The Wake

Out with the old, in with the new, or so is the idea. The new millennium saw the beginning of a new age for the arts and entertainment scene in the Twin Cities. In the spirit of looking toward the unprecedented future, entertainment outlets across the city desired space for repair and expansion. Fights over land have resulted in a number of institutions being stuffed in different locations around the city. Though much of a debate topic, space is not what’s on everyone’s mind when these proposals come to attention. Rather, it is the idea, or belief, that these establishments will do something for the community.

Being a hot spot on the global map has always been a concern for those who launch these propositions. A place on any top-ten list gives a boost to the ego and a possible starting point for tourism campaigns. Whichever initial spark flies, the gathered consensus of the Minneapolis/St. Paul art community seems to have always been about enriching the collections and providing education for the younger generations. This wish is always on the people’s lips, albeit along with money woes.

Renovations are not cheap. Constricting an entirely new building is even more expensive. For buildings that boast state of the art facilities and cutting-edge technology such as the Guthrie Theater and the Target Gallery at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, average Minnesotans wonder how much of their paychecks is put towards these projects. The answers vary.

Take, for instance, the new Guthrie Theater. On the banks of the Mississippi River, the Guthrie sits on prime real estate. The land, fought over by those wanting to build a new stadium for the Minnesota Twins, is just one part. The entire idea of a new Guthrie had been brought up and beaten down several times before government funding was ever approved, and government funding means money paid out of your pocket. Planning for the new theater goes back to before 2000. The Guthrie first asked the Minnesota Legislature for funding in 1999. Three million dollars for planning was approved and then vetoed by then-Governor Ventura, which was in turn overrode by Legislature. Two years later, the Legislature approved $24 million for a new Guthrie, which was again opposed by Ventura.

Polls in the spring of 2000 showed the public basically split down the middle on the issue. Forty-three percent of those polled were strongly against giving $23 million for a theater, questioning the need.
Some said that the money would be better spent on sports stadiums, which would draw more revenue, and many said that money should go toward economic development zones in Minneapolis and easing the state deficit. Not until Governor Tim Pawlenty came to office did the fight for the Guthrie come to an end. From then on it was just a question of when the construction would begin. It is a given that a struggle of opinions will break out when government funding is needed for any project.

There are routes that involve no money. Side-stepping a common battle for money, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts began the arduous task of raising money for a new gallery several years before the millennium passed. Unlike the Guthrie Theater, MIA sought donations and sponsorship outside the Minnesota government. Housed in a wing off-set from the main building, the new Target Gallery was built totally from contributions from private patrons and various companies and foundations.

The “Bring Art to Life” campaign had an initial goal to raise $100 million to fund the addition. After 15 years of fundraising and a large starting donation of over $10 million dollars from the Target Corporation, the MIA has its new gallery.

Despite any debate on the use of state funding, support for the arts in the Twin Cities has never been doubted. Republican or Democrat, no matter the skin color or religion, Minneapolis and St. Paul residents recognize the arts. Many developments may not be on as large a scale as the Guthrie or MIA, but people are always pushing for new developments. Oftentimes citizens have the option of voting yes or no to a proposed project, as was the case for the Minneapolis Central Library in downtown. Voters approved the $140 million project to improve library services in November 2000; renovations began soon after.

This eagerness for enrichment has not gone unnoticed. In November 2008, the Wallace Foundation honored Minneapolis and St. Paul with $6.9 million to create a four-year plan, which involves helping the art community grow and increasing audience numbers. The Wallace Foundation is an independent national foundation that seeks to improve education through art and strengthening that community. Being chosen for this award gives a glimpse into the attention Minneapolis and St. Paul are garnering.

With every new development in the Twin Cities, be it a theater or a culture festival, there is the ever-present voice yearning to be heard in the national arena. Push for the projects like the Guthrie Theater and the Target Gallery at MIA were given drive by the idea that instituting such structures would bring national and even worldwide attention to Minneapolis and St. Paul. According to Mayor Chris Coleman, St. Paul is continually voted one of the most livable cities in America because of the opportunities for art and cultural exploration. This pride in one’s community extends beyond the high-rolling politicians. Many small patches of people express a continuing desire for the cultivation of art in the Twin Cities.

In the past few years, the largest support comes from the younger generation, those in college or recently graduated. Whether or not they attend galleries and plays regularly, many young adults believe that promotion of the arts is beneficial to Minnesota. There is the stance that the arts provide a better and more educational outlet than television, which is never short of sex and violence. In giving art to these young people, they will in turn provide an even larger opportunity for growth in the same sector.