Blandin Foundation Supports Reif Performing Arts Center Expansion With $475,000 Grant

Planning for New Amphitheater and Cultural Center Underway

Key Points:

• Blandin Foundation has awarded a $475,000 grant to Reif Performing Arts Center to explore plans for a new amphitheater and cultural center.
• Potential new facilities would serve as additional year-round cultural and civic hubs, offering outdoor concerts, community events and increased arts access for residents.
• Extensive community input will shape the feasibility analysis, with workshops, surveys and collaborations ensuring plans reflect local voices and meet regional community needs.
• Grant supports Blandin’s rural placemaking goals through strong community engagement, creative programming and long-term financial sustainability.

Grand Rapids, Minn. – May 29, 2025

The Blandin Foundation announced a $475,000 grant to the Reif Performing Arts Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, to explore the potential for the development of a new amphitheater and cultural center. The effort is designed to bolster Grand Rapids’ cultural and economic vitality, strengthen community ties and celebrate local creativity.

The grant supports the Reif’s goals to:

• expand community outreach through initiatives like affordable/free ticket programs and field trips,
• develop large-scale signature events and
• explore new revenue streams to ensure long-term financial sustainability.

“This grant reflects our commitment to fostering strong rural communities through placemaking and collaboration,” said Tuleah Palmer, President and CEO of the Blandin Foundation. “Rural placemaking is about creating spaces where people want to live, work, play and learn. The Reif’s vision strongly aligns with our mission to invest in regional economic opportunity and the community’s rich creative energy.”

A Bold Vision for Rural Placemaking

Rural Placemaking (RPM) is a key strategic priority for the Blandin Foundation, bolstering the arts, culture and community resources that help Minnesotans feel local pride and connection. Research shows connected individuals are more likely to have long-term economic upward mobility. They also tend to stay healthier, achieve higher education and improve their job outlook. By extension, connected communities are more resilient when facing unexpected challenges like natural disasters or economic shifts, or navigating intentional change.

The Reif Center has these goals clearly in view as it explores development of a new amphitheater and a 12,000-square-foot cultural center. These facilities would serve as hubs for cultural, artistic and civic engagement, offering year-round programming and outdoor events that celebrate Grand Rapids’ unique blend of natural beauty and creative culture.

The amphitheater, with a capacity of 1,000+ attendees, would provide a scenic outdoor venue for concerts, theater and festivals, while the cultural center could host weddings, community events and art exhibits. Both facilities will be designed with accessibility in mind, ensuring that all residents can participate in and benefit from the arts.

“This grant from the Blandin Foundation is a game-changer for the Reif and the Grand Rapids community,” said Jim Mack, who became Executive Director of the Reif Performing Arts Center in May 2024. “It will enable us to build the capacity of our organization, engage more deeply with our community, and take the first steps toward realizing our vision for enhancing a cultural hub that serves and celebrates our region.”

Since Mack joined the Reif, the organization has modernized its governance and begun taking the pulse on community needs. More than 600 area residents recently responded to an audience survey to help guide the Reif’s programming and identify ways to make the arts more accessible.

Community Collaboration a Priority

The Reif will continue and expand communications with key community partners, including the City of Grand Rapids, ISD 318, neighbors, Legion Park Trail Organization and local arts organizations such as the Grand Rapids Players and the Itasca Orchestra and Strings Program.

The planning process will involve extensive community engagement, with workshops, surveys and collaborations with local artists and businesses to ensure the project reflects the needs of the entire community.

For more information about the Reif Performing Arts Center and its initiatives, visit www.reifcenter.org.

—END—

Blandin Foundation is a private foundation based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. One of a handful of rural-based, rural-serving foundations in the country, Blandin Foundation serves rural Minnesota, focusing resources in north-central Minnesota. Our grants, opportunities that connect rural leaders, and policy work build up financial and human capital, so rural Minnesota places can welcome diversity, address injustice, and embrace change to create a sustainable and equitable future.