A forum for the Minneapolis visual arts, informed by history, empowered for the future.
Designed and hosted by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District
The Minneapolis visual arts community is a diverse, enterprising, and vital part of the local economy and culture—but it consistently flies under the radar. Vibrant art communities are spread throughout the cities, but disconnected from each other’s storytelling. Meanwhile, decades of rich oral history and context are disappearing as generations age.
The Minneapolis visual arts need a collective voice.
The goal of the Roundtable Project is to build an arts coalition informed by collective history and shared vision for the future. The program will convene diverse, multi-generational leaders in the visual arts community for moderated, topical roundtable discussions. These discussions are designed to probe core existential questions: as a collective visual arts community, where are we? How did we get here? What can we become together?
Program Components
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
Each conversation will delve into a historic case study of the visual arts in Minneapolis, a moment that helped shape the infrastructure and ecosystem we have today. Examples include:
- The Minneapolis Gallery Scene. Case study: the rise and fall of the 1980s Warehouse Gallery District
- Public funding for the Arts. Case study: the Arts Commission, CETA, and the Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs.
- The Ebb and Flow of Art Criticism. Case study: Artpaper
PUBLISHED CONTENT
By documenting and publishing these conversations, in written or podcast format, the project will create a repository of content that gives historical context to the arts scene today. This context can help equip current and future generations to advocate for a thriving and resilient ecosystem for the arts in our city.
COMMUNITY SPACE
In September of 2023, the Arts District secured access to a space in the Timber & Tie building, which created the opportunity at the heart of this project: a physical gathering place, with a round table in the center.
INTERACTIVE DISPLAY
One wall of the space will feature a large map identifying the major buildings and public art landmarks in the geographical Arts District; spanning another wall will be an interactive timeline installation bringing visitors through the history of the Arts District and the visual arts in Minneapolis, as documented through the project.
How to Get Involved
“The Roundtable Project” is a program of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District to explore the history of the Minneapolis visual arts and advocate for its future. But the Arts District board fully understands that it has only a sliver of the story and that any genuine attempt to capture the wider history of the Minneapolis visual arts will need to bring many more people to the table. Bring your voice to this endeavor.
Join the “Friends” List
The “Friends of the Roundtable Project” is a list of about 50 artists and arts administrators that have agreed to guide the Welcome Center projects. They are helping to develop Roundtable Discussion topics and suggesting possible participants. To be added to this list please email here.
Have Specialized Skills?
If you are a writer, videographer, or history researcher, please email here.
Volunteer?
To help with with any of our projects please email here.