Philanthropy : Featured Stories

Microloans help artists bridge the gaps between other sources of funding. Springboard for the Arts is currently testing a microloan model and has partnered with Kiva, a microlending platform that funds small businesses around the world.  

During Artspace’s Breaking Ground “Idea Lab” October 14-15 in MSP, artists were identified as visionaries and leaders who bring the dark matter of communities--history, memory, relationships--to light through art and creative processes.

The Friendly Streets Initiative, which grew out of a group of volunteers working with various neighborhood organizations to make biking and walking safer in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood, is now changing communities throughout MSP.

Music, art, craft beer: Earlier this month, MSP'ers enjoyed a tantalizing glimpse of the (possible) future for a 1.5-mile stretch of St. Paul riverfront during the River Balcony Prototyping Festival.

Artspace’s annual Breaking Ground event evolves this year from one dynamic evening of speakers and performances to an immersive, two-day “idea lab” on Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15 in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Artspace enjoys a long history of working with culturally distinct groups in the development of affordable artist live/work housing and community spaces. From El Barrio in NY to Honolulu, HI, these projects allow artists to celebrate themselves.

Farm-fresh produce, handmade books on a floating library, historic walking tours along the Green Line and feasting locally are our top picks for July arts and culture in MSP.   

Festivals galore during the month of June, just a few of them listed here. There's the big one--Northern Spark 2016--as well as smaller neighborhood gatherings and opportunities to make new friends over food and brews.  

The second article in our two-part series about the diverse people and companies that helped build the Minneapolis-St. Paul theater community.

The arts real-estate nonprofit Artspace is re-scaling its work to take a more geographic approach that includes consulting with a cohort of art organizations in Detroit and developing creative districts in rural Colorado. 

New research reveals the catalytic role that libraries and museums are playing in rebuilding troubled neighborhoods. These important  "anchor institutions" are helping drive economic, educational and social efforts in their neighborhoods.

More transit means more value: How community-driven (Frogtown) and historically aware (Lowertown) TOD works using community-led initiatives paired with city-developed plans that include affordable housing.

Artspace’s residential projects fill a critical niche in a city’s ecosystem of affordable housing, particularly for artists. But making the case for public policies and resources to realize these transformative projects is challenging.

McKnight Foundation president Kate Wolford and program officer Eric Muschler at Clare Midtown talk about the foundation's affordable housing initiatives and how well-designed affordable housing is a community asset with long-term benefits.

Twin Cities community developers aim to create more public spaces in lower-income neighborhoods as common assets for all to enjoy.