It's actually kind of fun to amaze coastal dwellers who hold to the myth of Flyover Country with the richness and variety of the arts in this chilly metropolis between the prairie and the woods. Our artistic scene, which some call an "ecosystem," is, in fact, more diverse than most. While many regional cities claim big institutions--ballet companies, major museums, theaters for Broadway touring shows--and many have small galleries, tiny black-box theaters, and grass-roots arts organizations--our towns have art on these levels plus a third, intermediate level: the big but not overgrown arts organization, often dedicated to helping artists develop their careers as well as make their art. Combine this with an envied tradition of corporate and foundation arts funding, and you see why many artists fly into, not over, metro Minnesota.
Bill Kelley, Jon Spayde
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
In one magical zone in the Twin Cities, there's a loon made of junk, a chimney covered in shattered glass and ceramic shards, and a place to buy tarantulas. It's called the Central Corridor. Here's a second look at what photographer Bill Kelley and managing editor Jon Spayde picked out last year as they traveled down University Avenue and Washington Avenue, seeking out their favorite offbeat, oddball, one-of-a-kind things.
Dan Heilman
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
An aggressive, and unconventional, marketing campaign to keep people coming to Central Corridor businesses during light rail construction in 2011 appears to have paid off in less business decline than expected--and a mood of cautious optimism about the future.
Jon Spayde
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
In A Line or Two, I'll be sharing some of my discoveries as I make my way around the Twin Cities--an intriguing upcoming event, a great restaurant meal, a new art gallery, a conversation with a forward thinker, or a web site you should know about. Call it an editor's-note-as-blog-entry. (And I take the photos--Bill Kelley is guiltless.) This time: a return to the marvelous, and still undiscovered, restaurant Filfillah, where you get the lunch your mom made for you if you grew up in Ankara.
Camille LeFevre
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
It's a hip hybrid of retail poster shop, design studio, and coworking space where some of Saint Paul's most entrepreneurial artists gather around--yes!--a big table. And it's a bold move to help build up downtown, too.
Jon Spayde
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
One of the major influences on Big Table Studio (see feature above) has been Jenni Undis' Lunalux print shop and paper-goods store in Minneapolis. So we thought it would be opportune to re-run our Lunalux feature from 2011, in which we describe how Undis combines charm and cool, tradition and innovation. (By the way, the other major influence on Big Table is the CoCo coworking space--check out our Big Picture feature below for more on that.)
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