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  With Free Arts Minnesota, your donations provide thousands of children a year with a healing creative outlet. All amounts welcome.

  
  

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  Free Arts offers a comprehensive creative empowerment curriculum, to help your organization heal the lives of children and families.

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  Discover the healing power of art in the most rewarding way imaginable; byteaching it! Become a Free Arts Volunteer Mentor.

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  There are many ways to make enormous differences in the lives of children. Find out which way is best for you.

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  Art supplies, office equipment, musical instruments, event tickets and more. There are many items that you can contribute to help children thrive. Help us expand our services by clicking here for a list of the basic supplies we need for new art cabinets! Or check out Free Arts Minnesota's Wish List at Target Lists.

yOU+fREE aRTS = hOPE

YOU are essential in the formula for the FUTURE of Free Arts children. Read More >>.

2010 Annual report

Thanks to your help and support Free Arts Minnesota brought the healing power of art and mentoring to 2,000 children in 2010. Read more here!  

United Way

If you pledge for United Way, designate Free Arts Minnesota as your designee! It's simple, you enter, MN/Minneapolis/Free Arts Minnesota and our zip - 55401. Thanks for your support!

Thomas on Girl Talk

Executive Director Dan Thomas talks to the host of Girl Talk about the mission of Free Arts Minnesota and the youth we serve. Watch the interview here>>

become a mentor today!

Free Arts will expand to twice as many sites in 2011. Get involved by becoming a weekly mentor! Read more and apply >>

Events »

• Volunteer Appreciation Event Saturday, May 5, 2012

  Please join us for a Volunteer Appreciation Picnic filled with food, friends, games, music and prizes! Our volunteer mentors have spent all year giving back to the youth at Free Arts MN, now it's time for them to party and be appreciated! Read More »

  What: Free Arts’ Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event!!!
  Why: To celebrate our volunteer mentors' hard work
  Where: Minnehaha Park
  Wabun Picnic Area-Shelter G
  Minnehaha Regional Park
  4655 46th Ave S
  Minneapolis, MN 55417***click here for directions to the park ***
  When: May 5th, 5-8pm
  Outline of Events:
  5:00 Lawn Games, Music and Appetizers
  5:30 Picnic Style Dinner
  6:30 Volunteer Awards Presented
  
  Mentors, spread the word to your team and feel free to bring a guest and RSVP to Rebecca by April 27th!
  

• MayDay Parade Sunday, May 6, 2012

  Spring is upon us, which means it’s once again time for the May Day Parade! The May Day parade is held annually at Powderhorn Park and is in its 38th year. This year, Free Arts will have a booth in the information alley section of the park during the parade and ceremony that follows. We will be talking to people about becoming mentors and crafting paper flowers with the kids. Read More »

  We are looking for volunteers to help staff our booth. Volunteers will provide information about our organization and help oversee the craft area and flower making activities. The parade takes place on Sunday May 6th at Powderhorn Park. We will set up around 9am and finish around 7pm. Volunteers should be willing to commit to a 3 hour shift at our table. We are also looking for two volunteers to help with general parade set up for 3 hours each as a part of the May Day volunteer exchange program.
  
  Our main goal for the event is mentor recruitment. For anyone who has never attended, the parade is a lot of fun and a great place to learn more about community organizations and non profits in and around Minneapolis. You can read more at the HOTB website.
  
  If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information please email our intern Erica Blanchard.
  

News »

• UNIQUE ART INCOGNITO EVENT TO BENEFIT FREE ARTS September 15

  The second annual 2011 Art Incognito event will feature a unique silent auction of artwork from national and local artists to benefit Free Arts Minnesota, a local non-profit organization that provides arts programming and mentorship to at-risk children. Read More »

  More than 60 works of disguisable pieces will be available for bidding, but the artist names will be withheld until the end to create a night of elusive elegance for the art-loving crowd.
  
