By Kyle Smelter

We ventured to the newly reopened Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to get up close and personal with new pieces fresh off the facelift and old favorites (we’re looking at you, Spoonbridge and Cherry). Take a virtual tour of this outdoor exhibit, and then visit the iconic Twin Cities attraction in person to see any of the 50-plus pieces yourself. You can even make a day out of it by going to the adjacent Walker Art Center or Loring Park afterward.

By Tammy Galvin

In nearly every neighborhood in and around the Twin Cities, there are public displays of art, from whimsical statues to vibrant murals. We even have art among our bridge railings and stone benches, where subtle, wrought iron medallions and story-telling mosaic tiles are embedded for the discerning eye to find. Indeed, art is everywhere. You just have to look up from your phone long enough to appreciate it.

To help you do so with intention, visit-twincities.com is sharing our go-to repositories of tours for walking, driving or biking (you choose). Next time you are looking for something to do, try to discover the hidden—and obvious—gems found across Minneapolis and St. Paul.

We’ll start with the City of Minneapolis’ public art collection, perfectly presented via six interactive map tours. Each of these unique tours is geographically organized for anyone to explore at their leisure. For every art piece, you’ll find detailed information about its creation along with directions on how to find it via Google Maps. You can choose to follow the numbered tour order provided, or choose your own order and visit individual artworks that pique your interest. To find out the number of artworks, featured artists and length of each tour, explore this map.

• For the North Minneapolis Tour with 32 works of art by 12 artists, click here.
• For the East Minneapolis Tour with 74 works of art by 12 artists, click here.
• For the downtown Minneapolis Tour with 69 works of art by 32 artists, click here.
• For the South Minneapolis Tour with 19 works of art by 16 artists, click here.
• For the Southeast Minneapolis Tour with 45 works of art by 14 artists, click here.
• For the Southwest Minneapolis Tour with 77 works of art by 16 artists, click here.

Regardless of the Minneapolis region you tour, share your adventures on social media with #TourMplsArt.

But why limit your art viewing to Minneapolis? You can also hop on the METRO Blue or Green Line light rails and station-hop to partake in Metro Transit’s Public Art Program. The integrated public art program supports creativity and innovation in all things, and through the metro light rail stations, the program hopes to marry function with forms that may inspire discovery in otherwise predictable spaces.

The METRO Green Line has 18 stations (plus five shared with the METRO Blue Line) spanning nearly 10 miles between downtown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis. When visiting the site, simply click a station name to learn more about the public art along the line.

The METRO Blue Line has 19 stations spanning 12 miles between downtown Minneapolis and Mall of America in Bloomington. Again, just click on a station name to learn more about the public art along the line.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the Minnesota Percent for Art in Public Places program, which places works of art in and around state buildings in areas that are regularly accessible to the general public. Administered by the Minnesota State Arts Board in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Administration, the program secures artwork in two ways: by purchasing existing work or by commissioning artists to create new work especially for the state building or site.

In order to reflect the rich diversity of Minnesota citizens, the Percent for Art program chooses artwork that represents a wide range of social, cultural and historical values. The work also must be enduring. thought provoking, and fiscally responsible and appropriate for the space. There are completed projects in more than 100 locations around Minnesota, from the International Wolf Center in Ely to the Minnesota Judicial Center in Saint Paul.

Admittedly, Percent for Art is an odd name for an art program—until you understand its genesis. Artwork is purchased with funds provided by Minnesota’s 1984 “Percent for Art” legislation, which encourages state building projects with construction or renovation budgets of $500,000 or more to use up to 1 percent of the total construction budget to purchase or commission original artwork for the site.

Finally, there are two additional sources to guide you on your art-seeking tours. The Hennepin County library system has a searchable database featuring all of the permanent and temporary art displays throughout the region. And the aptly named Start Seeing Art is, perhaps, the most comprehensive map of Twin Cities public art.

By Natalie Hall

Among the vibrant blooms and variations of green foliage at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, artists have re-framed the concept of tree houses in 12 outdoor structures.

These are not your childhood tree houses. The “Amazing Spaces, Places and Escapes: Re-imagining Tree Houses” exhibit at the Arboretum, on display through Oct. 1, was created by local artists, architects and hobbyists who expressed the notion of a tree house with ingenuity and childish accuracy.

