Arts in Minneapolis
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Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
is the largest city in the US state of
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
Hennepin County Hennepin County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state's most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin. The county extends from Minneapo ...
. Minneapolitans support a dozen large art, cultural, science, and historical museums alongside smaller galleries and museums, four large ballet, dance, and folkdance companies, as well as filmmakers groups and numerous theater companies. The city publishes updates to ''The Minneapolis Plan for Arts and Culture'' which has produced results such as the formal recognition of the Northeast Arts District in Northeast Minneapolis.


Visual art

The
Minneapolis Institute of Arts The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) is an arts museum located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Home to more than 90,000 works of art representing 5,000 years of world history, Mia is one of the largest art museums in the United Stat ...
, founded in 1883, is located near the
Minneapolis College of Art and Design The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) is a private college specializing in the visual arts and located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. MCAD currently enrolls approximately 800 students. MCAD is one of just a few major art schools to offer ...
in south central Minneapolis. Designed by the New York architectural firm
McKim, Mead and White McKim, Mead & White was an American architectural firm that came to define architectural practice, urbanism, and the ideals of the American Renaissance in fin de siècle New York. The firm's founding partners Charles Follen McKim (1847–1909), ...
, the original building opened its doors in 1915. Already the largest art museum in the city, the MIA expanded in 1974 with an addition designed by the late Japanese architect
Kenzo Tange is a common masculine Japanese given name. Possible writings Kenzō can be written using different kanji characters and can mean: *賢三, "wise, three" *健三, "healthy, three" *謙三, "humble, three" *健想, "healthy, concept" *建造, "bu ...
. In June 2006, the museum unveiled a new wing designed by architect
Michael Graves Michael Graves (July 9, 1934 – March 12, 2015) was an American architect, designer, and educator, as well as principal of Michael Graves and Associates and Michael Graves Design Group. He was a member of The New York Five and the Memphis Gr ...
. The Minneapolis Park Board collaborated with the
Walker Art Center The Walker Art Center is a multidisciplinary contemporary art center in the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is one of the most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in the United States and, to ...
to build the outdoor Minneapolis Sculpture Garden near downtown and across the street from the center. The north wing of the
Walker Art Center The Walker Art Center is a multidisciplinary contemporary art center in the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Walker is one of the most-visited modern and contemporary art museums in the United States and, to ...
opened in 1971 and was designed by
Edward Larrabee Barnes Edward Larrabee Barnes (April 22, 1915 – September 22, 2004) was an American architect. His work was characterized by the "fusing fModernism with vernacular architecture and understated design." Barnes was best known for his adherence to st ...
. In 2005, an expansion designed by
Herzog & de Meuron Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd.,
" Herzog & de Meuron. Retrieved on 11 October 2012. "Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd. R ...
opened that doubled the size of the museum and added new galleries, a restaurant, and a 385-seat theater. The
Weisman Art Museum The Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum is an art museum at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Founded in 1934 as University Gallery, the museum was originally housed in an upper floor of the university's Northrop Auditorium. In 19 ...
on the University of Minnesota campus offers a varied collection with strengths in early American modernism, ceramics, and Asian furniture. The Weisman is housed in a stainless steel building designed by architect Frank Gehry. The
Warehouse District This is a list of notable warehouse districts. A warehouse district or warehouse row is an area found in many urban setting known for being the current or former location of numerous warehouses. Logistically, warehouses are often located in indust ...
