# Arts in Minneapolis

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[Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis,_Minnesota) is the largest city in the US state of [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota), and the [county seat](/source/County_seat) of [Hennepin County](/source/Hennepin_County,_Minnesota).

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.[1] 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.[2]

## Visual art

See also: [List of public art in Minneapolis](/source/List_of_public_art_in_Minneapolis)

The [Minneapolis Institute of Arts](/source/Minneapolis_Institute_of_Arts), founded in 1883, is located near the [Minneapolis College of Art and Design](/source/Minneapolis_College_of_Art_and_Design) in south central Minneapolis. Designed by the New York architectural firm [McKim, Mead and White](/source/McKim,_Mead_%26_White), 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](/source/Kenz%C5%8D_Tange). In June 2006, the museum unveiled a new wing designed by architect [Michael Graves](/source/Michael_Graves). The Minneapolis Park Board collaborated with the [Walker Art Center](/source/Walker_Art_Center) to build the outdoor [Minneapolis Sculpture Garden](/source/Minneapolis_Sculpture_Garden) near downtown and across the street from the center. The north wing of the [Walker Art Center](/source/Walker_Art_Center) opened in 1971 and was designed by [Edward Larrabee Barnes](/source/Edward_Larrabee_Barnes). In 2005, an expansion designed by [Herzog & de Meuron](/source/Herzog_%26_de_Meuron) opened that doubled the size of the museum and added new galleries, a restaurant, and a 385-seat theater. The [Weisman Art Museum](/source/Weisman_Art_Museum) 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](/source/Frank_Gehry).

The [Warehouse District](/source/North_Loop,_Minneapolis) 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](/source/Lowertown_Historic_District_(Saint_Paul,_Minnesota)) of downtown Saint Paul. Despite the negative effects of gentrification on the neighborhood's art scene, the [Warehouse District](/source/North_Loop,_Minneapolis) continues to be home to various studio buildings, commercial art galleries, and nonprofit arts organizations. The [Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art](/source/Traffic_Zone_Center_for_Visual_Art) (TZCVA), a prominent artist cooperative and exhibition space founded in 1995, anchors the eastern part of the district. The [artist collective](/source/Artist_collective) in Minneapolis, [The Handicraft Guild](/source/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](/source/Target_Corporation) 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.[3]

Today, [Northeast Minneapolis](/source/Northeast_Minneapolis) is a vibrant visual arts community in the city, including the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District established in 2001, and the [Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association](/source/Northeast_Minneapolis_Arts_Association). 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](/source/Uptown_Art_Fair) and art fairs in [Loring Park](/source/Loring_Park,_Minneapolis) and [Powderhorn Park](/source/Powderhorn_Park,_Minneapolis) are held during August. [Minnesota Center for Book Arts](/source/Minnesota_Center_for_Book_Arts) 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](/source/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.[4]

[Juxtaposition Arts](/source/Juxtaposition_Arts), located in Jordan, is a youth-oriented visual art center.[5]

Beyond the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, there are a number of outdoor artworks throughout Minneapolis including Jeff Barber's *[Cottontail on the Trail](/source/Cottontail_on_the_Trail)* and the statue of [Mary Tyler Moore](/source/Mary_Tyler_Moore) on [Nicollet Mall](/source/Nicollet_Mall).[6][7]

