‘Block parties with purpose’: Our Streets launches series to link neighborhoods divided by highways

In the Twin Cities art scene this weekend, the nonprofit advocacy group Our Streets will debut a series celebrating the vibrant cultures of local neighborhoods divided by highways, starting in St. Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood. This initiative follows Minneapolis’ decision not to renew the organization’s contract for this year’s Open Streets events.

Meanwhile in Minneapolis, Somali artists will explore their heritage and history through an outdoor poetry series.

In St. Paul, 15 Latin artists examine their communities’ ancestral connections at the Minnesota Museum of American Art.

‘Imagine’ series’ bridges communities divided by highways

Our Streets , a nonprofit group that advocates for equitable and inclusive infrastructure, is launching a new “Imagine” series this summer following the city’s decision not to renew the group’s contract for 2024 Open Streets events. Our Streets calls the events “block parties with purpose” and the first one kicks off Sunday at St. Paul’s Frogtown and Rondo neighborhoods, featuring interactive art activities, live musical performances, and over 50 local vendors.

Our Streets has been at the forefront of Open Streets events since its inception in 2011, transforming Minneapolis streets into vibrant gatherings packed with local art, food, and music.

“People have over a decade of memories at Open Streets,” said Ember Rasmussen, a senior manager at Our Streets. “Someone who wasn’t from the city told us that they decided to move to Minneapolis after they attended, so I think it’s just a real loss for communities to not have that accessible space.”

While Minneapolis will continue Open Streets events this year with funding of up to $50,000 per event at designated locations like Lyndale Avenue, W. Broadway and Nicollet Avenue, efforts to find partners for events in Franklin Avenue and northeast neighborhoods are ongoing. According to Rasmussen, this leaves already underfunded communities without sufficient resources and support.

“Northeast and Franklin don’t have the resources to be able to organize an Open Streets event on their own,” Rasmussen said. “It really makes it impossible for them to participate because it’s not going to be affordable.”

“I think a good comparison to think about is organizing a wedding with 150 people. The wedding might be $30,000 or more, and we were throwing events for over 50,000 people in Minneapolis each year.”

The new Imagine series aims to engage communities in reimagining their neighborhoods historically impacted by transportation projects in the Twin Cities. This includes Frogtown and Rondo, and the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, all of which were disrupted and reshaped by Interstate 94 construction; and Sixth Avenue N., the “Beale Street” of north Minneapolis, which was cleaved by Olson Memorial Highway.

“These highway projects have had negative consequences,” Rasmussen said. “Community members who live closer to the highway have greater rates of asthma, heart disease and a lower life expectancy. … So, with these events, we really wanted to just make a space for community members to imagine what their communities might have been like if these destructive highway projects had never come through.”

The “Imagine Frogtown and Rondo” event will offer interactive art activities, including shadow puppetry and storytelling, screen printing and tie-dyeing tote bags. Attendees can also use a rotary phone to leave voice messages about their neighborhood hopes and histories, and take a survey on the pending I-94 project, with a chance to win gift cards.

Local performers include Boi Apollo , the Hmong Dance Group, Atim Opoka , Heart & Soul Drum Academy , and DJ AO . Food vendors include Fusionrolls , Good Vibes African Cuisine , Delly J’s Jamaican Catering Services , and Jamisons Hibachi Kitchen.

“The Imagine series is about remembering our past, celebrating the present, and dreaming about the future,” Rasmussen said.

Date: Sunday, July 14

Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Central Village Park, 457 Central Ave. W., St. Paul

Cost: Free

For more information: Visit ourstreetsmn.org .

Somali artists celebrate a rich oral tradition

The Somali Museum of Minnesota will host “Poetry in Nature: Traditional Gabay,” a series exploring gabay, a Somali poetic tradition kept alive by Twin Cities artists . This art form serves as an archive of Somali history and culture.

Curated by interdisciplinary artist Sabrin Nur , whose work draws inspiration from Somali heritage and the natural world, the event will focus on water-themed and environmental poems. Featured poets include Mohamed Eid alongside Somali-American educator and artist Anisa Hagi , whose work tackles themes of mental health, language, and identity.

Date: Saturday, July 13

Time: 4 to 7 p.m.

Location: Peace Park Garden, 4124 Roseway Road, Minneapolis

Cost: Free

For more information: Visit somalimuseum.org .

Latin artists explore ancestral bloodlines

The Minnesota Museum of American Art is presenting “Hilo de la Sangre” (Thread of Blood) , featuring 15 visual artists from the Latine diaspora.

Curated in collaboration with Grupo Soap del Corazón , an artist collective founded by Xavier Tavera and Dougie Padilla , the exhibit explores the cultural and spiritual symbolism of blood. Artists examine ancestral connections and social constructs such as immigration, gender, and individual identity.

Featured artists include Mexican illustrator Betty Árbol who uses humor to explore Mexican culture; Columbian artist Carlos Castro Arias , who recontextualizes historical images and found objects to investigate individual and collective identity; and Mexican artist Luis Fitch , who utilizes various mediums to address the societal impacts of migration and the cultural tension between Mexico and the United States.

The Minnesota Museum of American Art will host an opening reception on August 1 and a panel discussion with the artists on October 13.

Date: Thursday, July 11 through December 1.

Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Location: 350 Robert St. N., St. Paul

Cost: Free

For more information: Visit mmaa.org .

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