40 Reasons to Give for Artspace’s 40th Anniversary

40 Reasons to Make a Gift:

1. Artspace creates and manages properties that are pet friendly. We love our furry friends and family members!

2. Artspace Immersion, a program from our Consulting and Strategic Partnerships department, benefits creative organizations in creative cities.

3. In 40 years, Artspace has created over 1,700 live/work units for artists and their families

4. We always celebrate a construction milestone with Groundbreakings, Ground Blessings, or Topping Off ceremonies.

5. Artspace is proud to have the Tannery Arts Center – and arts and performance complex in Santa Cruz, CA – in our portfolio.

6. Our tenants put on over 250 property events per year across the country.

7. We evolved since our founding in 1979 from serving artists as an arts space advocate, to a developer that creates the spaces we advocated for.

8. The Black Dog Café, a St. Paul institution, is one of our commercial tenants. They put on regular shows – go check ‘em out!

9. We support families and some properties even have multigenerational tenants. Read about the Nelson family at Artspace Franklin Art Center in Brainerd, MN.

10. We have 436 commercial tenants that bring creative business to their community!

11. Artspace properties are (excitingly) part of major art walks across the country, including in the Twin Cities (MN); Patchogue, NY; Santa Cruz, CA; Seattle, WA; and Michigan City, IN.

12. We love our home state! Artspace has 22 properties in Minnesota – and we’ve got one more on the way!

13. Artspace loves to connect with our residents, friends, and everyone else. We’re ~super~ online – check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Spotify, Twitter, Vimeo, and YouTube.

14. The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts was literally put into place on Hennepin Avenue. The Shubert Theater (now known as the Goodale Theater) was moved two blocks to its current location. It took multiple days to transport, and, at 5.8 million pounds, it was the heaviest building ever moved on rubber tires. This is a Guinness World Record!

15. Our Galveston, TX property – the National Hotel Artist Lofts – was a labor of love created by the community of artists there. Artspace was brought in to help make the dream a reality, and the property opened in 2001.

16. Artspace properties celebrate *big* Grand Openings that are open to the community!

17. Elder Street Artist Lofts in Houston is sometimes considered one of the most haunted places in Texas! We think the fantastic artistry there is what’s most haunting.

18. Five of our properties used to be schools! Some are classically “school” and some are a little more glamorous.

19. Artspace’s Consulting and Strategic Partnerships team has consulted with over 230 communities across the country.

20. Our first Native arts center is currently in development. Check out Oglala Lakota Artspace – made possible with First Peoples Fund and Lakota Funds.

21. Artspace has many resident artists – but we support artists-in-residence opportunities too! In 2019, we had artists-in-residence at El Barrio’s Artspace PS109 in Harlem, New York, NY, and at the City Hall Artspace Lofts in Dearborn, MI.

22. We engage (and are lucky to work with) amazing community partners like the PA‘I Foundation, Juxtaposition Arts, and A New Leaf, among others.

23. Artspace has properties in 23 states!

24. Artspace finds awesome property managers who work on-site and love their communities.

25. We have strong programming spaces in our portfolio! Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center and The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts bring their communities entertaining and educational opportunities all year.

26. Artspace is excited to have a new podcast! Check out Artspace Perspectives.

27. Our Annual Fundraiser, AMP it Up! is nothing short of awesome.

28. We create more and more affordable housing for artists and their families – each and every year.

29. Our Minneapolis, MN headquarters are in an artist cooperative building that we helped stabilize. We love the Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art.

30. In 2018, Artspace created over 1,100 new construction jobs.

31. Each live/work unit is as unique as the artist who lives there. Our resident artists can make their space their own – just compare studios at Artspace Franklin Art Center.

32. With the Space to Create Program, we’re developing affordable artist housing with in rural spaces across Colorado.

33. We have many historic rehabilitation projects in our portfolio. And look at El Barrio’s Artspace PS109! Harvester Artspace Lofts! Bell Artspace Campus! They’re… beautiful (if we do say so).

34. Artspace produces a QUARTERLY periodical, where we keep everyone abreast of Artspace updates, and the amazing residents we have. Find the pieces on our website – search type “QUARTERLY NEWSLETTERS.”

35. Our residents are: poets, musicians, glass artists, basket weavers, makeup artists, collage creators, costume makers, hair stylists, painters, designers, actors, chefs, jewelry artists…

36. Artspace staff presents at conferences internationally, learning about and speaking to arts service, placemaking, and affordability.

37. We’re excited to have residents newly moved into our first island property. Hello to Ola Ka ‘Ilima Artspace Lofts – and keep an eye out for a Grand Opening announcement in 2020.

38. Artspace families benefit from on-site community programming, playgrounds, and greenspace.

39. Our properties support veterans!

40. One of Artspace’s major programs is the Rafala Green Fellowship Program, where we support two fellows for two years. And, spoiler alert, they’re awesome (hi, Amanda and Jeremy!)