Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefronts

The program offers a two-year opportunity for these five awardees to strengthen their business models while engaging the public through their art. By subsidizing rent in previously vacant storefronts, the initiative breathes new life into these spaces, situated in the Harmon Place Historic District. 

Each storefront will feature dynamic quarterly programming, transforming these once-empty spaces into vibrant hubs of creativity and community engagement. This transformation underscores the program’s commitment to turning vacancy into vibrancy in Minneapolis. 

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Location of the 2024 Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefront Awardees

In its inaugural year, the Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefronts fund awarded $224,202 to subsidize rental costs for creative entrepreneurs. This initiative aims to foster creativity, enhance vibrancy, and promote economic sustainability in downtown Minneapolis, and we are thrilled to introduce the first cohort.

View the 2024 Arts & Culture Vibrant Storefront Awardees

  • 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

    Twin Cities Pride’s mission is to empower every LGBTQ+ person to live as their true self. The Pride Cultural Arts Center (PCAC) is an exciting next step in fulfilling that mission by creating a physical and cultural hub for community, connection, and growth.

    The PCAC serves as a dynamic platform for expression, education, and support. With programs like Rainbow Wardrobe, art classes, gallery space, cultural education, and support groups, it provides a welcoming and vibrant environment where individuals and families can feel celebrated and embraced. By highlighting the rich culture of the LGBTQ+ community, the PCAC aims to foster a deep sense of belonging and pride.

  • 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 Avenue

    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.