For immediate release: MMC board announces organizational sunset

Important News about the Minnesota Music Coalition

(St. Paul, MN) August 16, 2023 – After 13 years and hundreds of projects, workshops, and performance opportunities to support Minnesota’s talented and diverse musical community, the Minnesota Music Coalition (MMC) announces that we have made the difficult decision to sunset our organization. Over the coming months MMC will work to wind down its booking program and stages partnerships, the Caravan du Nord program, our mentorship and fiscal sponsorship programs, as well as MMC membership. We plan to host a final celebration in early 2024, and will work closely with MMC’s founders, current staff, and board to create a resource document to serve those in the Minnesota music community in the years to come. We hope you will join us in celebrating the achievements of the amazing musicians MMC has had the pleasure of serving over the last decade and a half. More details about a farewell celebration will be announced in the coming months. 

Over the last few months the MMC board and interested parties have carefully analyzed the future of the organization and the factors that have led us to this dissolution. While there are many contributing factors, the most obvious are a combination of reduced income, decreased giving, and board and staff capacity. When these factors are combined with the long term effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the music industry, we feel that the most responsible path forward that honors MMC’s mission and vision is to sunset and make way for new pathways and funding opportunities for other arts organizations, and MMC’s membership at large. 

We are so proud of the work this organization has done over the years, and are excited for a future that centers Minnesota musicians and their needs. Staff and Board members are extremely thankful to all who have supported the organization as well, whether through membership, individual giving, partnerships, or ticketed performances. The legacy of MMC will live on through each of you.

During the next few months we will announce our final programming and celebration, work to gather useful resources to share with our community, and start the process of dissolution. Please keep your eyes here to find ways to celebrate MMC and its members in the coming months.

With gratitude,

Minnesota Music Coalition Board of Directors and Founding Board Members

 

MEDIA CONTACT

Brianna Kocka, President and Board Chair

brianna@mnmusiccoalition.org

 

SUNSETTING FAQS

Why is the Minnesota Music Coalition sunsetting?

These are tough times for arts nonprofits. A few reasons we have decided to sunset are:

• Financial instability: Shifts in philanthropy leave us in a challenged position; we face reduced funding for the arts in the form of smaller grants, fewer grants and more competition for those grants. Diminished sponsorship and reduced overall individual giving due to continued economic inequities creates a challenge for the future of MMC. 
• COVID-19: The music industry has been shaken as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ticketed sales for programming and performances have been most affected by this, which has substantially impacted MMC’s programming.
• Exhaustion: Constant adaptation in the face of these challenges is deeply fatiguing, and this is exacerbated when combined with the above factors, creating untenable circumstances for MMC to continue. 

Who made this decision?

MMC’s board, founding board members, staff and former staff were involved in making this decision. Many nonprofit partners were also consulted during the decision making process. 

What happens next?

Within the coming month we will announce our final celebration event, and begin working on a resource guide for Minnesota musician’s. The resource guide will either be an online website, or some form of digital document like a PDF. 

We’ll file our legal dissolution paperwork with the Minnesota Secretary of State before the end of our fiscal year, in June of 2024, once we’ve created a plan to distribute remaining organizational resources.

What happens to my MMC membership?

Effective immediately, MMC will pause its membership program. As part of our dissolution plan, we will look into other partners and nonprofit organizations who might be interested in acquiring MMC’s programming, including the membership program. We will make a further announcement in the coming months after we examine all possible options related to our dissolution plan.

How can I support MMC’s final programming and honor your legacy?

The best way to honor MMC is to connect with our members and other musicians throughout the state of Minnesota and give directly to them. Now, more than ever, musicians need our support. You will honor MMC by honoring those whom we have served. To see a list of MMC members, click here. 

Closing down an organization is costly. If you wish to give a one time donation to MMC to support MMC’s volunteer board, please email Brianna Kocka, MMC President and Board Chair, at brianna@mnmusiccoalition.org for next steps. 

If I have more questions, who should I contact?

Please email brianna@mnmusiccoalition.org. Thanks in advance for your patience.