The most significant component is that MNDot is redoing Central Avenue in 2028. The planning is going on currently. By January, MNDot says they are approaching 30% of the project’s design. MNDoT says this is the time to get ideas and requests into the planning process; they will complete the new idea phase.
Right now, we need MNDoT to grant us the space in their designs to make the Art Walk possible. We need lots of people to show support for this project so that MNDoT (and Minneapolis) understand how important this is for our city.
Click here to automatically create a draft of the email below
Salmon Runner, Eau Claire Sculpture Walk
Let them hear you Roar!
To the Minnesota Department of Transportation:
ricardo.lopez@state.mn.us
info@CentralAveImprovements.com
CC Northeast Minneapolis City Council Member Elliott Payne
elliott.payne@minneapolismn.gov
CC Northeast Minneapolis City Council Member Michael Rainville
ward3@minneapolismn.gov
CC Recovery Bike Shop’s Seth Stattmiller
cutter@re-cycle.com
cc Northeast Minneapolis Arts District
chair@northeastminneapolisartsdistrict.org
I am [NAME], President of the [XXXX NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION]. I am writing to express the [XXXX NEIGHBORHOOD] board’s [UNANIMOUS] support for a Central Ave NE art walk between 14th Ave NE and 27th Ave NE, “front door” of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. An art walk will give the Minneapolis arts community a visual presence unlike anything else in the country, create a draw for our city and state, and support local artists and businesses. The art walk will also serve to calm traffic on one of our city’s busiest streets by creating edge friction and visual stimulation and activity yielding more engaged drivers and a safer corridor.
The Northeast community has been formally calling for the creation of the Central Ave art walk since the 2008 Central Ave Small Area Plan and the Central Ave reconstruction project represents the only chance many of us will see to bring this project to life.
In support of this project the [XXXX NEIGHBORHOOD] is contributing [$xx,xxx for the installation of the first art piece of the art walk] with ongoing support as the art walk develops.
We are requesting that MNDoT increase the west side pedestrian area by 4’, yielding an 8’ sidewalk and an 11’ boulevard area to accommodate permanent large format art pieces and weekly street market stalls. We also request that MNDoT set aside space for four (4) large art pads (15 x 15’) adjacent to the Central and Lowry intersection and four (4) large art pads adjacent to the Central and Broadway intersection (one on each corner). These two intersections are the gateways to the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District and will be reserved for something especially grand.
Please visit www.recovery.bike/artwalk to continue the conversation.
We look forward to seeing this project grow and the [XXXX NEIGHBORHOOD] community expects to enjoy and support the art walk for generations to come.
Sincerely,
[NAME]
[TITLE]
[CONTACT INFO]
A walkable thread through Northeast’s creative heart
What is the Art Walk?
The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District has been working toward its largest public art project yet: the Central Avenue Art Walk—a welcoming, street-level pathway that invites visitors to explore studios, galleries, and public art across the District. The current catalyst is sculptor Joel Sisson, whose 1993 Adirondack Chair community project captured the Twin Cities’ imagination and became an iconic public artwork. Joel is now partnering with the Arts District on his newest series: Barrel Boy Sculptures—playful, large-scale figures built from recycled barrels that celebrate creativity, place, and community.
The Project: Barrel Boy Sculptures
Barrel Boy is a series of freestanding sculptures temporarily placed throughout the Arts District. Each figure acts as a beacon—demonstrating how public art enlivens neighborhoods, fosters walkable streets, and draws both locals and visitors into the Arts District to discover 1,200+ artists and 17 art buildings. To bring this to life, we’re inviting neighbors, artists, businesses, and partners to help build Joel’s next iconic public art series—together.
Why Support This Project
This is forward-thinking work to build the next stage of the city-designated Arts District—creating a major public-art destination in Minneapolis. Just as landmark artworks can define a city for generations, we believe the Arts District is poised for another iconic moment, in partnership with a visionary artist leading the way.
For comparison, the Walker Art Center’s Spoonbridge and Cherry became an internationally recognized symbol for Minneapolis, drawing more than 700,000 visitors annually and millions since its opening in 1988. The Central Avenue Art Walk and Barrel Boy sculptures hold similar potential to become a defining cultural landmark for our city.
Our outreach ecosystem is robust: the Arts District has been voted #1 Best Arts District nationwide in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice awards (2015, 2022, 2023), maintains an ongoing relationship with the Art@MSP Airport program, and features a monthly Arts Insights page in the Northeaster Newspaper reaching over 40,000 people—giving artists and projects like Barrel Boy a powerful platform.
Join Us
The first Barrel Boy is already in motion: Recovery Bike Shop has enthusiastically requested a sculpture for their building, and we hope to encourage other Central Avenue businesses to collaborate on a series of Barrel Boy activations across the Arts District.
- Estimated cost per Barrel Boy: $12,000–$25,000
- Immediate needs: material donations, financial sponsorships, and volunteers
- Goal: establish long-term relationships that make Minneapolis a premier destination for art tourism
Your support is fully tax-deductible through the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit). Let’s demonstrate how art strengthens communities, supports local business, and ensures that public art has a permanent place in the future of Central Avenue and across the Arts District.
Recent Momentum & Gratitude
We’re grateful for the $5,000 donation for the Barrel Boy Project from Greg Konsor / Art in Motion. (We’ll add their logo to the rotating sponsors on the site.)
Holland Neighborhood Improvement Association gave $15,000 for the Barrel Boy Project in November 2025.
Related Stories & Progress
- Central Ave Discovery Art Walk – committee walks, Art Pad concepts, and next steps.
- Art Walk: A Reason to Stop. A Reason to Shop. – why an art walk helps businesses and visitors connect.
- Barrel Boy Moving Forward – design approach and materials.
- Barrel Boy in NE Parade – community visibility and excitement.
How to Get Involved
- Sponsor a Barrel Boy or provide in-kind materials
- Host a sculpture at your business or site along Central Ave
- Volunteer with fabrication, installation, outreach, or event support
- Artists/Designers: collaborate on future phases of the Art Walk (murals, pads, wayfinding, pop-ups)
Contact: Arts District Welcome Center for sponsorships, site ideas, or to start a conversation about bringing Barrel Boy to your block.