## Music

Minneapolis presents live music performances of all kinds. [Koerner, Ray & Glover](/source/Koerner,_Ray_%26_Glover) played West Bank cafes while the [Metropolitan Opera](/source/Metropolitan_Opera) stopped at [Northrop Auditorium](/source/Northrop_Auditorium). The State Theatre, [Orpheum Theatre](/source/The_Historic_Orpheum_Theatre), Dakota, Walker Art Center and Guthrie Theater bring new music to Minneapolis. [Bob Dylan](/source/Bob_Dylan), a [Minnesota](/source/Minnesota) native, briefly spent time playing the [Dinkytown](/source/Dinkytown) [folk music](/source/Folk_music) circuit. Classical music is performed at [Orchestra Hall](/source/Orchestra_Hall_(Minneapolis)) as well as small venues like the [Bakken Library and Museum](/source/Bakken_Museum). The [Minnesota Opera](/source/Minnesota_Opera) 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](/source/Mill_City_Summer_Opera).[8] Concerts at stadiums and theaters in the area continue to draw the world's finest musicians. The [MacPhail Center for Music](/source/MacPhail_Center_for_Music) founded in 1907 built new facilities near the Mississippi riverfront in 2006. [Prince](/source/Prince_(artist)) is Minneapolis's most famous musical progeny. With fellow local musicians, many of whom recorded at [Twin/Tone Records](/source/Twin/Tone_Records),[9] he helped make [First Avenue](/source/First_Avenue_(nightclub)) & [7th Street Entry](/source/7th_Street_Entry) and Minneapolis one of the most important music venues in the United States.[10] [The Time](/source/The_Time_(band)), [The Replacements](/source/The_Replacements_(band)), [The Jayhawks](/source/The_Jayhawks), [Lifter Puller](/source/Lifter_Puller), [Hüsker Dü](/source/H%C3%BCsker_D%C3%BC), [Soul Asylum](/source/Soul_Asylum), [Boiled in Lead](/source/Boiled_in_Lead), [Tapes 'n Tapes](/source/Tapes_'n_Tapes), Motion City Soundtrack, [Dosh](/source/Dosh_(musician)) and [Happy Apple](/source/Happy_Apple) are well known Minneapolis acts. The city has garnered notice for rap and [hip hop](/source/Hip_hop_music) and the underground group [Atmosphere](/source/Atmosphere_(music_group)), as well as various other hip-hop artists on the independent label [Rhymesayers Entertainment](/source/Rhymesayers_Entertainment) such as [P.O.S](/source/P.O.S_(rapper)), [Eyedea](/source/Eyedea), [DJ Abilities](/source/DJ_Abilities) and [Brother Ali](/source/Brother_Ali). A home to poetry readings in live music venues, Minneapolis has also developed a vibrant [spoken word](/source/Spoken_word) 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](/source/Twin_Cities) has an active live theater scene and is the third-largest theater market in the U.S.[citation needed] after New York City and Chicago, supporting the Jungle, [Mixed Blood](/source/Mixed_Blood_Theatre_Company), [Skewed Visions](/source/Skewed_Visions), the [Brave New Workshop](/source/Brave_New_Workshop), Theater Latté Da and the [Children's Theatre Company](/source/Children's_Theatre_Company).[11][12]

The [Guthrie Theater](/source/Guthrie_Theater) has 32,000 subscribers and moved in 2006 to a riverfront complex designed by [Jean Nouvel](/source/Jean_Nouvel) 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.[13] Founder [Tyrone Guthrie](/source/Tyrone_Guthrie) who directed a modern-dress production of *[Hamlet](/source/Hamlet)* for the opening in 1963, was devoted to innovation. For the opening of the new Guthrie, artistic director [Joe Dowling](/source/Joe_Dowling) chose *[The Real Thing](/source/The_Real_Thing_(play))*.[14]

Minneapolis purchased and renovated three historic theaters on [Hennepin Avenue](/source/Hennepin_Avenue) which are leased and managed through 2035 by a non-profit trust and guaranteed by [Clear Channel Communications](/source/Clear_Channel_Communications) subsidiary SFX Entertainment and spin-off [Live Nation](/source/Live_Nation). The [Orpheum](/source/The_Historic_Orpheum_Theatre) (2,618 seats), the [State](/source/State_Theatre_(Minneapolis,_Minnesota)) (2,181 seats) and the [Pantages](/source/Pantages_Theatre_(Minneapolis)) (900 seats) were built between 1916 and 1921 for vaudeville, movies and music and now offer concerts and Broadway and off-Broadway shows.[15]

## Literature

The [Loft Literary Center](/source/Loft_Literary_Center) founded in 1974 and [The Playwrights' Center](/source/The_Playwrights'_Center) 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](/source/James_Sewell_Ballet) to [Cheer, Dorothy, Cheer!](/source/Cheer,_Dorothy,_Cheer!), a six-person troop that performs choreographed cheerleader inspired routines.

The historic [Shubert Theatre](/source/Shubert_Theatre_(Minneapolis)) building was physically moved three blocks to a new location on Hennepin Avenue adjacent to the [Hennepin Center for the Arts](/source/Hennepin_Center_for_the_Arts). The Shubert (now Goodale Theater) and HCA combined to form the [Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts](/source/Cowles_Center_for_Dance_and_the_Performing_Arts).

## See also

- [Music of Minnesota](/source/Music_of_Minnesota)
- [Theater in Minnesota](/source/Theater_in_Minnesota)

## Notes

1. ["Art & Museums"](http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/residents/artmuseums.asp). City of Minneapolis. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070227084446/http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/residents/artmuseums.asp) 27 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2007-02-12. and ["Music & Theater"](http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/residents/musictheater.asp). City of Minneapolis. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070227084545/http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/residents/musictheater.asp) 27 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2007-02-12.

1. ["City of Minneapolis Plan for Arts and Culture: Process for Development"](http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/dca/planofplan.asp). City of Minneapolis. Retrieved 2007-02-12.

