This month for our arts and culture selections we include the nationally recognized American Crafts Council Show--a bonanza of handcrafted items; a tour of a transformed warehouse in the North Loop; an all-women record release and cultural revision; and one way to celebrate Earth Month.

American Craft Council Show
April 8, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
April 9, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
April 10, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
$11-14
St. Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul
 
This annual exhibition and sale is a cornucopia of exemplary handcrafted goods, home furnishings, wearable art, decorative art, toys, jewelry and even musical instruments created by makers from around the country. The popular programs “Hip Pop” (a juried selection of work by emerging craft artists) and “Let’s Make” (during which visitors can witness artisans’ creative processes) return. So does “Make Room: Modern Design Meets Craft,” which this year features vignettes by Minneapolis designers Jennifer Jorgensen, Liz Gardner, Carter Averbeck and Drew Beson. New this year is “Style Slam,” which pairs up stylists with American Craft Council fashion artists to demonstrate how statement jewelry in the show can be worn. Advance tickets at a discount can be purchased here.

Instameet with Preserve Minneapolis
April 15, 5:30-7 p.m.
Free
ElseWarehouse Building, Minneapolis
 
Instameet, a project of MNCommunity, prides itself on organizing arts and cultural adventures that bring photographers who use Instagram together in places they might not otherwise venture—or have access to. This month the group has teamed up with Preserve Minneapolis for a look into the former Scriver-Andrews Warehouse Company Building, now the ElseWarehouse Apartments, in the North Loop. The former warehouse, constructed between 1920 and 1923, is the latest in the burgeoning hipster neighborhood to be transformed into residences. The building is considered an outstanding example of historic preservation in Minneapolis. See for yourself. Don’t forget to shoot and post.
 
Desdamona and “Siren Sound”
April 16, 8:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Bedlam Lowertown, St. Paul
$10
 
In honor of her new album “No Man’s Land,” and all of the women in hip hop, local hip hop and spoken word artist Desdamona has assembled an all female celebration (“Siren Sound”) to launch her new album. She describes “No Man’s Land” as a “parallel universe where women are the dominant voice in hip hop. Think of it as this world being flipped inside out and everything that once was is now the opposite.” To increase our understanding of this parallel universe, the album includes a set of illustrated nursery rhymes, which encourage listeners and readers to experience “using your own voice, seeing into this world, feeling it, tasting it and of course seeing what goes on in the midst of the crossfire.” Joining Desdamona are breakdance artist Mona Lisa and her crew; the young ladies of S.H.E.; DJ AndthatsBreo; singer PaviElle; and emcee BDot Croc. Purchase tickets here.
 
Tech Dump’s Salvage Saturdays
Saturdays in April, 9 a.m. – noon
St. Paul and Golden Valley
 
One way to celebrate Earth Month this year is to responsibly dispose of your unwanted electronics. On Saturday mornings in April, the nonprofit Tech Dump will gladly relieve you of your computers, cell phones and small household electronics.
Some items require a fee; most are free. Cash or checks are accepted. Read more about the items accepted. Tech Dump, a division of Jobs Foundation, uses what you turn in to create jobs for people with barriers to employment.

Tech Dump handles old electronics in two ways: recycling and repurposing. For the former, Tech Dump employees take apart each piece of equipment, separate its electronic components and reduce them to the simplest state possible before shipping them off to a specialized facility for recycling. For the latter, Tech Dump workers repair or replace damaged or broken components and restore each piece of equipment to good working order. With both processes, any stored data is destroyed (by force, not just erased) before usable components are harvested or recycled.