adjoining downtown was a hub of studio and gallery activity in the 1980s and early 1990s, but increasing rents and a surge of condominium and retail development caused many artists and galleries to relocate to other areas of the city or to the Lowertown District of downtown Saint Paul. Despite the negative effects of gentrification on the neighborhood's art scene, the
Warehouse District This is a list of notable warehouse districts. A warehouse district or warehouse row is an area found in many urban setting known for being the current or former location of numerous warehouses. Logistically, warehouses are often located in indust ...
continues to be home to various studio buildings, commercial art galleries, and nonprofit arts organizations. The
Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art The Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art (TZCVA) is an artist cooperative located in the historic Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1993, TZCVA was established to create an artist-owned and managed buil ...
(TZCVA), a prominent artist cooperative and exhibition space founded in 1995, anchors the eastern part of the district. The
artist collective An artist collective is an initiative that is the result of a group of artists working together, usually under their own management, towards shared aims. The aims of an artist collective can include almost anything that is relevant to the need ...
in Minneapolis, The Handicraft Guild founded in 1904, sits just outside the North Loop in the business district of downtown next to the headquarters of the
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, f ...
corporation. South Minneapolis had the Soap Factory, an experimental art space the operated for 30 years before shutting down in 2019 due to financial issues. Today,
Northeast Minneapolis Northeast is a defined community in the U.S. city of Minneapolis that is composed of 13 smaller neighborhoods whose street addresses end in "NE". Unofficially it also includes the neighborhoods of the University community which have "NE" addre ...
is a vibrant visual arts community in the city, including the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District established in 2001, and the
Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association The Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (or NEMAA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization of working artists and allies based in Northeast Minneapolis, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Founded by a small collective of artists in 1995, today ...
. Art-a-Whirl in May and The Art Attack at the Northrup-King building in November are open-studio events in Northeast Minneapolis. The Stone Arch Festival is held on the riverfront across from downtown. The Uptown Art Fair and art fairs in
Loring Park Loring Park is a park in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. History Loring Park was established in 1883 after the passage of the Park Act, which first created the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. The park was first ...
and Powderhorn Park are held during August.
Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA) is the largest and most comprehensive independent nonprofit book arts center in the United States. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, MCBA is a nationally recognized leader in the celebration and preservation o ...
is known for supporting the traditional crafts of hand papermaking, letterpress printing and hand bookbinding, and contemporary art and artists utilizing these disciplines. Founded during the 1970s, the Women's Art Registry of Minnesota (WARM) collective and gallery was in Minneapolis until it moved to Saint Paul where it continues as a volunteer organization. Juxtaposition Arts, located in Jordan, is a youth-oriented visual art center. Beyond the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, there are a number of outdoor artworks throughout Minneapolis including Jeff Barber's '' Cottontail on the Trail'' and the statue of
Mary Tyler Moore Mary Tyler Moore (December 29, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was an American actress, producer, and social advocate. She is best known for her roles on ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' (1961–1966) and ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' (1970–1977), which ...
on
Nicollet Mall Nicollet Mall is a twelve-block portion of Nicollet Avenue running through downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is the shopping and dining district of the city, and also a pedestrian mall and transit mall. Along with Hennepin A ...
.Ellen Crean
Time To Toss Your Tam; Mary Tyler Moore's Minneapolis Statue
CBS News, The Early Show, May 9, 2002


