"Making It Public"

A Public Art Conference hosted by the SW MN Arts Council and led by FORECAST PUBLIC ART

Curious about bringing public art to your community?  Have an impactful public art idea but don't know the process to make it happen? Not sure what constitutes public art and how to fund it?

The definition of contemporary public art is expansive – from permanent sculpture to temporary interventions. Participants will explore the dynamic field of public art led by experienced Forecast staff and other professionals in the field.

This two day workshop is created especially for those new to working in the public arena at a time when there are increasing invitations for artists and communities to participate in public space design, civic engagement projects, and public art processes.  

Wednesday, June 24 from 10am - 4pm:
DAY ONE of the workshop is open to artists, community members, design professionals and other cross-sector partners interested in learning more about public art processes.

Thursday, June 25 from 10am - 3 pm:
DAY TWO of the workshop is oriented specifically toward artists interested in learning (and sharing) best practices of public art processes.

Register Now!

This free workshop is made possible by the voters of Minnesota thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund. Additional funding provided by the McKnight Foundation. Minnesota thrives when its artists thrive. The McKnight Foundation supports working artists to create and contribute to vibrant communities.

Mileage reimbursement and stipend scholarships will be awarded on a first come, first served basis to attendees who live in the SMAC Region with geographic distribution factored in. Reimbursement forms will be available onsite at the conference.  Limited funds are available.

Lead by a dynamic duo from FORECAST PUBLIC ART:

Kirstin Wiegmann expands Forecast’s reach supporting communities and artists in realizing their public art dreams through grants, technical assistance, capacity-building trainings, and one-on-one support. Wiegmann leads Forecast’s Education initiative focusing on deepening educational opportunities for educators and teaching artists to increase public art learning in classroom settings. She provides guidance and resources with a focus on convening conversations, facilitating evaluative feedback, and developing interactive, educational approaches for learning about public art.

Carrie Christensen’s work involves a range of projects and experiences in design, education, and community engagement that fall at the intersection of equity and the environment. Her work explores the intersection of arts and community engagement. She has worked nationally and internationally on affordable housing, public art, urban agriculture, tactical urbanism, transportation equity, bike and pedestrian planning, and historic preservation efforts – which shape the foundation of her community-based practice.  She has worked as a consultant with Forecast Public Art since 2011.