The City of Minneapolis’ Department of Arts & Cultural Affairs (ACA) is excited to announce the inaugural awardees of the Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefronts initiative. This new pilot initiative provides funding to support five local arts organizations—Blackbird Revolt, Black Business Enterprises, Flavor World, Twin Cities Pride, and Skntones ™ — by subsidizing rent in vacant storefronts. In its first year, the Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefronts fund will distribute awards totaling $224,202 to foster creativity, enhance vibrancy, and promote sustainability in Minneapolis.
"Turning empty storefronts into vibrant cultural hubs is a game-changer for Minneapolis,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “The Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefronts initiative gives local artists the resources they need to beautify our downtown, drive creativity, and energize our community. This is just the beginning — and I’m excited to see how this program will shape the future of our city. A huge thank you to our incredible Arts Department for leading the way, and congratulations to all our local awardees!"
The Arts and Culture Vibrant Storefronts pilot initiative was a recommendation that came out of Mayor Jacob Frey’s Vibrant Downtown Storefronts Workgroup and is part of the City’s comprehensive plan, Minneapolis 2040. Mayor Frey allocated and the City Council approved $250,000 in the City’s 2024 budget to launch the initiative. The Mayor has proposed a threefold funding increase in the 2025-2026 city budget to expand into Uptown.
“We are so excited to welcome this new creative energy into Loring Park, which has been a home and venue for artists for generations,” said Council Member Katie Cashman. “Economic and neighborhood revitalization cannot truly happen without art. I am proud to see the City intentionally investing in these partnerships to help write the next chapters for our community.”
“We are thrilled to quickly launch this new initiative that will support some of our most ambitious and creative arts groups in Minneapolis to form a new ‘culture cluster’ in the Harmon Places district, which is between Loring Park and Downtown Minneapolis,” said Ben Johnson, Arts & Cultural Affairs Director. “As we reimagine downtown as the creative arts epicenter of our region, this program invests directly in our local arts community, and it will breathe new life and vitality into downtown.”
This initiative was well-received by artists and cultural organizations across disciplines with 150 sign-ups to tour properties that are eligible for enhancement as part of the Vibrant Storefronts program. ACA also received 43 eligible applications submitted by the September 13 application review deadline. The Arts and Culture Vibrant Storefronts will provide a two-year opportunity for artists and creative entrepreneurs to strengthen their business models and engage the public through their art. The storefronts situated in the Harmon Place Historic District will feature dynamic quarterly programming, transforming vacancy to vibrancy in Minneapolis.
2024 Awardees and their project locations:
- Blackbird Revolt at 1128 Harmon Place –
Blackbird Revolt—an abolitionist design studio—leverages art and design as tools of change that support justice and collective liberation through the support of anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-ableism, sustainability, and other forms of anti-oppression in Minneapolis. This new space will serve as their creative/production studio and shop front, showcasing Blackbird Revolt’s art, design, and apparel, attracting community members and visitors alike. In addition, the site will serve as a site for their live podcast, “The Beak”, and will host exhibitions and creative workshops to highlight artists, activists, and organizers whose work aligns with Blackbird Revolt’s mission and values.
- Black Business Enterprise at 1128 Harmon Place –
Black Business Enterprise (BBE) will be a dynamic art activation hub, providing local artists and business owners a platform to showcase, collaborate, and engage with the community. By hosting pop-up shops, exhibitions, workshops, and weekly events, they aim to foster artistic talent, promote cultural equity, and elevate Minneapolis as a beacon of innovation and inclusivity.
- Twin Cities Pride at 1201 Harmon Place
The Twin Cities Pride Cultural Center will support the LGBTQ+ community in Minneapolis and beyond. Their goal is to bring community into downtown Minneapolis year-round by providing a safe, inclusive space for cultural celebrations and diverse programming like their Artist in Residency program and the Rainbow Wardrobe.
- Flavor World at 1218 Harmon Place –
Flavor World is set to launch "The Flavor Space," a creative hub for Twin Cities artists, emphasizing the next generation of talent. It will feature a rotating gallery and pop-up shop for local artists' consignment work, alongside Flavor World products, a makerspace, and an event venue available for Flavor World events and occasional rentals. Continuing the legacy of Fastprint, this space will also function as a print shop.
- Skntones at 1227 Hennepin Ave –
The proposed studio and office space will mark a major milestone for Skntones™, becoming a vibrant hub for creative professionals. This dynamic space will drive the brand’s product development, design, content production, and community initiatives. It will also serve as a platform to host art exhibitions and galleries featuring work from local artists, with a focus on underrepresented voices, and unveil seasonal line drops to engage and inspire the community.
To learn more about Vibrant Storefronts, please visit https://mplsartsandculture.org/vibrant-storefronts.