Awards & Grants
Z Puppets is proud to have received numerous awards, including the ones listed below.
Minnesota State Arts Board
ARTS EDUCATION
2023:
Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet School
To bring Monkey Mind Pirates into Kindergarten and Special Education classrooms.
Creative Support for Organizations
2023:
Noquisi Dagsi (ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ) Star Turtle : Episode 3
To create a new episode of the Star Turtle webseries keeping alive the Cherokee language.
2022:
Noquisi Dagsi (ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ): Star Turtle
To produce a family friendly virtual show about keeping alive the Cherokee language
arts learning projects
2019:
Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet School
To continue Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness K residency, and a monthly Art-in-a-Box series for families.
Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts
To work with 1st and 2nd and 3rd grade classes and special education classes with the Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness program.
To create a new work together with the Bakken Trio chamber music ensemble around the piece From the Monkey Mountains by Czech composer Pavel Haas.
2018:
Backus Community Center, International Falls, MN
Backus Community Center will partner with award winning artists of Z Puppets Rosenschnoz for a five day Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness camp culminating in a public performance featuring Backus youth.
New York Mills Cultural Center, NY Mills, MN
The New York Mills Cultural Center will collaborate with Z Puppets to conduct workshops focusing on movement and music for elementary school students that will culminate in a public performance incorporating the students as actors.
Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet School
To continue Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness K residency, teacher coaching, and add a monthly Art-in-a-Box series for families.
Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts
To work with 1st and 2nd grade classes and special education classes with the Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness program.
To develop Listening Party activity around the piece by Pavel Haas’ From the Monkey Mountains. Listening Parties include a short toy theater performance of the composer’s life, and one of the four movements of the piece, in which listeners are invited to draw what they hear.
2017:
The City of Maplewood will work with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz to continue building Kid City, a Parks program for youth ages nine to thirteen, to learn theater skills that will spark cross-cultural connections and positively impact their city.
Austin Area Commission for the Arts will present Z Puppets' STEAM of Puppetry workshops and performances at three community sites to increase access to arts programming for Mower County youth.
Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet School
Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet School will expand Z Puppets' Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness K-2 and special education residency to include teacher integration coaching.
2016:
Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School
Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School will expand Z Puppets’ Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness program by integrating Mayo Clinic science curriculum and adding special education residencies.
Z Puppets Rosenschnoz will expand a partnership with Epic Enterprise to lead adults with special needs in eight arts and mindfulness workshops and four public performances of the puppet, rock, and yoga adventure, Monkey Mind Pirates.
Midwest Special Services participants will explore the world of puppetry with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz. The program will conclude with three live multimedia puppet shows.
The Autism Society of Minnesota
Autism Society of Minnesota will partner with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz to expand sensory-friendly arts and mindfulness programming to the Twin Cities’ eastern suburbs, with outreach to previously underserved families.
The City of Maplewood will work with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz to launch Kid City, creative task forces of ten- to twelve-year-olds that will learn how to use clowning, puppetry, and improvisation to bring diverse cultural communities together.
2015:
Stillwater Library & Valley Friendship Club
Puppetry artist Chris Griffith and collaborator Shari Aronson will collaborate with Stillwater Public Library and Valley Friendship Club for Z Puppets science, technology, engineering and math performances and workshops.
Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School
Moreland Arts and Health Sciences Magnet School in Saint Paul and Z Puppets will expand successful arts and mindfulness residencies, family workshops, and professional development to add after-school and summer programs.
The Autism Society of Minnesota
The Autism Society of Minnesota will collaborate with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz to bring Monkey Mind Pirates arts and mindfulness programs to youth and families living with autism in Twin Cities, Duluth, and Rochester.
2014:
Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation/Penny George Institute for Health & Healing
The Institute for Health and Healing will work with Z Puppets to provide multidisciplinary arts and mindfulness residencies for two groups: children of patients with serious illness and families living with autism.
Duluth Children's Museum
Puppeteers Shari Aronson and Chris Griffith will partner with Duluth Children's Museum to present a series of free puppetry workshops and performances, using the arts to engage families in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Epic Enterprise Inc
In partnership with Northern Clay Center, Z Puppets Rosenschnoz, and independent visual artist Lori Brink, Epic Enterprise will provide arts learning and arts appreciation opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.
Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School
Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School will bring Monkey Mind Pirates, Z Puppets' arts and mindfulness initiative integrating puppetry, music, and yoga, to K-4 students, teachers, and parents in spring/fall 2014.
2013:
Epic Enterprise Inc
In partnership with Kairos Dance Theatre, Z Puppets Rosenschnoz, and visual artist Lori Brink, Epic Enterprise will provide arts learning and arts appreciation opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities.
Moreland Arts & Health Sciences Magnet School
Moreland Magnet School will bring in Monkey Mind Pirates by Z Puppets; arts and mindfulness residencies, workshops, and performances that integrate puppetry, music, and yoga for K-4 students, teachers, and parents, in spring 2013 and fall 2014.
arts tour projects
2017:
Cellula Tour
Z Puppets Rosenschnoz will tour Cellula, a glow in the dark, sensory friendly performance of mitosis and outreach to engage family audiences in the STEAM of Puppetry at 6 Greater MN venues.
2015:
New London Arts Alliance & Duluth Sacred Heart Music Center
Z Puppets Rosenschnoz will partner with New London's Arts Alliance and Duluth's Sacred Heart Music Center to tour four sensory-friendly performances and sixteen participatory outreach events combining puppetry and music for families.
2013:
Northern MN Tour
Puppeteer Aronson and collaborators will tour Z Puppets Monkey Mind Pirates performances and workshops to sixteen northern Minnesota sites in summer 2013, integrating puppetry, music, and yoga to give families creative tools for finding calm.
2011:
St Paul Libraries, Reif Center, Stillwater Public Library
2010:
Southern MN Children's Museum, Duluth Children's Museum
Partners in arts Participation projects
2019:
To present a series of shadow puppet workshops in each of three sites throughout the metro area.
2018:
Working with families in two locations to find Calm and learn stress reduction through the Monkey Mind Pirates workshops and performances.
2012:
Mankato Family YMCA will present Z Puppets Rosenschnoz's Monkey Mind Pirates workshops and performances, giving children in our Brother/Sister program arts experiences focused on stress reduction.
American Indian Family Center will produce a series of workshops and performances with Z Puppets Rosenschnoz to give students and their families an arts experience focused on mindfulness-based stress reduction.
Our Neighborhood Works
arts initiative projects
2019:
Chris Griffith
To explore new ground in his work as a puppetry artist by weaving traditional Cherokee tales and research with personal narrative and family history into three storytelling performances for family audiences.
2015:
Shari Aronson
To expand Cellula, a glow in the dark performance of mitosis into a full-length show about cell science through structured experimentation with collaborators, advisors and neighborhood youth.
2011:
Chris Griffith
To create and tour The Gnip Gnopera, a blacklight opera of ping pong balls.
2009:
Shari Aronson
To develop the tools to get her existing repertoire of family-friendly puppetry shows out to new audiences across Minnesota by working with a videographer to professionalize her video documentation and for a business coach.
2007:
Chris Griffith
To create an original children’s puppet show titled “The Puggles: Platypus Investigators” (PPI), and subsequently tour the production across Minnesota. The project will support his transition from artistic director of Galumph Interactive Theater to an independent artist.
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council
Flexible support
2022:
To create episode 2 of Noquisi Dagasi (ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ) Star Turtle
2021:
To create the first episode of Noquisi Dagasi (ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ) Star Turtle
2020:
To create a virtual online version of Say it! Sing it! Play it! In Cherokee
CONSULTANt grant
2020:
To work with Marketing Consultant
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
2020:
To hire a Development Research Associate to research funding opportunities to expand programming.
ARTS LEARNING PROJECTS
2019:
Through the Narrows production in Z Puppets studio.
From the Monkey Mountains Listening Party series with the Bakken Ensemble at the Stillwater Public Library.
2018:
Kid City programming at Maplewood Summer Parks.
2017:
Kid City Teen Video project: a partnership with the City of Maplewood to hire and train teenagers in video production.
2016:
Happy Places, a partnership with the Tubman Center, to create toy theater puppet shows with youth and families.
arts activity projects
2018:
Through the Narrows: Z Puppets Rosenschnoz will create and premiere a new show rooted in the family lineage of exodus from Jewish and Cherokee history of Creative Directors Shari Aronson and Chris Griffith.
