Inspired by the spirit of Free Ink Day, Print Fest is an open invitation to gather, make something, and celebrate together. 

Highpoint Center for Printmaking is celebrating 25 years with a brand-new, free weekend of printmaking! Print Fest takes over our studios and spills out onto Lake Street with hands-on activities, live demos, a vendor fair, and a bilingual (English/Spanish) public art project.

Public Functionary presents Open Screen Flim May 21

Cinema Red is presented by Public Functionary, along with the artists and groups behind CineFilmu and Open Screen. The event explores how today’s art and cinema connect.

The program responds to ongoing conversations about the marginalization of moving-image artists, the challenges of entering exhibition contexts, and the emergence of new forms of presentation — centering artists who are navigating, or hope to navigate, these overlapping worlds.

The filmmakers — Ajuawak Kapashesit, Martín Blanco, and Uzoma Ngwu — bring strong experience in filmmaking, from coming up with ideas to sharing finished films. They will show samples of their work, explain their process, and join the audience in a community conversation led by Ryan Stopera. This event is free and open to the public.

The commission meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m., and the meetings are open to the public.

The Minneapolis Arts Commission (MAC) gives advice to the City Council and the mayor on issues related to the arts. It was created in 1974 to help support the arts and improve cultural life in Minneapolis. The commission works closely with Arts and Cultural Affairs (ACA) staff, and together they aim to build a strong and active arts community across the city.

ZOMA House is hosting a family friendly afternoon of painting, crafting, and art making for artists of all ages. Bring your own art supplies or the supplies that Zoma House provides.

Mime Workshop with Myron Johnson at Strange Loop Projects on May 16 

Step into the world of physical storytelling in this hands‑on mime workshop led by well‑known choreographer and theater‑maker Myron Johnson. Rooted in classical mime techniques and shaped by modern performance styles, this workshop invites participants to explore how the body alone can create entire worlds.

On May 8, Cruise is showing a new solo exhibition by Tia‑Simone Gardner, an artist and scholar who studies how Black history and experience appear in the landscape. She works with film, photos, drawing, and archives to explore the geography of the Mississippi River and the American South. Her art looks at how land and water can hold stories about hard labor, resistance, and escape.

April Sellers Dance Collective Perfume of the Pearl - Work in progress

Join us at the end of our one-week residency for an intimate, studio-style showing. Meet the collaborators and experience the earliest explorations.

The Chef’z Kitchen Open Rehearsal on Wednesday May 6

This rehearsal celebrates all of the hard work our Chef’zKitchen trainees put into the 6–8 week program. Get a sneak peek at one of the pieces that will be shown exclusively at the premiere of Dance Recipes, created by our talented chefs, on June 26, 2026, at the Capri Theatre.

For 50 years, South Minneapolis has celebrated Mayday with an annual parade, ceremony and festival to honor the coming of Spring on the first Sunday in May.

Mayday Parade lifts up diverse community voices through processional art to celebrate and amplify messages of Peace, Resistance, Unity, Cultural Expression, Social Justice, the Environment, Community and Whimsy. 

Community members, arts groups and unincorporated groups and local organizations are welcome to make art of all forms, join the parade on May 3 and celebrate spring.

Ragamala Dance Company’s signature work, Sacred Earth is a powerful, hour-long journey of movement and music that celebrates the beauty and vitality of the natural world. Performed as a continuous arc of high-energy dance and evocative poetry, the work unfolds like a living ritual.

True North Studio X Curioso Coffee Bar are teaming up for a day full of hands‑on activities, creativity, and community connection. This fun, festive event has something for all ages, with interactive stations and special guests throughout the day. 

True North Studio is also partnering with nearby businesses to keep the celebration going. Queermunity will host a community seed and plant swap while Shop My Closet will welcome visitors for a spring clothing swap.  

Super Spooncarving Saturday at the Center for People and Craft (CPC)

Join CPC on May 2 for a day of spooncarving, knowledge-sharing, and community. Whether you’re brand new or already carving, come spend the day with fresh green wood, shared skills, and good people.

Choose a donation amount that works for you, starting at $20. All proceeds go directly toward buying carving tools for the Center, helping build a shared resource that everyone can learn from and use. Every registration includes the same access to the event, no matter how much you give.

Ragamala Dance Company’s signature work, Sacred Earth is a powerful, hour-long journey of movement and music that celebrates the beauty and vitality of the natural world. Performed as a continuous arc of high-energy dance and evocative poetry, the work unfolds like a living ritual.