1. ["The Soap Factory to Cease Operations"](https://mspmag.com/arts-and-culture/soap-factory-to-cease-operations/). September 24, 2019.

1. Women's Art Registry of Minnesota (1962–1992). ["WARM Records"](https://web.archive.org/web/20051104163156/http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00101.html). Minnesota Historical Society, PALS number: 09-00027956. Archived from [the original](http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00101.html) on November 4, 2005. Retrieved 2007-01-14.

1. Christenson, Erica. ["Art Center Case Studies: A Comparative Report on 5 Art Center Spaces and Design Decisions"](http://www.cura.umn.edu/sites/cura.advantagelabs.com/files/publications/NPCR-1242.pdf). *cura.umn.edu*. University of Minnesota. Retrieved 11 September 2019.

1. Engh, Rachel (2015). [*Art in Public Places: 2014 Intercept Survey*](http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/public/@cped/documents/webcontent/wcms1p-139462.pdf). City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170128074934/http://www.minneapolismn.gov/www/groups/public/@cped/documents/webcontent/wcms1p-139462.pdf) January 28, 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 27, 2020.

1. Ellen Crean, [Time To Toss Your Tam; Mary Tyler Moore's Minneapolis Statue](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/time-to-toss-your-tam/), CBS News, The Early Show, May 9, 2002

1. Basil Considine (2017). "Twin Cities Home to Many Opera Gangs". Twin Cities Daily Planet.

1. The Twin/Tone Records (1978–1998). ["The Twin/Tone catalog"](http://www.twintone.com/ttcat.html). Retrieved 2007-01-15.

1. Minnesota Historical Society, Catalog ID 002942632 (1999–2004). ["First Avenue & 7th Street Entry Band Files"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070113122802/http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00233.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.mnhs.org/library/findaids/00233.html) on 2007-01-13. Retrieved 2007-01-14.

1. The McClatchy Company (2007). ["Newspapers: Star Tribune"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070208044607/http://www.mcclatchy.com/146/story/456.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.mcclatchy.com/146/story/456.html) on 8 February 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-11.

1. Horwich, Jeff (April 6, 2005). ["Council moves closer to theater deal, but concerns remain"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070116080553/http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/04/06_horwichj_vote/). Minnesota Public Radio. Archived from [the original](http://news.minnesota.publicradio.org/features/2005/04/06_horwichj_vote/) on 2007-01-16. and City of Minneapolis (1997–2007). ["Music & Theater"](http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/residents/musictheater.asp). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070227084545/http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/residents/musictheater.asp) 27 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2007-03-17.

1. Joubert, Claire (May 2006). ["Boom Town"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070615121803/http://minneapolis.org/mediaroom/assets/mplsnews/sa1E74.pdf). Minneapolis St. Paul. Archived from [the original](http://minneapolis.org/mediaroom/assets/mplsnews/sa1E74.pdf) on 2007-06-15. and Baenen, Jeff (May 5, 2006). ["Guthrie Theater brings curtain down on original home"](http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/05/03/guthrieoverview/). AP. and Guthrie Theater (2006). ["Theater History"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070311151931/http://www.guthrietheater.org/INSIDETHEGUTHRIE/TheaterHistory/tabid/83/Default.aspx). Archived from [the original](http://www.guthrietheater.org/INSIDETHEGUTHRIE/TheaterHistory/tabid/83/Default.aspx) on 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2007-03-17.

1. Minnesota Historical Society (2007). ["Guthrie Theater"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070309094537/http://www.mnhs.org/library/tips/history_topics/04guthrie.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.mnhs.org/library/tips/history_topics/04guthrie.html) on March 9, 2007.

1. City of Minneapolis (2005). ["Lease agreement with Hennepin Theatre Trust"](http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/council/2005-meetings/20051007/Docs/Theatres_Lease_Agreement.pdf) and Hennepin Theatre Trust (2002–2007). ["Theatre History"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070329025356/http://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org/history/). Archived from [the original](http://www.hennepintheatredistrict.org/history/) on 2007-03-29. Retrieved 2007-03-18. and ["Preliminary Official Statement, Series 2005-1 Bonds"](https://web.archive.org/web/20061129180601/http://www.muni-source.com/Pages/pdf/2005/Minneapolis-120805.pdf). December 2005. Archived from [the original](http://www.muni-source.com/Pages/pdf/2005/Minneapolis-120805.pdf) on 2006-11-29. Retrieved 2007-03-18. and Clear Channel Communications (2007). ["Company History"](http://www.clearchannel.com/Corporate/PressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=1166). Retrieved 2007-03-17.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arts in Minneapolis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_in_Minneapolis) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_in_Minneapolis?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.