  Local, emerging and established artists, including several McKnight Foundation Fellows, will be represented, including:
  • Well known Minneapolis-based artists: Miles Mendenhall, Terrence Payne, Alec Soth, Carrie Thompson and Ed Lentsch.
  • Works from master printer Steven Anderson of Vermillion Editions Limited who has collaborated with Jasper Johns, Chuck Close and Andy Warhol.
  • Celebrated design teams including East Coast graphic designers The Heads of State who have created designs for Wilco and National Public Radio, as well as London-based Gilles & Cecilie Studio who have produced work for Paul Smith and Harvey Nichols.
  • German artist Olaf Hajek who will be lecturing in the Twin Cities next year.
  
  See all the participating artists here!
  

• JOSH GROBAN PARTNERS WITH FREE ARTS MINNESOTA July 2011

  Multi-platinum singer-songwriter to help raise funds for local non-profit
  bringing arts to at-risk kids
  Read More »

  Minneapolis, July 7, 2011 – Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Josh Groban, in partnership with his Find Your Light Foundation and Americans For the Arts, will help raise funds for the local non-profit organization Free Arts Minnesota while in town to perform at Target Center, Friday July 8, 2011. This is the first time Groban has partnered with a local organization while on his worldwide tour. Free Arts Minnesota brings the healing power of art to abused, neglected, homeless and at-risk Twin Cities children.
  
  “Ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience an arts education is very important to me,” said Groban. “Free Arts shares in this mission and helps bring the arts to some of our neediest children.”
  
  Groban is partnering with Americans for the Arts to launch a joint text-to-give campaign, which will run for the duration of his Straight to You tour in 2011. Proceeds from the campaign will go to support both The Find Your Light Foundation and Americans for the Arts as they work to ensure every child and young adult in America has access to quality arts education experiences. Between 8pm-10pm, Friday, July 8, text ART to 50555 to make a $10 donation to support the cause. A portion of the proceeds will go to highlighted organizations throughout the tour; in this case Free Arts Minnesota.
  
  “We are so thrilled to have an artist of Groban’s caliber support our organization and shine light on the work we do for local children,” said Dan Thomas, executive director, Free Arts Minnesota. “With his help and the help of his fans, we can get closer to our goal of serving an additional 2,000 children with the healing power of the arts in 2011.”
  Groban’s tour supports his recent and fifth studio album, Illuminations which has already been certified platinum in the U.S. Its No. 4 debut on Billboard's Top 200 chart is Groban's fourth consecutive Top 5 chart bow. Tickets for Josh’s upcoming show Friday are available through http://www.ticketmaster.com.
  
  About Find Your Light
  To find out more about the Find Your Light Foundation, please visit the organization's website at http://www.findyourlightfoundation.org and/or its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/findyourlightfoundation.
  
  About Americans for the Arts
  Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010, Americans for the Arts is the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. From offices in Washington, DC, and New York City, it serves more than 150,000 organizational and individual members and stakeholders. www.artsusa.org.
  
  CONTACTS:
  Jennifer Stack, For Free Arts, 612.889.4983, jen@relishminds.com
  

• Art Incognito February 2011

  Art auction with a little mystery. Read More »

  Art Incognito, a benefit art event for Free Arts Minnesota was held on November 18th, 2010.
  
  This special event featured art for auction from local, national and international artists. Distinguishable pieces for the savvy collector were unveiled and attendees bid on artwork without knowing the value or the artist. The big reveal took place at the end of the night and guests took home artwork valued from $500 to $5,000. Art Incognito presented an opportunity for both the experienced collector to discover talented emerging artists and beginning collectors to walk away with a renowned artist at an affordable price. The event was held at Edward Lentsch’s Artist League Studios.
  
