Art-A-Whirl 2018

It’s time to paint the town red with the 23rd annual Art-A-Whirl. Scratch that. It’s time to paint the town every color found inside Crayola’s 64-count crayon box. You know, the box that every kid in class with the standard 24-count box (me) was jealous of. I mean, it had the Macaroni and Cheese and Purple Mountains’ Majesty colors and the sharpener on the back. Come on, it was like Christmas morning for kindergarten art projects.

Covering Northeast Minneapolis in a blanket of creativity Friday, May 18, through Sunday, May 20, the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association’s (NEMAA) Art-A-Whirl will give visitors a chance to view the creations from more than 650 artists at more than 50 locations, including Vevang MPLS, Solar Arts Building, Casket Arts Building and many, many more. A full list of participating locations can be found on the 2018 Art-A-Whirl map.

But it doesn’t stop there. Art-A-Whirl, which happens to be the largest annual open artist studio tour in the U.S., will also give art enthusiasts the opportunity to view demonstrations, mini workshops, installations and special exhibitions during the artists’ open studio tours. And the best part about all of this is the price of admission: free. Visitors can go to one, two or all three days, view as much art as they want, all for $0.00.

Trolley Rides

And don’t let the anxiety of trying to find parking put a damper on your plans. Free trolley rides will run all weekend, picking up and dropping off visitors approximately every 15 minutes at a number of locations spread across the event.

First Trolley Departs:
Grain Belt Studios
Friday, May 18: 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 19: noon
Sunday, May 20: noon

Last Trolley Departs
Grain Belt Studios
Friday, May 18: 10 p.m.
Saturday, May 19: 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 20: 5 p.m.

A full list of trolley stops can be found here.

Dining

All of this art observing will no doubt leave you hungry and thirsty. Fortunately, there are plenty of dining options just blocks—or even steps—away from participating locations. Chow down on a plate of Red Stag Stroganoff or roasted half chicken at Red Stag Supperclub—one of the brainchild’s of James Beard Award semifinalist Kim Bartmann. Or quench your thirst with a slew of craft ciders at Sociable Cider Werks.

The Twin Cities have long been known as an arts mecca. It’s a community that values the freedom of expression, and events such as Art-A-Whirl are just one of the many pieces of that creativity puzzle.