Northern Lightsmn Inc

SUPPORTING ARTISTS IN THE CREATION AND PRESENTATION OF ART IN THE PUBLIC SPHERE, FOCUSING ON INNOVATIVE USES OF TECHNOLOGY TO IMAGINE NEW INTERACTIONS BETWEEN AUDIENCE, ARTWORK AND PLACE AND EXPLORE EXPANDED POSSIBILITIES FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

NORTHERN SPARK: A FREE ALL-NIGHT ARTS FESTIVAL THAT LIGHTS UP THE TWIN CITIES EACH SUMMER. ON THE SECOND SATURDAY IN JUNE, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHER THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO EXPLORE INSTALLATIONS, EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCES AND PARTICIPATORY ACTIVITIES. FROM DUSK TO DAWN THE CITY SURPRISES YOU: FRIENDLY CROWDS, GLOWING GROUPS OF CYCLISTS, AN UNEXPECTED PATH THROUGH THE URBAN LANDSCAPE, THE MAGIC OF SUNRISE AFTER A NIGHT OF AMAZING ART AND EXPERIENCES. NORTHERN SPARK IS THE ONE-NIGHT ARTS EVENT PEOPLE TALK ABOUT FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. IN THE PAST 11 YEARS OF THE FESTIVAL, WE HAVE PRESENTED THE WORK OF HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS TO A TOTAL ATTENDANCE OF OVER 300,000 PEOPLE. NOTHERN SPARK INCLUDES AN ARTIST COUNCIL, WHICH IS A ROTATING GROUP OF INDEPENDENT ARTIST CONSULTANTS WHO WORK WITH NL STAFF TO VISION, PLAN, CURATE AND JURY THE NORTHERN SPARK FESTIVAL EACH YEAR. WORKING IN 3 YEAR TERMS, THIS GROUP AIMS TO REDUCE BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION IN THE FESTIVAL FOR ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES OF COLOR. THIS PROGRAM SERVES ALSO AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND NETWORK BUILDING FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS. MEMBERS RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR THEIR TIME ON THE COUNCIL, ANNUALLY.

ART(ISTS) ON THE VERGE: AN ANNUAL INTENSIVE, MENTOR-BASED FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM FOR 4 MINNESOTA-BASED, EMERGING ARTISTS, WORKING EXPERIMENTALLY AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART, TECHNOLOGY, AND DIGITAL CULTURE WITH A FOCUS ON NETWORK-BASED PRACTICES THAT ARE INTERACTIVE AND/OR PARTICIPATORY. THE YEAR-LONG PROGRAM CULMINATES IN INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC-SPACE PROJECTS. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE AOV FELLOWSHIP AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS IS TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE HABITAT FOR THE LOCAL ECOLOGY OF EXPERIMENTAL ART PRACTICE WITH THE FOLLOWING KEY ELEMENTS: CRITICAL SUPPORT AND EVALUATION, MONETARY AND TECHNICAL RESOURCES, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT, AND INSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION. THE 11TH YEAR OF THE FELLOWSHIP CONCLUDED IN FALL 2021.

VARIOUS INNOVATIVE AND PARTICIPATORY PUBLIC ART PROJECTS AND EVENTS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE AND INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND TO TRANSFORM THE SENSE OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN PUBLIC SPACE, INCLUDING THE GIANT SING ALONG AT THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR, PERMANENT INTERACTIVE PUBLIC ART FOR SAINT PAUL'S UNION DEPOT, AQUANESIA, A FUTURISTIC MYSTERY GAME PLAYED ON BICYCLES ABOUT THE WATERSHED; AND ILLUMINATE THE LOCK, CONVERTING THE DECOMMISSIONED SAINT ANTHONY FALLS LOCK INTO A PUBLIC PLATFORM FOR EXPERIMENTAL ART, AMONG MANY OTHER PROJECTS. BETWEEN THESE PROGRAMS AND NORTHERN SPARK, NORTHERN LIGHTS.MN HAS COLLABORATED WITH OVER 300 ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING FOR THE PUBLIC.