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Welcome to the City of Minneapolis office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy newsletter. Here you will find information on program and partner related news and updates, opportunities, events and special announcements.
Sign up for the Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy newsletter at http://www.minneapolismn.gov/coordinator/arts/index.htm
This is a Special Issue Newsletter
News: Today is National Census Day!
 photos by Nancy Musinguzi.
This is no April Fool - Today is National Census Day!
The U.S. census is a count of all residents in the United States taken every 10 years and is required by the U.S. Constitution. It is used to determine political representation and federal funding distribution for governments, including at the state and local levels. In 2020, it will determine how many congressional representatives Minnesota will have for the next decade. Getting an accurate and complete count of all residents is vital.
Creative CityMaking (CCM) artists, Roxanne Anderson and Anna Meyer have worked with City staff to curate tools to mobilize under counted communities across Minneapolis. While, the Census has long been a tool used by the government to organize and provide resources to communities it has also under counted the same communities that are underrepresented in decision making. Giving the lead to the community, the City has decided to take a different approach to the 2020 Census by partnering with Creative CityMaking and community-based artist organizers to ensure that everyone is empowered to be part of the 2020 Census. The City’s interest in collaborating with artists Anna Meyer and Roxanne Anderson on this project is to ensure the voices and experiences of historically under counted communities are reflected in our work and to help ensure a complete count in 2020.
On National Census Day the artists are launching a YouTube Channel which will become a virtual platform to host and share information, artwork, community stories, songs and images about the 2020 Census.This virtual resource is now more important than ever as we all cope with COVID-19 related restrictions on community gatherings. Visit the YouTube Channel to tell your story and hear what others are saying.
Artists Create Engagement Tools to Mobilize Under-Counted Communities
The goal of Creative CityMaking, a program of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, is to develop new arts-based, field-tested approaches that engage traditionally underrepresented communities and stimulate innovative thinking and practices for more responsive government. This work increases the City’s capacity to address inequities in areas such as political representation, housing, transportation, income, and race.
CCM artists Anna Meyer and Roxanne Anderson have collaborated with the City’s Neighborhood and Community Relations Department and the larger community using creative processes to identify meaningful messages and then curating and commissioning art that can be used as tools to mobilize and encourage participation in the Census 2020.
Anderson and Meyer have a long history of authentic relationships in LGBTQ and BIPOC communities and have woven dynamic partnerships with multiple artists in the creation of Census 2020 related artworks. They have worked with local artists such as Council Vice President and poet Andrea Jenkins who created a Census 2020 poem, visual artist Ricardo Levins Morales who created a Census 2020 image representing the vast diversity in our Minneapolis communities, visual artist Sophie Fesser who created a Census 2020 image centering our Trans communities, musician Kevin Kaoz Moore who created a Census 2020 song, spoken word artist Baki Z Porter who created a Census 2020 chant and filmmaker Ben Kreibich who created community based videos. For more information and to view the artwork check out the City of Minneapolis WeCount web page.
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 Artwork by Ricardo Morales Levens
Both artists have dedicated their lives to mobilizing, healing, and training communities. Anderson has many awards for their QTPOC work including University of Minnesota’s Community Excellence Award, BIPOC, and is a 2018 Bush Fellowship recipient. Meyer has years of experience working for local and national LGBTQ and BIPOC communities including two decades with youth and families experiencing homelessness in the Twin Cities and Washington DC. Anderson is the Director of the Minnesota Transgender Health Coalition and principle of Rox Anderson Consulting. Meyer is a Bio-dynamic Craniosacral Therapist and is the founder of AK Healing Practice, working toward healing and social justice for BIPOC communities. Anderson and Meyer were owners of the beloved Cafe Southside. They manage and create platforms for art, healing and social justice through RARE Productions.
The commissioned artworks are intended as tools to help mobilize community action and are available for community to through the City of Minneapolis WeCount web page. To request access to the Creative CityMaking curated artwork, please contact alberder.gillespie@minneapolismn.gov
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Coming up: Virtual Community Office Hours
Join Gulgun Kayim, Director of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy on Fridays from 9:00 am -10:30 a.m and Teeko Yang, Creative CityMaking Project Manager on Wednesdays from 10:00 am to Noon for virtual community office hours . Community members are welcome to reserve time with staff to meet virtually - reservations necessary! Dates and contact information below:
For meetings with Gulgun Kayim: e-mail Gulgun.Kayim@minneapolismn.gov to notify that you will be attending and call: 612-710-2232 on Friday April 3rd
For meetings with Teeko Yang: e-mail Teeko.Yang@minneapolismn.gov to notify that you will be attending and call: 612-271-4960 Wednesday April 8th
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