The production combines puppetry and audience participation with live music by multi-instrumentalist world music expert Greg Herriges.
2015:
Cellula, a blacklight story of mitosis.
2010:
The Puggles, a Platypus Adventure.
2003:
We Fools
City of Minneapolis
Creative Apprenticeship Program
2023:
To fund a Productino Apprentice position to work on Noquisi Dagasi (ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ) Star Turtle production. Funding for this activity is provided by the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy in the City of Minneapolis.”
Irwin Andrew Porter Foundation
2021-2022:
To create Noquisi Dagasi (ᏃᏈᏏ ᏓᎦᏏ) Star Turtle webseries to inspire a new generation of Cherokee Language learners.
Jim Henson Foundation
FAMILY GRANT
2021, for Through the Narrows tour to Tulsa, OK
2017, for Cellula
Children's theater award
2009, for The Puggles: A Platypus Adventure.
Rimon: the MN Jewish Arts Council
Audience members make puppet figures to help them through narrow passages in Through the Narrows.
In 2022, Z Puppets received an award from the Rimon: the MN Jewish Arts Council to reount a revised version of Through the Narrows in our studio.
Z Puppets Rosenschnoz received an award from the Rimon: the MN Jewish Arts Council in 2018 to create and premiere a new show rooted in the family lineage of exodus from Jewish and Cherokee history of Creative Directors Shari Aronson and Chris Griffith.
Through the Narrows combines puppetry and audience participation, with live music by multi-instrumentalist world music expert Greg Herriges.
Puppeteers of America
2021:
To create online version of Say it! Sing it! Play it! In Cherokee
2015:
For creating Cellula, an blacklight story of mitosis.
2008:
For creating The Puggles: A Platypus Adventure.
NDN Collective
2020:
To purchase video equipment to create online content
Tiwahe Foundation
2021:
To fund tribal member Chris Griffith working with Cherokee language teachers
2017 Sally Award in Education from the Ordway
The Sally Awards recognize and celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of artists, educators, volunteers, philanthropists, and leaders who strengthen and enrich the stage of Minnesota with their commitment to the arts and arts education.
Learn more about the Sally Awards here.
Z Puppets is honored to receive this distinction and it would not have been possible without the hard work and support of all of our collaborating teaching artists and administrators. A big thank you to:
- Sandy Agustin
- Diane Aldis
- Scott Artley
- Eric Avery
- Adele Binning
- Julie & Gustavo Boada
- Amelia Brown
- Kathleen Conroy
- David DeGennaro
- Christopher Desjardins
- Ryan Evans
- Elena Giannetti
- Caitlin Hammel
- Gaosong Vang Heu
- Morgan Holmes
- Jessica Huang
- Kurt Hunter
- Megan Flod Johnson
- Cheryl Kessler
- Margo McCreary
- Ifrah Mansour
- Aaron Marks
- Romina Madrid Miranda
- Mankwe Ndosi
- Angela Olson
- Derek Phillips
- Nadja Reubenova
- Fiona Robinson
- Jen Scott
- Bruce Silcox
- Gabriela Sweet
- Alejandra Tobar-Alatriz
- Libby Turner
- Ricardo Vazquez
- Rachel Wandrei
- Erica West
- Laurie Witzkowski
Brin Family Foundation
Elli, a 3,500 year old woman from Through the Narrows. Photo by Bruce Silcox.
Through the Narrows
2019:
Z Puppets Rosenschnoz received funding from the Brin Family Foundation to produce Through The Narrows: A Watch It, Make It ,Take It Event.
Creative Child Magazine
seal of excellence
2011: Monkey Mind Pirates CD
Minnesota Ivey Award
2009:
Chris Griffith, for design and creation of puppets for Hershel and the Hannukah Goblins, MN Jewish Theatre.
Jerome Foundation
In the heart of the beast puppet & mask theatre's
new works of puppetry projects
2006: The Puggles, a Platypus Musical
2004: A La Carte: In a Fool's Kitchen
travel study grant
1999: to attend and perform at the National Puppetry Festival in Seattle, WA
Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO)
2020: to make Through the Narrows: an Audio Webcast available for free to people who live and work in Central Neighborhood in Minneapolis.