🎭 End of a puppet era —The In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre in Minneapolis announced Wednesday that it plans to sell its current space. The theater company began in a church basement in 1973 but began renting what was then called the Avalon Theatre in 1987. The Heart of the Beast stated its goals in locating a new home include better accessibility as well as space for community engagement and expanded programming. The theater will continue at its current venue until a new space is found.
🪕 Minneapolis sounds — The City of Minneapolis’ Arts and Cultural Affairs Department released results of its first-ever music census Wednesday
. The census gathered input from more than 2,000 musicians, venue owners, promoters, studio owners and music industry professionals. The goal was to assess the needs and opportunities in the local music scene. Among its findings: On average, Minneapolis music professionals make a significant amount of their annual income from their music, totaling $62 million across all respondents. Nonetheless, local venues and promoters communicated that they experience regulatory challenges, including regulations regarding sound volume and the costs of security and public safety.
🎨 Storefront art— The city of Minneapolis announced Friday the awardees of the first Vibrant Storefronts Initiative.
The city's pilot initiative subsidizes rent for artists and arts organizations in vacant storefronts downtown. Mayor Jacob Frey announced the inaugural winners at a formerly vacant storefront near Loring Park. They are Twin Cities Pride, Black Business Enterprises, Skntones creative agency, the Flavor World arts and entertainment company and Blackbird Revolt design studio. Blackbird Revolt owner Teresa Moses said it would help them fulfill their dreams. The storefront leases are for two years. The city's arts and culture department hopes to expand the program in 2025.
— MPR News Arts Team
FREE EVENTS
🛼 "Minnesota Mean" — The Minneapolis women's sports bar, A Bar of Their Own, partnered with Minnesota Roller derby, will screen Dawn Mikkelson's derby documentary Saturday at 1 p.m.
🖋️ The Mill City Reading Series— Magers & Quinn Bookstore in Minneapolis present a monthly showcase of works-in-progress by MFA in Creative Writing students at the University of Minnesota this Sunday at 5 p.m.
FEATURED ART AND CULTURE STORIES
The glamour unravels: Haunting echoes of denial and hope in 'Cabaret'
The University of Minnesota’s sold-out production of “Cabaret” blends dazzling performances with a chilling exploration of denial, humanity and political upheaval, reflecting the timeless relevance of its themes.
☪️ Woman to Woman: Artist Hend Al-Mansour celebrates women and Islamic art
Hend Al-Mansour’s new exhibition, “Contain Me,”
opening Nov. 23 at SOO Visual Art Center in Minneapolis, celebrates Khadijah and Hafsah, wives of the Prophet Muhammad, through kaleidoscopic video animations and painted illustrations that honor their influence on early Islam while reclaiming Al-Mansour’s place as a woman in Islamic art.
📖 Turning pages through time: St. Paul’s Red Balloon Bookshop celebrates its 40th year
The Red Balloon Bookshop in St. Paul celebrates 40 years as a beloved community hub for children’s books, storytimes and local literary events, weathering challenges like eBooks, Amazon and the pandemic.