Join Z Puppets for their Indigenous Short Film Festival on April 25

Local Indigenous artists will be presenting family-friendly short videos featuring animation, puppetry, comedy and drama. Each screening is free to attend, will be 45 minutes long, and is served popcorn! Recommended for ages 6-adults. Space is limited, arrive up to 30 minutes early to get a seat.

Join The Dream Shop for a fun night of music and good vibes at the Monthly Open Mic Session!

This will be an all-ages show, and admission is free, so tell a friend to tell a friend to come through. Doors will open at 6pm for networking and mingling. Open Mic sign-ups will start at 6:30pm - show begins at 7:30pm.

Come celebrate creativity, connection, and the start of an exciting new season of art at the Pride Cultural Arts Center.

The opening celebration of PCAC’s newest Artist in Residence cohort welcomes four incredible artists into the next chapter of their creative journeys. This shared exhibition marks the start of their residency and gives visitors the first chance to see their work together in one space. 

Throughout the evening, guests can explore each artist’s unique ideas, materials, and stories, and even meet the artists in person. The exhibition shows the wide range of voices and creative styles that shape our community and sets the foundation for the work they will create during their residency. 

ARENA DANCES will premiere four new works by Wynn Fricke, Wendell Gray II, Shane Larson, and Assaf Salhov. These pieces will be performed by ARENA DANCES’ powerful repertory company as part of their 30th anniversary season. 

Rooted in teamwork, bravery, and the power of dance, this program brings together a strong group of dancers—Nieya Amezquita, Alex Arce, Non Edwards, Sarah McCullough, and Jake Nehrbass. They will perform an evening of brand‑new works created by four choreographers whose voices represent different ages, places, and artistic styles. 

This spring, our neighborhood will host a series of free, hands‑on community piñata‑building sessions where anyone can drop in, learn new skills, share their own, and help craft vibrant piñatas as a group. 

The final event is a big Community Piñata Party, where everyone is invited to celebrate, connect, and break open the piñatas we made together. Both events are free and open to all ages, all skill levels, and all community members. 

Join True North Studio X Curioso Coffee Bar will be hosting a monthly Noise Night on the 3rd Thursday of the month with different musicians.

AApril 16 features Steve Solkela, a one‑man band and Minnesota funny man who was born to be on stage. He’s a comedian, musician, and stuntman who studied music at Rowan University in New Jersey, where he starred in several operas and left a lasting mark with his wild, goofy antics.

Roho Collective presents Art Heals : Spirits & Soul

Opening the event will be a short grounding Sound Bath with Dorothy-Inez Deltufo, aka the "Queen of Shine." Jewel Jones a certified herbalist, naturopathic doctor, and founder of Alkaline Academy will be providing free herbal mixes for you to take home and herbal tea will be served throughout the afternoon.

Art Heals creates intentional spaces for community healing and connection through the power of art. We invite the community to participate in a collaborative, large-scale art installation designed to explore the intersections of identity, faith, and heritage. Led by artist and educator Christopheraaron Deanes, this project uses the metaphor of a puzzle to illustrate how individual experiences contribute to a unified national narrative.

Join Vibrant Storefront awardee, Flavor World for an afternoon of creativity, connection, and community at the Flavor World Art Share! A relaxed, show-and-tell style gathering where artists of all mediums are invited to share their work.

Whether you’re sharing a work in progress or a finished piece, this is a welcoming space to be seen and heard. There will be N/A beverages and snacks served. All people, all skill levels, and all mediums of art are welcome. Come hang out, discover and support local talent, and maybe even share something of your own!

Xavier Tavera artist talk at Cruise, a new Vibrant Storefront art gallery in Uptown this Thursday, April 2

Join artist Xavier Tavera and curator Matthew Schum for a focused conversation in conjunction with Tavera's exhibition Unsettled, a meditation on land, energy, and trauma. The talk will unpack where the city goes following recent events in Minneapolis and Tavera’s artistic process, including documenting the local response to the federal surge in the Twin Cities.

This forum is free and open to the public; space is limited and will conclude with an audience discussion and Q&A session

Poet-O-Rama: Humor is Resistance. Joy is Rebellion.

At Strange Loop Laboratory, fourteen bold storytellers take the stage for an evening of poetry, humor, and unfiltered truth. This community gathering doubles as a fundraiser for the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota and the Las Amigas Program, supporting individuals and families affected by ICE enforcement.