What a day. What a room. What a community.
Table painted by Aribert Munzner and James Gregory. (Remo Campopiano)
If you were there on opening day at the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Welcome Center, you know exactly what I mean. The place was packed shoulder to shoulder with neighbors, artists, founders, city officials and curious newcomers — and not just for a quick peek. People stayed. They talked. They explored the Timeline Exhibit in depth. They lingered around the roundtable. The buzz of conversation, discovery and recognition filled the air. It was one of the largest events we’ve ever held — and, without a doubt, one of the most meaningful.
I just want to say thank you. Thank you for showing up and showing what kind of community we are.
This event took a year and a half to bring to life. It came together thanks to the dedication of many hands and hearts. Melanie Bethke’s leadership as project manager kept us grounded. The writing team — Katherine Boyce, Lisa Roy and myself — crafted the storylines that now live on the wall and online. Louise Harty and Patricia Canney brought their talents to the print design, giving the exhibit its visual cohesion. Josh Blanc, Herman Milligan and Ellen Elavsky helped get the word out when it mattered most. We also thank Sarah Whiting, Lisa Roy and Scott Streble for capturing the exhibit with their photography.
Three generous sponsors — Artist Resource Group, Paradigm Printing and Bolger Printing — donated their services to make this project possible. And, of course, we’re grateful to the Arts District board for their support and funding, without which this exhibit wouldn’t have come to life. The subject of the exhibit, the California Building itself, wouldn’t be what it is without John Kremer and Jennifer Young, who decades ago saw its potential as an affordable workspace for artists.
But this exhibit is more than a celebration of the past — it’s a living record. Unlike a traditional gallery show, which often stands alone and disappears when it’s over, a timeline exhibit contributes to a growing, cumulative archive — each piece adding a distinct layer to our shared cultural story. In a gallery, it’s the art on view that draws us in; in a timeline, it’s the artists, their lived experiences and the voices of the community that take center stage.
Through profiles, photographs, videos and first-hand reflections, the exhibit not only honors where we’ve been — it shows how we became who we are. And because each timeline is mirrored online, it becomes part of a digital archive that may last in perpetuity, available for future artists, researchers, and historians to explore, revisit, and build upon.
This is just the first of what we hope will be many timeline exhibits. That’s where you come in.
Volunteer by sending an email to Melanie Bethke at melaniebethke@proton.me.
Looking ahead, we will soon be launching a major initiative to record oral histories from artists and art leaders, through a new interactive exhibit about the Downtown Gallery Renaissance of the 1980s and hosting roundtable conversations about the roots and future of our creative community.
We need writers, researchers, storytellers and digital tinkerers to help us create future timelines. We also need Saturday greeters — warm-hearted folks who can welcome visitors and share what this exhibit is about. If you’ve ever wanted to help preserve the history of our arts community or just spend time with curious minds, we’d love to have you.
And yes, the roundtable at the heart of the Welcome Center — that twelve-seat gathering place — has already become a place of conversation and collaboration. If you’d like to help program discussions there, or imagine new ways it can be used, step forward.
The Welcome Center is more than a space — it’s a spark. Step up and you can be part of it. Together, we’re building a more connected, creative and lasting arts community.
Let’s keep going.
Let’s keep telling our stories.
Let’s keep welcoming each other in.
The Northeast Minneapolis Arts District Welcome Center, in the Timber & Tie building, 904 14th Ave, NE, is open Saturdays, 12-5 p.m. or by appointment.