Discover “Alice in Wonderland”-esque structures: oversized birdhouses, an upside-down building suspended in the sky and an underground home. “Corridor” resembles a bridge hovering in the canopy; kaleidoscopic mirrors duplicate trees and sky in “Double Canopy,” and “Oculus” is a floating bed, framing the branches and leaves overhead as you lie on your back in the fort.

Tour all 12 tree houses and vote for your favorite until Sept. 18. The people’s choice winner will be revealed at the Arboretum’s Fall Harvest Festival on Sept. 30.

Immerse yourself in USA Today’s No. 1 Botanical Garden of 2017. As you wander through the 32 diverse gardens of the Arboretum, hear the swish of Minnesota-native grasses in the Prairie garden and explore Midwest garden staples in the Peony Walk garden. See all 1,137 acres of gardens and relive childhood dreams as you climb into creative fortresses at the Arboretum’s tree house exhibit.

By Claire Noack

A weekend full of food, art, entertainment and sunshine is just what we need right now as the summer kicks off. During the warmer months, the Twin Cities is flooded with talented artists showcasing their work at art festivals nearly every other week. Starting out the season of outdoor art browsing, the Edina Art Fair is an absolute must see with artwork from more than 280 Minnesota, U.S. and Canadian artists.

The upscale shops at 50th & France shopping district in Edina get artsy this weekend from June 2-4. The 51st annual art festival is celebrated as one of the best art fairs in the Twin Cities and ranks in the top 50 art festivals in the U.S. New this year will be extended craft beer garden hours and entertainment, a food truck court, youth booth, community art project, and art fair artifacts inside the Edina 50 mall.

Art

At the Edina Art Fair, the artwork is as varied as the 280 artists from around North America. Booths line the streets of 50th & France with all mediums of art, from sculptures and glassware to paintings and photography. Crafts, jewelry and other handmade goods are abundant as well. Several up-and-coming artists (age 8-18) will also be displaying and selling their work alongside professional artists with the fair’s new youth program. Art enthusiasts are sure to find new and innovative pieces to add to their collections at the three-day art celebration.

If you’re looking for a more hands-on experience, visitors can participate in a community art project by painting a panel on a large canvas. The panels will create a pre-drawn design that will be displayed on Sunday. To get involved in the project, head over to the Edina 5-0 parking lot in the Kids Zone, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Food & Brew

Three food courts and two beer gardens will be located around the festival to keep art-lovers up and running all weekend long. At the Edina Grill Craft Beer Garden, you’ll find Freehouse beers paired with live music by The Finn Band (Friday) and Honocopia (Saturday). Wine and kiddie cocktails, with fresh raspberries, lime juice, lemonade, cranberry juice and ginger beer, will also be served at the beer garden on 49 1/2 Street. Nearby at the 49 1/2 Street Food Court, booths will dish out delectable eats from local restaurants and food trucks, including D’Amico & Sons, The Purple People Feeder, Gass Concessions, Mario’s, The Original Breadcone and Tot Boss.

For more tropical fare, head over to the Pig & Fiddle Food & Drink area for a pig roast and cocktail bar. The eatery will be serving pork-related cuisine from pork sandwiches to pork tacos, along with margaritas and more in the parking lot on Ewing Avenue and 50th Street.

The Red Cow Craft Beer Garden, located in the Red Cow parking lot, will have local Minnesota beers on tap, along with bean bag toss and food truck favorites. Across the street on Drew and Chowen Avenues, the East Food Court will serve up grub from Arezzo Ristorante, Red Cow, Sweet Dreams Candy, Fun Fare, Adam’s Gyros, Hot Indian and Anchor Fish & Chips.

For a full list of foods and drinks, check the Edina Art Fair website.

Entertainment

An array of live entertainment from bands to magic shows and ballet performances will be featured all weekend long. Don’t miss a special performance presented by Paisley Park, as DJ Michael Holtz pays tribute to Prince by playing the musical icon’s greatest hits for a full hour.

There is also plenty of activities to keep little ones entertained at the Kids Zone. Crafts and art projects, karaoke, bouncy houses, games and much more will keep your tots having fun during the art fair. A close by park, Centennial Lakes Park, is another great place in the area for kids and adults to take a break from the bustle of the fair.

