What Is MRAC?

History

State funding for the arts in Minnesota goes back more than 120 years, when the State Arts Society was established in 1903—making it one of the oldest state government arts agencies in the country. In 1965, it’s mission was refined to “advance the interest of the arts, develop the influence of art in education, and promote and encourage the performing and fine arts in Minnesota,” and in 1975, the name was changed to the Minnesota State Arts Board we know today.

Two years later, the Minnesota legislature established our system of regional arts councils to distribute state government appropriations to small arts organizations around the state (shown in the black map of Minnesota). All eleven of the regional arts councils began as programs of larger regional development commissions. Today, each regional arts council is an autonomous organization designated to assess arts needs, develop programs and services to meet those needs, and distribute funds to arts programs in its region.

The Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (or MRAC, pronounced “m-rack”) covers Region 11, which serves the seven metropolitan area counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington (pictured in blue and green). We are the largest of the regional arts councils. MRAC was a program of the Metropolitan Council until 1989, when we became an independent nonprofit organization.

MRAC’s Overall Organizational Strategy

MRAC is primarily a grantmaker, and we also provide leadership, resources, and tools that enable artists and arts organizations in the seven-county Twin Cities metro area to thrive, creating arts access for local Minnesotans. Every year, we offer grant programs, applicant services, and community engagement activities that are responsive to the changing needs of the region.

View and download our 2026–2027 Biennial Plan to find out more about our long-term strategic goals.

Regional Arts Councils (RACs) of Minnesota

Every county in Minnesota is covered by one of the regional arts councils. Don’t live in MRAC’s region? Read on to find out which of the 10 other RACs represents your county!

Region 1: Northwest Minnesota Arts Council, Warren, MN
Counties served: Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, and Roseau

Region 2: Region 2 Arts Council, Bemidji, MN
Counties served: Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, and Mahnomen

Region 3: Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, Duluth, MN
Counties served: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis

Region 4: Lake Region Arts Council, Fergus Falls, MN
Counties served: Becker, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, and Wilkin

Region 5: Five Wings Arts Council, Staples, MN
Counties served: Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd, and Wadena

Region 6E/SW/8: Southwest Minnesota Arts Council, Marshall, MN
Counties served: Big Stone, Cottonwood, Chippewa, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Swift, and Yellow Medicine

Region 7E: East Central Regional Arts Council, Braham, MN
Counties served: Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine

Region 7W: Central Minnesota Arts Board, Foley, MN
Counties served: Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright

Region 9: Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, Waseca, MN
Counties served: Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan

Region 10: Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Rochester, MN
Counties served: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona

Forum of Regional Arts Councils

This consortium of the eleven Regional Arts Councils that serve all Minnesota counties supports the continuous improvement of the councils through implementation of better practices in programming, management, and leadership development, and provides information for Minnesota’s artists and organizations.

Visit the Minnesota State Arts Board website to find out more.