Artspace Immersion 2015

On May 18th, a dynamic group of community partners from around the country joined us in Minneapolis for this second annual one-day creative placemakng intensive: Artspace Immersion. Artspace’s Consulting team designed the day of tours, workshops, and idea sharing specifically for organizations in the feasibility phase of their arts facility initiative. Wendy Holmes, SVP of Consulting and Strategic Partnerships, and her team were thrilled to host arts leaders from Cheyenne, Wyoming; Rogers Park, Illinois; Loveland, Colorado; Hastings, Minnesota; and Bayfield, Wisconsin.

The very full day began with tours of the Northern Warehouse Artists' Coop in Saint Paul and Artspace Jackson Flats in Minneapolis, where the Immersion group met artist residents in their live/work space and checked out a few commercial tenants’ spaces, such as Springboard for the Arts, MN Leatherworks and Blackdog Coffee. Back at the Artspace office, each participant made a presentation about their local arts community and initiatives to create space for the arts. Artspace staff from across departments joined in the lively discussion, offering insights on everything from fundraising to asset management. Rounding out the afternoon, thematic workshops explored lessons-learned from the development perspective and community engagement throughout a project’s lifetime.

Once the hard work was finished, it was time for the festivities. The Immersion group zipped over to the Cowles Center for Dance and Performance for Breaking Ground: The Artspace Celebration. The event brought together other national and local arts partners to celebrate the year’s accomplishments and honor the phenomenal Artspace artist award recipients. And, of course, with that many artists and arts supporters gathered, the night was filled with music, visuals, dance and food.

With a deeper understanding of Artspace’s approach to arts development and a first-hand account of its impact on artists and neighborhoods, Immersion participants returned to their communities with a strengthened network of national arts leaders... and perhaps a bit of extra inspiration for the long, but rewarding, process of artist-led community development. A big thank you to this year’s Artspace Immersion 2015 participants!