By Jacob Dommer
This fall, the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District explodes with a vibrant array of creativity—from intimate explorations of personal identity to sweeping reflections on global conflicts. Whether you’re an art collector, a curious newcomer, or simply looking to soak up the creative energy that defines Northeast Minneapolis, this fall’s lineup of exhibits and open studios is not to be missed. Make plans now to experience the artistic pulse of the city, support local artists, and take home one-of-a-kind artwork!
Casket Arts presents Open Casket – Their premier open studio event of the year
Immerse yourself in a weekend of art, creativity, and community at Open Casket, Casket Arts’ signature open studio event. Wander through historic spaces as you meet local artists and explore an impressive array of work—paintings, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture, and more—all crafted within the vibrant Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. And for a special experience, don’t miss the basement speakeasy, where you can unwind with a drink while supporting the arts district. With family-friendly activities and plenty to discover, Open Casket is the perfect fall outing.
- Dates and Hours:
- November 8: 5:00pm – 10:00pm
- November 9: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
- November 10: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
- Location: 681 17th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Solar Arts Building presents Art This Way – Where Weird Gets Wonderful!
Prepare for an art experience that defies convention! At Solar Arts, Art This Way welcomes you to open studios filled with bold, eclectic works from jewelry to mind-bending sculptures and gifts that pack a punch. With Indeed Brewing pouring drinks, Revival dishing out comfort food, and live demos unfolding in real time, this show is about more than art—it’s about the whole experience.
- Dates and Hours:
- November 7: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
- November 8: 5:00pm – 10:00pm
- November 9: 12:00pm – 6:00pm
- November 10: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
- Location: 711 15th Ave NE Minneapolis, MN 55413
California Building joins Fall Open Studios-
Swing by the California Building for 2024 Fall Open Studios! This year, six floors are alive with new art and fresh ideas, offering an open invitation to connect with the vibrant NE Minneapolis arts community. Each studio provides a peek into the artists’ creative process—you can meet the makers, dive into their stories, and perhaps even find the perfect holiday gift. Start your art-filled weekend with a coffee from Mojo Coffee Gallery on the first floor, then venture through the building to discover a range of unique, handcrafted pieces, from paintings and textiles to ceramics and jewelry. The California Building is your destination for one-of-a-kind treasures that support local artists.
- Dates and Hours:
- Friday, November 8: 5:00pm – 10:00pm
- Saturday, November 9: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
- Location: 2205 California St. NE Minneapolis, MN 554118
Art Attack! 2024 Returns to Northrup King Building with Three Days of Open Studio Fun
November is fast approaching, and with it comes one of the most beloved events of the season—Art Attack! 2024 at the Northrup King Building. As the largest open studio event in the building, Art Attack promises three jam-packed days of art, creativity, and fun. From paintings and ceramics to textiles and sculptures, the halls will buzz with creativity. Visitors can watch artists at work, participate in interactive art-making sessions, and indulge in treats from local food trucks as they explore four floors filled with artistic treasures.
- Dates and Hours:
- Friday, November 8: 5pm – 9pm
- Saturday, November 9: 12pm – 8pm
- Sunday, November 10: 12pm – 5pm
- Location:
Northrup King Building 1500 Jackson St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Public Functionary Celebrates 5 Years of PF Studios with Two New Exhibitions and a Book Release
This November, Public Functionary marks a significant milestone—the 5th anniversary of PF Studios, its visionary studio program that has been a game-changer for BIPOC artists in Northeast Minneapolis. Since its launch in 2019, PF Studios has provided affordable, accessible studio spaces to 26 emerging BIPOC artists in the iconic Northrup King Building. “This anniversary celebration is not just about our program’s success, but about the vibrant community of artists we’ve built and the presence they’ve brought to the art scene,” says Leslie Barlow, Director of PF Studios.
To celebrate this anniversary, Public Functionary will open two new exhibitions on November 2, 2024, and release an archival book on November 7, 2024. The book will chronicle the program’s impact on over 40 artists, highlighting how PF Studios has transformed the Minneapolis art scene.
- Main Gallery Exhibition: Your Hands Were Making Artifacts In The Corners Of My Mind
The exhibit Your Hands Were Making Artifacts explores the ongoing relationship between artists and their work, portraying art as an evolving practice that transcends traditional identity. Each artist in this collection approaches their craft with a focus on process rather than product, turning their daily efforts into a “mound of earth and clay,” representing the living potential of creation. Through paradoxes and unplanned elements, their work shifts away from categories of legibility, instead guiding viewers through a landscape filled with interconnected forms. Featuring artists such as Alexandra Beaumont, Arnée Martin, and Whitney Terrill, this exhibit opens a space to actively engage with art that is always in motion.
