The 15th Annual Fall Fine Arts Show Coming to the Solar Arts Building September 19th

[Last year's Fall Fine Arts opening.]

Like it or not, the State Fair is over, kids are back to school, and a chill is lurking in the air around the corner.

Here at NEMAA, that means The  15th Annual Fall Fine Arts Show is on the way. We're  thick in the middle of preparing for the Fall Fine Arts Show, the other big event on our yearly calendar (after Art-A-Whirl).

The show will be opening on September 19th, and will run for three weeks (Thursday - Sunday) in the third floor of the Solar Arts Building (on 15th Avenue NE and Monroe Street above Indeed Brewing).

We’re expecting over 140 artists to participate, which promises to be a great way to get a taste of the variety of art being made every day in Northeast Minneapolis.


What is Fall Fine Arts?

For me, the most exciting thing about The Fall Fine Arts show is that it’s a completely “open” show where any NEMAA member can submit their work on a first-come, first-served basis. (We cap the show when we reach our capacity). This means that the Fall Fine Arts is be a great way to discover new Northeast artists, and that the show will have a whole spectrum of art available, for serious collectors all the way to younger people who might be interested making an art purchase for the first time.

At the same time, the Fall Fine Arts show gives out awards and prizes for stand-out work. This year, NEMAA is putting together a jury to give out awards that will include Christina Chang (curator at the Minnesota Museum of American Art) and others. Given the rich pool of NEMAA member/artists to choose from, there promises to be a stiff competition for the best of show.


There’s Still Lots of Work to Do

We need your help to make this happen. There is going to be a two-week installation process (already underway). We’re going to have a silent auction, and we’re still reaching out for sponsors to help us with our award prizes.

(For example, 1st Prize is a $350 gift card to Your Arts Desire Framing & Gallery. There are similar prizes from Wet Paint, and others.)

For the opening, we’re getting the band back together to provide music and we’ll have Create Catering providing tasty food. (We’re even adding a second bar to keep away year’s long lines.)

For all this, we need your help. Please contact the Fall Fine Arts Coordinator Briana at fallfinearts@nemaa.org, or you can call Anna in our office at 612-788-1679 to sign up.

Believe it or not, it's fun to volunteer to help with the show, and get a behind the scenes look at one of a great Autumn event calendar. We need lots some elbow grease. Please volunteer if you can!

[We need you!... to help with things like this.]

Arts in Ward Three: Council Member Jacob Frey

Third Ward City Council Member Jacob Frey is passionate about supporting and sustaining the Northeast Minneapolis arts community. Growing up in a family of artists, Frey brings a unique perspective to the City Council and understands the value and impact of the arts.

“The benefit of the creative class is tremendous in every way,” says Frey. “Artists boost the economy and provide a cool factor that is intangible and otherwise wouldn’t be there.”

As council member, Frey’s mission is two-fold: help and get out of the way. According to Frey, help often comes in the form of money, yet that is one of the hardest things for artists to come by. The state of Minnesota does provide some funding for the arts, but they are specific in what they will support. This narrows the framework on which artists are able to gain the financial resources they need, and the end result is “watered down,” franchise style art.

“We don’t want the status quo,” says Frey. “We want art that is challenging, groundbreaking, and will make you uncomfortable at times. We won’t get that if we’re sticking artists in a neat little box.”

Frey believes that help can also come from loosening regulations that make selling art more difficult and less profitable such as permits, sales taxes, etc. Further, he feels that subsidized housing and other supportive services will ensure that artists are able to continue living and working in Northeast.

Ultimately, Frey feels we need to sit back and simply let artists practice their trade. While he has ideas for establishing regular roundtable meetings to promote artists and bring people into Northeast, Frey wants to leave the artistic aspect to the artists.

“The creative process flourishes when you back off and let it happen,” says Frey. “When artists are allowed to paint outside the guidelines, they will do much better.”

Northeast's Changing Landscape

Musicians perform during Art-A-Whirl 2013. Photo by Jeanne Oss

As Art-A-Whirl grows, how symbiotic is the relationship between the Open Artist Studio Tour and the events and music held at local bars? There is a perception among some in the Northeast community that the focus of Art-A-Whirl is shifting towards music and bars and away from visual art, as a recent City Pages article explores. Others in the community believe the entertainment components are necessary to continue to build audiences, with the bars bringing people who otherwise wouldn't attend AAW. In the NEMAA Visitor Survey conducted during AAW 2013, the primary reason given to attend AAW for 64% of the respondents was (still) to view and potentially purchase artwork.  

Art-A-Whirl By The Numbers

Attendees at the Art-A-Whirl 2014 Silent Auction Preview Party

Art-A-Whirl is upon us! Ever wondered what goes into pulling off the event?

Here's some numbers on the who's and what's that make Art-A-Whirl so successful:

30,000 directories printed, which provide information about artists/studios year-round

6,000+ pieces of art for sale, with 10 pieces minimum per artist

2,500 FREE Metro Transit rides 

600 registered NEMAA artists, almost all of whom will show during Art-A-Whirl

400+ open studios (200 alone in the Northrup King Building)

140 volunteers covering the Silent Auction fundraiser and activities before, during and after Art-A-Whirl (including 2 seriously committed volunteers: the Artist Directory & Guide Distribution Volunteer and the On-Call Art-A-Whirl Volunteer)

139 silent auction artworks, with 35 additional items from local businesses (restaurants, etc)

81 business members supporting the work of NEMAA and Art-A-Whirl

60 locations where art will be shown ( with many more "unofficial" locations and artists)

11 board members contributing their time, work, energy, and vision

3 interns (Volunteer Coordinator, Silent Auction Coordinator, and Auction Installation Intern)

2 free trolleys running all weekend

1 Full-Time Staffer (The Executive Director)

1 Part-Time Staffer (The Office Assistant & Development Associate)

The value of giving to a worthy cause

Art-A-Whirl 2013 Silent Auction, photo courtesy Jeanne Oss

When should artists donate their work? Board President Carmen Gutierrez-Bolger weighs in on times she has donated her work, and the value of supporting non-profits such as NEMAA through donations: 

Ask any artist if they will donate a work of art for your non-profit’s silent or live auction and you will probably get a hesitant response. I have three email requests to donate my work right now. In fact, some very nice people knocked on my studio door last week and asked me to donate work. “You will have the opportunity to come to the event and be recognized as an artist/donor.” The work that this non-profit does is truly remarkable and I feel that they are worthy of a donation, but I have to decide which organizations I can afford to help. 

Public Art at the Northeast Library

Installing the frieze

Hennepin County Library recently commissioned a frieze to be installed at the Northeast library branch, 2200 Central Ave NE. On the library’s large south wall, the 40 x 4 foot horizontal frieze features the talents of artists who live and/or work in Northeast Minneapolis. To facilitate the development of this public art project, Hennepin County contracted Jack Becker of Forecast Public Art. A committee involving Hennepin County Library, the Friends of the Northeast library, and others, discussed numerous public art options. Rather than showcase the work of only a single artist, Jack Becker proposed a frieze that could approximate the breadth of work done in NE Minneapolis. This theme to highlight the art produced by multiple NE artists seemed to resonate most strongly, with panel members recognizing the impact of the arts in helping to shape the NE community's history.

Getting ready for Art-A-Whirl

NEMAA staff and volunteers beginning the proofing process