Music

Minneapolis presents live music performances of all kinds. Koerner, Ray & Glover played West Bank cafes while the
Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is oper ...
stopped at
Northrop Auditorium Cyrus Northrop Memorial Auditorium (commonly known as Northrop Auditorium or simply Northrop) is a performing arts venue at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is named in honor of Cyrus Northrop, the university's second presi ...
. The State Theatre, Orpheum Theatre, Dakota, Walker Art Center and Guthrie Theater bring new music to Minneapolis.
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, a
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
native, briefly spent time playing the
Dinkytown Dinkytown is a commercial district within the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Centered at 14th Avenue Southeast and 4th Street Southeast, the district contains several city blocks occupied by various small businesses, restau ...
folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
circuit. Classical music is performed at Orchestra Hall as well as small venues like the Bakken Library and Museum. The
Minnesota Opera Minnesota Opera is a performance organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded as the Center Opera Company in 1963 by the Walker Art Center, and is known for premiering such diverse works as ''Where the Wild Things Are'' by Oliver ...
moved back to Minneapolis from Saint Paul in 1990, one of seven opera companies now operating in the area, including the
Mill City Summer Opera Mill City Summer Opera is a non-profit performing arts organization that produces live opera in Minneapolis. It produces one opera per year, most of which have been staged in the non-traditional venue of the Ruins Courtyard of the Mill City Museum ...
. Concerts at stadiums and theaters in the area continue to draw the world's finest musicians. The
MacPhail Center for Music The MacPhail Center for Music is one of the nation's oldest and largest community-based music education centers. Located in the Mills District of Downtown East, Minneapolis, Minnesota, the school has over 16,000 students, providing instruction at ...
founded in 1907 built new facilities near the Mississippi riverfront in 2006.
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
is Minneapolis's most famous musical progeny. With fellow local musicians, many of whom recorded at
Twin/Tone Records Twin/Tone Records was an independent record label based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which operated from 1977 until 1994. It was the original home of influential Minnesota bands the Replacements and Soul Asylum and was instrumental in helping the T ...
, he helped make First Avenue & 7th Street Entry and Minneapolis one of the most important music venues in the United States. The Time, The Replacements,
The Jayhawks The Jayhawks are an American alternative country and country rock band that emerged from the Twin Cities music scene in the mid-1980s. Led by vocalists/guitarists/songwriters Gary Louris and Mark Olson, their country rock sound was influential ...
,
Lifter Puller Lifter Puller, or LFTR PLLR, was an American indie rock band from the Twin Cities and the Boston area between 1994 and 2000. Their music is considered innovative, with its angular riffs and a synth-infused sound that predated the '80s revival fa ...
,
Hüsker Dü Hüsker Dü () was an American punk rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, bassist/vocalist Greg Norton, and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart. They first gained notabili ...
,
Soul Asylum Soul Asylum is an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Their 1993 hit "Runaway Train" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. The band was originally called Loud Fast Rules, with a lineup consisting of Dav ...
,
Boiled in Lead Boiled in Lead is a rock/world-music band based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and founded in 1983. Tim Walters of ''MusicHound Folk'' called the group "the most important folk-rock band to appear since the 1970s." Influential record producer and mu ...
,
Tapes 'n Tapes Tapes 'n Tapes is an indie rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. History Formed in the winter of 2003 at Carleton College, the band has released four albums. First came the self-released ''Tapes 'n Tapes EP'' in 2004, followed by the full-length ...
, Motion City Soundtrack, Dosh and
Happy Apple Happy Apple is an American jazz trio from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Initially formed in 1996 by David King (drums), Michael Lewis (saxophone), Anton Denner (saxophone) and Cully Swansen (bass), since 1998 the lineup has consisted of King, Lewis, ...
are well known Minneapolis acts. The city has garnered notice for rap and hip hop and the underground group Atmosphere, as well as various other hip-hop artists on the independent label
Rhymesayers Entertainment Rhymesayers Entertainment (sometimes abbreviated RSE) is an American independent hip-hop record label based in Minneapolis. History Rhymesayers Entertainment was co-founded in 1995 by Sean Daley (Slug), Anthony Davis (Ant), Musab Saad (Sab th ...
such as P.O.S,
Eyedea Micheal David Larsen (November 9, 1981 – October 16, 2010), better known by his stage name Eyedea, was an American musician, rapper, and poet. He was a freestyle battle champion and songwriter from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Larsen had appear ...
,
DJ Abilities Gregory Keltgen, better known by his stage name DJ Abilities, is an American underground hip hop producer and DJ signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment who is based in Minneapolis. He is a founding member of Eyedea & Abilities alongside Eyedea, S ...
and
Brother Ali Ali Douglas Newman (born Jason Douglas Newman, July 30, 1977), better known by his stage name Brother Ali, is an American rapper, community activist, and member of the Rhymesayers Entertainment hip hop collective. He has released seven albums ...
. A home to poetry readings in live music venues, Minneapolis has also developed a vibrant
spoken word Spoken word refers to an oral poetic performance art that is based mainly on the poem as well as the performer's aesthetic qualities. It is a late 20th century continuation of an ancient oral artistic tradition that focuses on the aesthetics of ...
community. The Minnesota Boychoir now serving Minnesota for 52 years is a big part of the culture in Minnesotan Choral culture.


