Let's talk about Minnesota's identity and the arts

I've been on the Minneapolis Arts Commission for three years, and I'm excited to share news about one of the more interesting and visible activities this commission produces. Mark your calendar. Come listen. Make controversial comments. It'll be fun! Minnesota has long been known for its outsized arts scene. So how has that rich artistic culture shaped the way Minnesotans think about themselves, each other and the rest of the world? Is there such a thing as a shared Minnesota culture and how has art shaped it? On November 30, 2010, the Minneapolis Arts Commission will examine those questions when it hosts "Minnesota Identity and the Arts," a free public discussion with artists who have thought quite a bit about the issue: photographer Wing Young Huie; dancer/choreographer Ananya Chatterjea; television/video documentarian Chuck Olsen, host of public television's MN Original; and a special guest to be announced. Moderated by artist and curator Andy Sturdevant, the evening will feature short presentations from the guests, a panel discussion, and plenty of audience interaction led by WorksProgress, known for its popular interactive Give & Take series at Intermedia Arts. A reception with the artists will follow the program with refreshments. The details Public discussion: "Minnesota's Identity and the Arts" Host: Minneapolis Arts Commission Location: Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis 55408 Date/time: November 30, 2010 at 7 p.m. Cost: Free Moderator: Andy Sturdevant Presenters: Wing Young Huie, Ananya Chatterjea, Chuck Olsen, and special guest to be announced Presenting partners: WorksProgress and Intermedia Arts Biographies Moderator Andy Sturdevant is a writer, curator and artist originally from Louisville, Kentucky, now living in Minneapolis. He's curated shows at the Soap Factory and was a founding force behind the annual Art Shanty Projects attended by thousands on Medicine Lake in Plymouth. His explorations into Minnesota identity include an Art Shanty project in which he asked visitors to help him learn iconic Minnesota skills, such as ice hockey. Presenter Wing Young Huie is an award-winning photographer and is among the area's foremost public artists. His "Lake Street USA" series chronicling life along one of the Twin Cities' longest and most diverse avenues won international acclaim, led to exhibitions at the Walker Art Center and around the world. He was named Artist of the Year by the Star Tribune in 2000 and Best Public Artist in 2010 by Minnesota Monthly for his current series, the University Avenue Project, which opened this summer documenting life along University Avenue in St. Paul with massive photo projections, cabaret nights and other community projects. A Duluth native, he is a frequent lecturer on the topic of identity and art. Presenter Ananya Chatterjea is the founding artistic director of Ananya Dance Theatre, a company of women artists of color working at the intersection of artistic excellence and social justice. She is also a dance scholar and educator, serving as the director of dance for the University of Minnesota and teaching in the Department of Theater Arts and Dance as an associate professor. She has been honored numerous times for her work in social justice and community building, and she has been featured as an Artist of the Year in City Pages and named a "Changemaker" by the Women's Press in Minnesota. Presenter Chuck Olsen is the web producer for MN Original, the new series on local artists presented by Twin Cities Public Television. He is also the co-founder of The UpTake, an award-winning, citizen-fueled news video outlet. And he helped spur the video blog (vlog) movement with the groundbreaking MN Stories website, documenting Minnesota slices of life on the Web. Colin Kloecker is a co-founder of WorksProgress, designing multi-disciplinary events, programs and exhibits that creatively inspire and connect communities. Under the WorksProgress banner, Kloecker has co-produced the popular Solutions Twin Cities as well as the Give & Take series at Intermedia Arts in which community members share skills or knowledge with each other in mini-presentations. A Milwaukee native, he works in sustainable architecture. The Minneapolis Arts Commission is a volunteer board of the City of Minneapolis charged with overseeing the City's commitment to the arts and its public art program. Its 16 members represent a broad swath of arts organizations-from the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center to the Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Theater Alliance to Walker Art Center-as well as artists from every corner of the city and citizens active in promoting the arts in Minneapolis. More on the Minneapolis Arts Commission at: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/dca/arts_home.asp