June 2016
 

 
Welcome to In the District: news from the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. 

Creative Sustainability for
Northeast Minneapolis 
Speak Your Mind on June 6
What are the Questions? What are the Answers?


 
The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District is hosting a public hearing on Monday, June 6, 2016 (6:00-9:00 PM) to receive testimony focusing on the state of creative sustainability and the arts within The Arts District and throughout Northeast Minneapolis. Creative people who reside and/or work within this area are representative of the many professions and businesses that contribute to the vibrant socio-economic life of our community. 

What has been the impact of arts-related businesses on our community? What are the challenges? What are the skills, knowledge, and practical tools needed to ensure that the creative economy in the Arts District and Northeast Minneapolis can continue to thrive and grow?

The objective of the forum is to hear testimony from the community. The short term goal is to invite the public to identify key areas of focus and to create working groups to develop recommendations. and solutions. The Arts District Board of Directors will review recommendations in the weeks following the hearing and formulate a plan of action. 

Date: Monday, June 6, 2016
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Location: Solar Arts by Chowgirls, Solar Arts Building, 711 15th Avenue NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Handicap Accessible 

6:15--7:15pm PRESENTATIONS BY INVITED SPEAKERS
Jacob Frey, Minneapolis City Council Member, Ward 3
Professor Myron Orfield, Institute on Metropolitan Opportunity, University of Minnesota Law School
Additional speakers assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis via email/online request.

7:15-8:15pm PUBLIC Q & A 
PLEASE NOTE: This is a first-come, first-serve opportunity. We cannot guarantee that everyone will have a chance to speak during the public testimony portion of the meeting. 
PANELISTS:
Josh Blanc, Chair, Board of Directors, Northeast Minneapolis Arts District 
Brandon Hallstrand, Member, NorthEast Investment Cooperative
Paul Ostrow, Artist, Vice President, NEMAA Board of Directors
Tricia Khutoretsky, Director/Curator, Public Functionary
Kevin Reich, Minneapolis City Council Member, Ward 1

8:20-9:00pm RECEPTION

To submit testimony in advance, or for more information contact: 
Herman Milligan, Jr., Ph.D./NE MPLS ARTS DIST Board of Directors, Program Committee
(612) 272-8491

Art-A-Whirl Turns 21
Booze and Entertainment vs. Art
by Josh Blanc and Karen Wilcox

While Art-A-Whirl attendance seemed strong this year, (numbers have not been announced) a younger crowd was more apparent. This is good for some businesses, but challenging for many mid-career artists. Several long time Art-A-Whirl artists told us that they took the year off: hosting an open studio is no longer worth the effort. It's not just the weeks of preparation, creating new work, cleaning the studio, etc. Serious clients who want to invest in quality art are increasingly few and far between as Art-A-Whirl comes of age.  

Amy Tosconi Scupture
Amy Tosconi Scupture
Art-A-Whirl has evolved from an event focused on art and artists into a community entertainment event. 
Does serving alcohol in a building improve or hinder art sales? Do studio buildings without a tap room do better or worse in art sales during and after the event?  The array of craft breweries, pubs and bars featuring discounts and entertainment during Art-A-Whirl may be fun for visitors, but why should artists spend the time, effort and money to organize an entertainment event where professional artists are relegated to the kid's table?   


 
NEMAA Executive Director Selected as Bloomington Director of Placemaking and Community Engagement

Ale
Ale Pelinka
Alejandra Pelinka, Executive Director of Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA) since 2010 is moving on from the organization. She was selected as the first Director of Placemaking and Community Engagement in the City of Bloomington, Minnesota. Ale has worked tirelessly to improve
the NE Minneapolis art scene throughout her tenure. Running Art-A-Whirl for six years is a huge feat in itself. She will be missed. We thank her for the time, energy and leadership she has given our community. We wish her luck in her new job. 

The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Board of Directors
Northeast P.E.E.P.s
(People, Events, Exhibits, Places)

Start Seeing Public Art
By Sarah Ratermann Beahan
           
Giraffe Sculpture
Giraffe Sculpture
It finally happened. The sun came out, the mercury is heading skyward and everyone and their brother made a beeline for the outdoors. Viewing art may seem like a cold weather activity, reserved for days when it's too cold to feel your fingers.
 
And yet there is plenty of art to be seen out-of-doors in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District as well. The Arts District is lucky to be a nucleus of public art. Half the fun is finding it. Here are a few favorites to check out while enjoying the sunshine.
 
Sculpture is a medium that has often been utilized in public spaces as well as outdoors. Well-respected artist and sculptor Zoran Mojsilov's outdoor studio and storage space can be found tucked behind the Grain Belt Bottling House and is a great example of public art in progress. Directly across the street, the Keg House Art Building is emblazoned with giant red letters reminding us to recognize Happiness. Head a dozen blocks east and check out the satellite location of Franconia Sculpture Park, nestled behind the Casket Arts Building, cleverly called Franconia in the City. It's a hidden world of colorful sculptures peeking out of an otherwise unassuming parking lot.
 
Owl and Hawk
Owl and Hawk
Murals are equally prevalent in the Arts District. Take a stroll down 13th avenue between 2nd and 5th Sts. NE and there's one on nearly every wall. Depictions of birds and horses will sneak up on you at every turn. But look further-the utility boxes are painted and planters are mosaics. Art is everywhere you turn.
 
Round Sculpture
Round Sculpture
Some of the most fun pieces to stumble upon are those in the private lawns around Northeast. These pieces feel like delightful gems-the giraffe on the lawn of the house on 5th St. NE near Lowry, or the orb made of trashcan lids in the driveway off 13th. How about the curlicue sculpture resting comfortably on the front lawn of the residence at 3rd Avenue at 2nd Street NE? These are reminders that not only are we surrounded by those who create art, but those who appreciate it.
 
This is the time of year to find a new dog-walking route, or shake up your bike commute and keep your eyes peeled for the public art all around. What's your favorite? Share your finds with us on our Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Facebook page and tag your photos #NEMinneapolisArtsDistrictPublicArt.

Three Main Goals 
of Arts District Planning

1. Continue to discuss who we are as a community. 
2. Continue to define the vision of the next 10 to 15 years, in order to drive the decision making.
3. Start a framework on how we can finance the goals of the district. This goal is only possible to discuss if the other two goals can be met.
   
Recent studies to consider reading: 
5.  Take the survey for the CREATIVE MINNESOTA
ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY OF MINNESOTA'S ARTISTS AND CREATIVE WORKERS
http://creativemn.org
Issue: 50
In This Issue
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The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District & the Arts District Committee is an outcome
of the Arts Action Plan.

"The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Committee is comprised of interested volunteer community members, and is fiscally managed by the Northeast Community Development Corporation (NECDC). Additional support has been provided by Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA), Clay Squared to Infinity."
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