NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS ARTS DISTRICT CELEBRATES USA TODAY’S DESIGNATION AS TOP ARTS DISTRICT IN THE NATION!

Neighborhood Party on April 1: We’re #1, No Joke!

Minneapolis, MN, March 15, 2015—“A Community Celebration of The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, The Best Arts District in the USA!” will take place on April 1, 2015, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the hottest new events location in town: Solar Arts by Chowgirls, located on the top floor of the Solar Arts Building, 711-15th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413. Hosted by the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Board of Directors, this event is sponsored by the Solar Arts Building, home to 28 creative businesses including artists, designers, photographers and arts-related service providers, as well as. Indeed Brewery, and Chowgirls Killer Catering, official caterer of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District.

When the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Board learned the District won “Best Art District” via USA Today’s “10 Best Readers’ Choice” award, first thoughts went to getting the word out. Next thoughts went to celebrating the award and saying “thank you!” to those who paved the path to get us here. This is a perfect time to acknowledge the artists and business owners who came together–many of whom had been gentrified out of other Minneapolis neighborhoods–and worked with politicians and city leaders, stressing the economic and philanthropic values that a thriving, creative sector provides. As with Rome, the District wasn’t built in a day and it’s time to celebrate its uniqueness, its history and its future. The “10Best Award” shines a national spotlight on the District, and puts its artists, studios and supporting businesses in news around the United States. Huzzah!

So although this celebration takes place on April’s Fool Day, it’s no joke that the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District is #1. We invite the community and special guests to celebrate with an evening full of live music, a cash bar, tasty bites, and schmoozing in the amazingly lovely, brick and timber “Solar Arts by Chowgirls” space. Please join us!

ABOUT THE NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS ARTS DISTRICT—The geographic boundaries of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District are the Mississippi River on the West, 26th Avenue on the North, Central Avenue on the East and Broadway on the South in the city of Minneapolis, MN. The district contains a diverse mix of businesses, restaurants, parks, art galleries and studios as well as industrial and residential property. Warehouses and rail yards are interspersed with homes, churches and family-run businesses. Artists populate many of the historic and formerly industrial buildings, which have been re-purposed and renovated into studios, galleries and performance spaces. Independent galleries have sprung up throughout Northeast, with a concentration along the District’s 13th Avenue.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, October 1, 2014—A Board of Directors has been created to be an advocate and voice for the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District. The Board’s mission statement is:

To support artists, arts and culture in the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District by encouraging artistic inspiration and creativity, as well as incubating arts related projects while encouraging thoughtful economic growth, tourism, worldwide cultural artistic exchanges, political effectiveness and community connectivity.

The Board will work to continue to build a city-wide presence of the brand—remaining focused on the arts,  artists, and supportive businesses in the area—and ensure that its identity (name and logo) is used in accordance to the mission. As a unified voice, the Board will represent the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District to the city and work to ensure that future District—and neighboring—developments consider the District’s needs and concerns. The Board is dedicated to keeping the District a vibrant, enticing destination. It will be transparent in its actions and partner with like-minded organizations to invite and encourage participation and action from community members and arts supporters.

The Board includes long-time Northeast Minneapolis Arts District artists and advocates/ volunteers, Dougie Padilla, Josh Blanc and Karen Wilcox, arts administration expert Leslie Palmer-Ross, Northeast business owner Mary Cassidy (Maeve’s Cafe), marketing/arts volunteers Herman Milligan and Betsy Gabler, and Michael Rainville, Chair of the Ritz Theatre Foundation. The Articles of Incorporation were filed in mid-September. An advisory panel is being recruited.

Information about Board meetings and Northeast Minneapolis Arts District initiatives is available online:
https://www.facebook.com/northeastartsdistrict
http://www.northeastminneapolisartsdistrict.com

The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District and, thus, its Board of Directors is an outcome of Minneapolis’s 2003 Art Action Plan. The Board extends appreciation and gratitude to the District’s fiscal agent, the Northeast Community Development Corporation. It also looks forward to continued support from long-standing friends: the Arts District Committee, comprised of Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA) staff, Northeast Community Development Corporation staff, the Northeast Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce and interested community members.

ABOUT THE NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS ARTS DISTRICT
The geographic boundaries of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District are the Mississippi River on the West, 26th Avenue on the North, Central Avenue on the East and Broadway on the South in the city of Minneapolis, MN.

The district contains a diverse mix of businesses, restaurants, parks, art galleries and studios as well as industrial and residential property. Warehouses and rail yards are interspersed with homes, churches and family-run businesses. Artists populate many of the historic and formerly industrial buildings, which have been re-purposed and renovated into studios, galleries and performance spaces. Independent galleries have sprung up throughout Northeast, with a concentration along the District’s 13th Avenue. For more information contact Betsy Gabler at [email protected]