Writers, event helpers needed
Would you like an excuse to talk with fellow artists, or artists you respect, about important topics? Northeast Minneapolis Arts District actually pays for articles – arranged by assignment or suggestions – published in Arts Insights and/or this e-newsletter. Monthly or occasional. To express interest, send resume and a couple of writing samples or links to margo@margoashmore.com.
There’s still a couple of ticket-seller slots available during Art-A-Whirl; the latter half of Friday night and the last shift on Sunday. To volunteer, email margo@margoashmore.com.
The Great Northeast Scavenger Hunt – All April
Recovery Bike Shop and the Minneapolis Chamber are sponsoring 30 Days of Biking during the month of April, culminating in a celebration at the shop at Lowry and Central on Saturday, May 4. Find out more here.
Doors Open is same weekend as Art-A-Whirl
Northeast Minneapolis may again have some visitors who’ll be coming for history and dropping in for art. Doors Open, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, is an opportunity to tour generally non-public parts of buildings throughout Minneapolis. The most relevant to the arts district is Compassionate Ocean Zen Center, a one-story building kitty-corner to Casket Arts, worth visiting if one wants to check out the format. Visiting is free but requires registration.
Other Northeast locations can be found here. The first time Doors Open was held it was on the same weekend as Art-A-Whirl, and some art locations reported seeing Doors Open visitors and embraced them as a new audience. Last year Doors Open was one weekend earlier.
Perhaps Arts District building owners could consider participating in the Doors Open format in future years, assuming the events continue to overlap, as a way of tapping into the enormous publicity opportunities of the organization which traditionally has been supported by Comcast, the city of Minneapolis, the Star Tribune and more. Rethos is the coordinating organization. Bookmark https://www.doorsopenminneapolis.org/ as venue applications open typically in October or November.
Welcome Michael Fallon to ACC
You may see Michael Fallon and his 14-year-old daughter taking in art openings with fresh eyes, something he did a lot of in his early career as an arts writer. In later years the California native served in executive roles at various arts organizations, which informed his new role as publisher and director of membership for American Craft Council.
Cobblestone streets may be no more
The city of Minneapolis is gathering input on the 2026-27 renovation of Quincy Street and other streets between Monroe and Central, and the part of Tyler Street east of Central that didn’t get repaved recently. It’s important to let desires be known now, as the engineering for the project will happen in 2025. This affects the Q.Arma, Architectural Antiques, 1224 Quincy, Workshop, and Solar Arts Buildings, 807 Broadway, Quincy Hall and all the artists and businesses between those points. Many building representatives attended an introductory meeting at Logan Park March 20. See separate article.
Art to Change the World to expand
Art to Change the World, an organization of more than 400 members, about half of whom are artists, half from other fields hoping to support and engage with art relating to social and environmental justice, is taking a leap. Graduating from the founder’s dining room table and back yard studio, ACW will now office in the upper floor of the Flux Arts Building at Lowry Avenue and Monroe Street Northeast. More details, when they get established.