  Over 50 artists were represented including, Terrance Payne, who was currently in the group exhibit “Flourish” at the Minneapolis Arts Institute; Alec Soth, a photographer that the Walker Art Center has recently completed a survey of his work and was on exhibit; Drew Beson, a performance artist that once spent 104 hours in the Minneapolis skyway - painting; and internationally recognized Mark Ulriksen, who is best known as a featured cover artist of The New Yorker.
  
  The idea for the event was hatched by a committee of women who have accolades tied to the biennial fundraising event, Butterball. The full committee included; Michelle Bradley, Tracy Dyer, Jennifer L. Eggers, Rhonda Hansford, Mary Ann Heine, Sherri Quinn, Anne Rosenberg, Gretchen Bulher Ventura, and Kim Witczak. Sponsors included; Allegra Print and Imaging, Big Top Liquors, Edward Lentsch Artist League Studios, The Jay & Rose Phillips Family Foundation, and Prairie Organic Vodka.
  
  Art Incognito will be back again in September 2011.
  
  Read about the event in Minnesota Monthly, Star Tribune and Artful Living.
  
  

• Dan Thomas on Showcase Minnesota January 2011

  The future looks bright. Read More »

  Dan Thomas, Executive Director, was interviewed on Showcase Minnesota and talked about the plans for 2011. Watch the interview and learn how you can help us reach our goal of serving an additional 2,000 children through the Twice the Healing Campaign.
  
  Watch Interview>>
  

• New Faces at Free Arts Minnesota August 2010

  Free Arts Minnesota elects three new Board Members Read More »

  “We are honored to have three new volunteers bringing their great skills and experience to Free Arts,” said Kim Witczak, board chair, Free Arts Minnesota. “With experience ranging from fundraising to finance to law, and with great connections in the community, Peter Ekberg, Jeff Putnam and Glenn Fisher will strengthen an already strong Board of Directors.”
  
  Peter Ekberg is the co-chair of Faegre and Benson’s emerging companies practice, a leader of the firm's renewable energy practice and is a partner in the firm's corporate group. As co-chair, Peter focuses on working with the firm's venture capital clients as well as medical device, biotech and other technology-related companies. Since joining Faegre & Benson, Peter has practiced on a wide variety of corporate matters with a focus on corporate mergers and acquisitions, domestic and overseas joint ventures and other strategic alliances. Peter's international transactional experience includes matters in Brazil, France, Japan, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands as well as various international trade law issues.
  
  Jeff Putnam is the senior vice president of Financial Planning and Analysis at UnitedHealth Group and is responsible for enterprise budgeting and forecasting, management reporting and analysis, financial oversight of philanthropic activities, and the accounts payable function. Prior to his current position, Putnam was the chief financial officer of Secure Horizons in Ovations. Putnam, who joined UnitedHealth Group in September 2005, spent the prior 13 years at Northwest Airlines in finance and operations senior management roles.
  
  Glenn Fisher is senior vice president of Twin Cities Public Television (TPT). In his 25 years at TPT, Glenn led the Broadcast Services division for ten years. He was also vice president of development and communications for 10 years, responsible for membership and sponsorship revenue at TPT. In 2005, the national PBS Development Committee named him Development Professional of the Year.
  
  Ekberg, Fisher and Putnam join Free Arts board members: Kim Witczak (freelance advertising producer), Jacie Fogelberg (client advisor, Meristem), Sarah Curfman (financial planning specialist, Citi Smith Barney), Tracy Dyer (president, Urban Junket), James Delaney (founder and principal, Engine Innovations, co-founder, LEAD Project) and Keith Privette (business analyst, Target).

• Volunteering: Improving Morale in Community and Company July 6, 2010

  Long-time volunteer Courtney Kupsch blogs about the importance of volunteering. Read More »

  Courtney recently wrote, "Every moment spent with [the Free Arts kids] inspires me to be more creative, appreciative, patient, helpful and communicative in the workplace and in my personal life."
  Read the entire article here!

We’ve turned Minneapolis bus shelters into a virtual art gallery to raise awareness for National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Read More >>