mandates). This will include:

• Orientation and small business meeting in July (in person)

• 4 quarterly business meetings – October, January, April, & June (virtual)

• Board Retreat – TBD in winter months (in person)

This schedule of meetings will line up with the board being able to approve both quarterly financials as well as quarterly grant recommendations. (The grant schedule will also be shifting to a more efficient quarterly schedule to space deadlines out better and allow staff to focus their time better around deadlines.)

Meetings will also be moved to evenings to better accommodate and encourage a diverse board. Meetings will start at 5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the corresponding month.

Board Duties:
Board members will no longer serve on grant panels as they will shift to complete community panels. This will help alleviate some of the time commitment of board members and allow them to focus wholly on policy, strategic direction, and financial oversight. This should also allow board members to devote more time to committee work.

Board members will also be expected to attend ARAC-funded events in their area (when possible) and to be advocates for the arts in their region. They are expected to understand the importance of (and be able to speak to) the legislative process of ARAC’s funding and its relationships with the Forum of Regional Arts Councils of MN, the MN State Arts Board, and MN Citizens for the Arts.

Compensation:
Board members will receive a stipend of $250 for each board meeting they attend. They will also be reimbursed for parking, mileage, or lodging related to attendance for meetings and for tickets to attend ARAC-funded events.