Bloomington Creative Placemaking Plan

Adrian Lowe is setting up at the Wednesday, August 21st Midweek Music & Market outside Civic Plaza. Stop by and paint your very own flowerpot, pick out your favorite seeds, and take the survey to tell us how you bloom! Chat with Adrian and share your thoughts on what type of creative expression, events, or art inspire you, and what you would like to see more of in Bloomington.

(Please note this activity was initially scheduled for July 31st, but the event was rained out.)

UPDATE: Rupa Shenoy-Thadhani will join Adrian at the Midweek Music& Market to launch her engagement project, Love, Bloomington. Rupa invite Bloomington residents to write a brief postcard to a stranger (another resident of Bloomington). The act of writing from the perspective of a member of the community of Bloomington, reminds us of our belonging to the community and our common goal of building the community. This is an activity that invites and reminds us of our belonging through the act of writing to each other. The underlying idea, for all of us, We are all Bloomington. We write to each other as strangers and fellow travelers.

The postcards written here will be curated and shared on Instagram. Additionally, these postcards will be delivered to random Bloomington residents on a separate later day.

The Creative Placemaking Artist Engagement Team has been tasked with creating unique experiences and activities as ways to solicit public input for the Bloomington Creative Placemaking Plan. Katie Ross will be hosting an engagement activity during the Bloomington Street Arts Festival the weekend of July 26th.

The activity, "Intentional, Mindful Weaving," invites participants to reflect on the question, "What is it about you that makes you Bloom, and how can you create the best environment for that?" Using simple materials, participants will craft a woven piece of art that embodies their personal reflections and intentions.

This activity empowers individuals to reflect on their unique qualities and the contributions they bring to the Bloomington community, whether as residents or visitors. By creating a visual representation of their reflections through mindful weaving, participants can encapsulate their energy and spirit in a tangible piece of art. This practice not only fosters self-awareness and mindfulness but also enhances the sense of community by showcasing the diverse expressions and intentions of festival-goers.

Introducing the Bloomington Creative Placemaking Citywide Plan - Artist Engagement Team! Artists with a deep connection to Bloomington were invited to apply to be a part of this team to hone and utilize their creative skills to engage the community about this plan. The artists are training with Forecast Public Art to learn about using the arts as a form of community engagement. They will then develop and lead up to 20 engagement activities around town and at summer events. A schedule of future activities will soon be posted.

ADRIAN LOWE (he/him)

Based in Bloomington, MN, Adrian Lowe is a visual artist and graphic designer specializing in digital illustration. Influenced by 90's and early 2000s pop culture, comic books, anime, and hip-hop, his work is a nostalgic exploration of these cultural crossroads. In his youth, Adrian spent entire class periods drawing. He was introduced to digital design by his father. Adrian honed his skills at Augsburg University, creating promotional material for student groups and events. Drawing from surreal experiences growing up as a Jamaican-American in Minnesota, Adrian's art blends nostalgia with contemporary perspectives. His creations reflect a commitment to balancing heritage, tradition, and innovation. Adrian aspires to inspire artists who look like him, encouraging them to break cultural barriers and embrace their unique narratives.

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ERIN LAVELLE (she/her)

Erin Lavelle is an interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of fiber arts, performance, and public life. As both a facilitator and maker, she works with people and their stories to create experiential installations that provide an opportunity to connect intimately with our shared environment and one another. Examples include: co-sewing garments with library patrons (Impermanence Practice Group) and matchmaking stories and objects between neighbors (Something Good). She has presented public work in Hennepin County Libraries, Minneapolis Parks, and the Minnesota State Fair; in storefronts, yards, and parking lots; and at galleries, including Textile Center, Modus Locus, and Intermedia Arts.

Currently a Minneapolis resident, she grew up in Bloomington and spent her formative years creatively engaging with the natural and built environment: with water and nature centers, and in libraries, rehearsal rooms, public schools, cable access TV studios, and on stages.

She is the Artistic Director of Art Shanty Projects and was the longtime Producer for the Northern Spark Festival. She holds an MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Goddard College where she studied the integration of mindfulness practice and public art. Photo by Mikha Aleman.

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KATIE ROSS (she/her)

Katie Ross is a ceramicist and stained glass artist whose infectious energy and enthusiasm cultivate strong connections within the Bloomington community. With over a decade of experience as an art educator, she owns and operates the Arts Creative Art School where she enjoys working with her hands, sharing her techniques, and sparking excitement for art in others. She lives in Bloomington with her husband and four daughters.

Her work reflects her dedication to the artistic process and her commitment to engaging and uplifting those around her. Through her art and teaching, Katie continues to make a meaningful impact on her community.

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RUPA SHENOY-THADHANI (she/her)

Rupa Shenoy-Thadhani is a philologist, an immigrant, a poet, an interdisciplinary artist and educator. An avid learner and active participant in creative learning communities, she is interested in the production and transformation of space in the postcolonial realm. She writes, befriends ducklings, races turtles, and plants trees in Bloomington, MN.

Forecast Public Art has completed the first phase of the City of Bloomington’s City-wide Creative Placemaking Plan, aiming to align with city priorities and recent planning projects. During this phase Forecast reviewed city documents and conducted interviews with key informants. Review a summary of early findings here.

Artist, Adrian Lowe (pictured with Hawona Sullivan Janzen, Lead Engagement Specialist - Forecast Public Art), led the first engagement effort for the Creative Placemaking Citywide Plan at the Juneteenth celebration at Civic Plaza on June 15, 2024. The event was a great success with hundreds of people in attendance. Adrian designed an illustration of a newsboy bee, calling on people to tell us how they "Bloom in Bloomington" by taking the Creative Placemaking Plan Survey. This is the first of an anticipated 20 community engagement activities the Artist Engagement Team will be at. A schedule of events will be posted soon.

The City of Bloomington and Forecast Public Art are seeking four artists or artist teams who live, work, or have strong connections to the city to do engagement for Bloomington's citywide Creative Placemaking Plan. Artists will host 5 pop-up activities between June and September 2024. Training and a $5,000 stipend are provided.

The application deadline has now passed. Stay tuned for upcoming artist-led engagement popups!