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 2, 6pm – 10pm
Duration: November 2-30, 2024
Gallery Hours: Thurs – Sat, 12pm – 6pm
Location: PF Main Gallery, 1500 Jackson Street NE, Studio 144
- Upstairs Gallery Exhibition: Black Memory Red Sea by nouf saleh
Nouf Saleh’s Black Memory Red Sea delves into the themes of kinship, secrecy, and displacement within Afro-Arab communities, focusing on Yemeni Muwalladeen identity. Saleh’s work confronts the erasure of Afro-Arab histories, drawing from her family archive to craft a deeply personal yet universal narrative. Through neon lights, cedar wood, sound, and family imagery, she connects the personal with the geographic—highlighted in a towering cedar structure inspired by Yemeni architecture. Cyanotype images of her grandparents, separated by time and space, symbolize longing and ancestral ties. Presented together for the first time, these works engage in a collective dialogue on memory and survival, offering a visual “family portrait” that spans generations and continents.
Opening Reception: Saturday, November 2, 6pm – 10pm
Duration: November 2-30, 2024
Gallery Hours: Thurs – Sat, 12pm – 6pm
Location: PF Upstairs Gallery, 1500 Jackson Street NE, Studio 247
- Book Release Event: “In Here Out There”
Join Public Functionary as they celebrate the five-year milestone of PF Studios with the release of In Here Out There: Five Years of PF Studios. This 150-page commemorative book captures the evolution of the program, featuring profiles of 35 PF Studios artists, essays by Leslie Barlow, Shana Kaplow, and Tricia Heuring, and a forward by Taylor Jasper. Beautifully designed by PF Studios’ Patricio De Lara and Genie Hien Tran, this archive offers an intimate glimpse behind the scenes.
Date: Thursday, November 7, 7pm – 9pm
Location: PF Main Gallery, 1500 Jackson Street NE, Studio 144
TOA Presents: Aporia — A Solo Exhibition by Esteban Ramón Pérez
TOA Presents invites art lovers to Aporia, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Esteban Ramón Pérez, known for his innovative use of leather to blur the lines between painting, textiles, and sculpture. This new exhibition, however, centers on works on paper, where Pérez explores two distinct drawing techniques that reflect the concept of aporia—a philosophical impasse without resolution. By pairing precise line drawings that delve into themes of identity with freehand expressions inspired by Mexican Baroque art, Pérez seeks to create a dialogue “between the rigid and the fluid, between identity and abstraction.”
- Exhibition Opening:
Date: Tuesday, October 15
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm - Artist Talk:
Date: Wednesday, October 16
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm - Duration: October 15 – Mid December
- Location: 655 19th Avenue NE, Suite 104 in Minneapolis
Midway Contemporary Art Presents: Super Deluxe by Cameron Patricia Downey
Save the date for Super Deluxe, a new solo exhibition by Cameron Patricia Downey at Midway Contemporary Art. Opening on November 2, 2024, this dynamic body of work explores the tangled interplay between luxury, pleasure, and service. Downey’s installations use materials like vinyl flooring, gold plating, and limousines to reflect how wealth is both a performance and a fleeting state. “At the nexus of both the ghetto and the fabulous is a roadmap towards making oneself cared for—if only for a moment,” explains Downey.
- Opening Reception: November 2, 2024 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm.
- Duration: Nov 2 – Jan 25, 2025
- Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm
- Location: 1509 NE Marshall Street
NE Sculpture Presents: WAR REPORTS by Piotr Szyhalski/Labor Camp
NE Sculpture presents WAR REPORTS, an exhibition by multimedia artist Piotr Szyhalski (Labor Camp). Responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Szyhalski began drawing the Labor Camp Report series, capturing the experience of war as it unfolds. These poignant works highlight the plight of civilians and condemn militarism. “Art is not just reflection; it’s a call to action and a means of bearing witness,” Szyhalski states.
- Opening Reception: Friday, October 4, 2024 | 6:00pm – 9:00pm
- Exhibition Runs: October 4 – November 10, 2024
- Closing Celebration: Friday, November 8 | 6:00pm – 9:00pm
- Location: NE Sculpture | Gallery Factory, 1720 Madison Street NE, Minneapolis
- Gallery Hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 12:00pm – 5:00pm (or by appointment)