Theater

The
Twin Cities Twin cities are a special case of two neighboring cities or urban centres that grow into a single conurbation – or narrowly separated urban areas – over time. There are no formal criteria, but twin cities are generally comparable in sta ...
has an active live theater scene and is the third-largest theater market in the U.S. after New York City and Chicago, supporting the Jungle, Mixed Blood, Skewed Visions, the
Brave New Workshop The Brave New Workshop (BNW), based in Minneapolis, Minnesota was founded by Dudley Riggs in 1958 and is the longest running sketch and improvisational comedy theater in the US. BNW continues the tradition, of writing, producing, and performing ...
, Theater Latté Da and the Children's Theatre Company. and The Guthrie Theater has 32,000 subscribers and moved in 2006 to a riverfront complex designed by
Jean Nouvel Jean Nouvel (; born 12 August 1945) is a French architect. Nouvel studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and was a founding member of ''Mars 1976'' and '' Syndicat de l'Architecture'', France’s first labor union for architects. He has o ...
for three stages—thrust (1,100 seats), proscenium (700 seats) and experimental (200 seats). The 178-foot cantilevered bridge to the Mississippi is open to visitors during box office hours. and and Founder
Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at h ...
who directed a modern-dress production of ''
Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
'' for the opening in 1963, was devoted to innovation. For the opening of the new Guthrie, artistic director
Joe Dowling Joe Dowling (born 27 September 1948) is an artistic director. He was artistic director for the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. He is known for his work as artistic director of the Abbey Theatre in Ireland and his produc ...
chose ''
The Real Thing The Real Thing or Real Thing may refer to: Film and television * The Real Thing (film), ''The Real Thing'' (film) or ''Livers Ain't Cheap'', a 1996 American film * ''The Real Thing'', a 1980 television documentary by James Burke (science historian) ...
''. Minneapolis purchased and renovated three historic theaters on
Hennepin Avenue Hennepin Avenue is a major street in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It runs from Lakewood Cemetery (at West 36th Street), north through the Uptown District of Southwest Minneapolis, through the Virginia Triangle, the former "Bottleneck" a ...
which are leased and managed through 2035 by a non-profit trust and guaranteed by Clear Channel Communications subsidiary SFX Entertainment and spin-off Live Nation. The Orpheum (2,618 seats), the
State State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...
(2,181 seats) and the
Pantages Alexander Pantages (Περικλῆς Ἀλέξανδρος Πανταζής , ''Periklis Alexandros Padazis''; 1867 – February 17, 1936) was a Greek American vaudeville impresario and early film producer, motion picture producer. He created ...
(900 seats) were built between 1916 and 1921 for vaudeville, movies and music and now offer concerts and Broadway and off-Broadway shows. and and and


Literature

The Loft Literary Center founded in 1974 and
The Playwrights' Center The Playwrights' Center is a non-profit theatre organization focused on both supporting playwrights and promoting new plays to production at theaters across the country. It is located in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. In Oc ...
support many of the writers, poets, and playwrights who flourish in the area.


Dance

A number of dance and performance arts organizations are based in Minneapolis. These include organizations that range from the James Sewell Ballet to
Cheer, Dorothy, Cheer! Cheer, Dorothy, Cheer! is a non-profit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States). The organization was founded by three gay men in 2002 to promote diversity, raise HIV/AIDS awareness, and raise money for other non-profit organi ...
, a six-person troop that performs choreographed cheerleader inspired routines. The historic Shubert Theatre building was physically moved three blocks to a new location on Hennepin Avenue adjacent to the
Hennepin Center for the Arts The Hennepin Center for the Arts (HCA) is an art center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It occupies a building on Hennepin Avenue constructed in 1888 as a Masonic Temple. The building was designed by Long and Kees in the Richardsonian ...
. The Shubert (now Goodale Theater) and HCA combined to form the
Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts (formerly the Minnesota Shubert Performing Arts and Education Center) is a performing arts center and flagship for dance in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. The Cowles Center was de ...
.


See also

*
Music of Minnesota The music of Minnesota began with the native rhythms and songs of Indigenous peoples, the first inhabitants of the lands which later became the U.S. state of Minnesota. Métis fur-trading voyageurs introduced the chansons of their French ances ...
* Theater in Minnesota


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Arts In Minneapolis Minneapolis–Saint Paul Culture of Minneapolis