Hours & Transportation

Admission is free to enter the art fair and there are free parking and transportation options as well. Free parking is available in three parking ramps in the area off of 49 and West 51st Streets. A bike corral is located in the Edina 5-0 parking lot. There is also a free shuttle that will pick up visitors at the Southdale Shopping Center at the southwest corner of the mall, at the corner of West 69th Street and France Avenue South.

The Edina Art Fair will run Friday and Saturday (June 2-3) from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday (June 4) from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

By Kyle Smelter

The 22nd annual Art-A-Whirl will blanket Northeast Minneapolis in a kaleidoscope of color May 19-21. All throughout the neighborhood, talented and local artists will be showing off their latest and greatest creations at breweries, studios, galleries and various brick-and-mortar establishments, and we here at Visit Twin Cities thought it would be a good idea to provide some background into the lives and histories of each of these art-filled stops so visitors and enthusiasts alike can immerse themselves in the city’s history and creative genius all at the same time.

Artspace Jackson Flats or, Jac Flats, if you prefer, in Northeast Minneapolis was a $10 million live/work development project built with the goal of achieving low-cost living for artists and their families. But it has become so much more than that. The four-story, 69,000-square-foot building features 35 units of affordable rental housing that has become a living, breathing and thriving creative community built from the ground up for those who call it home.

Inside, open floor plans, durable surfaces, high ceilings and expansive windows can be found in the units designed to unshackle the limitations of their occupants and to give them enough space to let their creative juices flow freely. Each unit is a space dedicated to providing a nurturing environment for artists to pursue their passion while also being able to afford the basic necessities of life. The development also features a community space where tenants can showcase their art in a variety of mediums from exhibits to performances. So, while Art-A-Whirl may only officially last a weekend for the masses, every day is Art-A-Whirl at Jackson Flats.

During Art-A-Whirl, the artist sanctuary will feature works from more than 10 artists, including drip and wash paintings from Jacob Eidem, the creation of quality, everyday items made from metal by Hans Early-Nelson, owner of Primitive Precision Metalcraft, sculptures from PenndraAnn that are created by repurposing discarded or abandoned materials and more. For a complete guide to every stop and artist, Art-A-Whirl’s artist directory will have everything you’re looking for. And be sure to check out our profiles on the whimsical Betty Danger’s Country Club and fare-filled Food Building.

Artspace Jackson Flats
901 18 ½ Ave. N.E., Minneapolis 55418

By Kyle Smelter

The 22nd annual Art-A-Whirl will blanket Northeast Minneapolis in a kaleidoscope of color May 19-21. All throughout the neighborhood, talented local artists will be showing off their latest and greatest creations at breweries, studios, galleries and various brick-and-mortar establishments, and we here at Visit Twin Cities thought it would be a good idea to provide some background into the lives and histories of each of these art-filled stops, so visitors and enthusiasts alike can immerse themselves in the city’s history and creative genius all at the same time.

Food Building

Food. You know it, you need it, you (sometimes) love it. In a city where you can find an award-winning restaurant cooking up delicious edibles on almost every corner, you can also find a place that makes it possible for eateries such as these to continue to serve up mouth-watering fare plate after plate—the Food Building. This longtime (100+ years) Northeast Minneapolis resident has seen a lot in its lifetime. More recently, it’s seen one of its tenants, The Lone Grazer Creamery, close its doors. Today, it’s the base of operations for Red Table Meat Co., a salumi producer co-founded by Mike Phillips that sources its meat from local, sustainable farms, and Baker’s Field Flour & Bread, a small-scale grain mill headed by Steve Horton of Rustica Bakery that uses stone milling to create naturally leavened breads. If you ever want to see all of the TLC that goes into the production of these beloved bites, you can walk, bike, bus or drive yourself there for either a self-guided or guided ($15 per person and includes a tasting) tour.

At this year’s festival, the Food Building will play host to works from more than 10 artists, including drawings from Kate Burbach, paintings from Susan Davies, printmaking from The Bitter Buffalo and more. For a complete guide to every building and artist, Art-A-Whirl’s artist directory will have everything you are looking for.

Class dismissed.

More info on Red Table Meat Co.

More info on Baker’s Field Flour & Bread