Final Celebrating Us in Art event returns to newly rehabbed Belgrade Avenue September 19 with live music, local artists and free hands-on activities

North Mankato — After a summer of turning construction challenges into opportunities for creativity and community connection, CityArt is bringing its CityArt in the Alley series full circle with Celebrating Us in Art, the fourth and final event of the summer.

The free community celebration will take place Saturday, September 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the newly rehabbed Belgrade Avenue in Lower North Mankato. The event will be held in conjunction with Blues on Belgrade and will feature live music, a mini art fair, artist demonstrations, hands-on art experiences and activities for children.

Presented by Gene Biewen and Noel Van Tol, CityArt in the Alley was created by Twin Rivers Council for the Arts and its CityArt program in response to the Belgrade Avenue reconstruction project. With CityArt unable to host its traditional Walking Sculpture Tour sculptures in North Mankato during construction, the four-event series provided a new way to keep art visible and accessible while encouraging people to continue visiting Lower North Mankato businesses throughout the summer.

The series began in May with Creating Art, followed by Art + Play in June and Learn Art in July. Each event brought together local and regional artists, community organizations, families and visitors for hands-on artmaking, live demonstrations, music and collaborative creative experiences.

Over the course of the summer, CityArt in the Alley brought together local and regional artists, nonprofit partners, businesses and community members through four themed activations and a wide range of creative experiences—from cardboard sculpting, live painting and community murals to music, printmaking, fiber art, puppetry, leather stamping and more. The initiative also provided a direct investment in the creative community, with more than $17,000 distributed to participating artists and creative groups.

For the finale, CityArt is moving the celebration out of the alley and onto the newly completed Belgrade Avenue.

“What started as a response to construction became an opportunity to invest in artists, work with some wonderful community partners and give people of all ages new ways to experience art,” said Stacey Straka, CityArt Committee Chair. “Now we get to finish the series back on Belgrade Avenue, surrounded by the community that embraced it all summer—and with a new mural that will remain long after the events are over.”

Celebrating Us in Art activities include:

• Live Music Bring a lawn chair and enjoy live music throughout the event. Casey Ek will perform from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by The Echos from noon to 2 p.m. The CityArt stage is being presented in conjunction with Blues on Belgrade, giving visitors another opportunity to enjoy live music while exploring the art and activities along Belgrade Avenue.
• Mini Art Fair Meet local artists, explore their work and shop original art while supporting the creative talent found throughout the region.
• Artist Demonstrations See artists at work and get a closer look at their techniques and creative processes.
• Leather Art with Pegeen Rozeske Learn the art of leather stamping and create something of your own to take home for free.
• Mankato Makerspace Godzilla T-Shirt Creation Station Watch the screen printing process in action as Mankato Makerspace creates special CityArt Godzilla T-shirts onsite. Visitors can purchase their own freshly screen printed Godzilla T-shirt for just $5.
• Children’s Art Activities Young artists can get creative with free hands-on art activities throughout the event.
• FREE Youth Art Apron Giveaway Young artists can take home their very own art apron so the creativity can continue long after the event. Aprons will be available while supplies last.

The summer also leaves a permanent artistic legacy on Belgrade Avenue with Sounds of North Mankato, the large-scale community mural created by local artists Dana Sikkila and Dinah Langsjoen on the exterior of NaKato Bar & Grill. Commissioned as part of CityArt in the Alley and underwritten by the Marian Anderson Fund of the Mankato Area Foundation, the mural celebrates North Mankato’s arts, creativity and community spirit and now serves as a welcoming visual landmark along Belgrade Avenue.

CityArt extends special appreciation to Gene Biewen and Noel Van Tol, whose support as presenting sponsors helped make the four-event CityArt in the Alley series possible.

“Gene and Noel’s generosity allowed us to take an unexpected situation and turn it into something positive for artists and the community,” Straka said. “Their support helped us put artists to work, introduce people of all ages to new creative experiences and bring people together in Lower North Mankato throughout the construction season.”

Celebrating Us in Art is free and open to all ages. For more information, visit CityArtMankato.com.

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About Twin Rivers Council for the Arts

Twin Rivers is a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting artists, enriching communities, and expanding access to the arts through exhibitions, public art initiatives, education, and creative partnerships across southern Minnesota. www.twinriversarts.org

About CityArt Mankato

Established in 2011, CityArt works to enhance the quantity, quality and prominence of public art in the Mankato and North Mankato. CityArt is a program of Twin Rivers Council for the Arts and is dedicated to bringing public art to the community, contributing greatly to the vibrancy of our communities. CityArt initiatives include the CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour, CityArt On the Go, the City Center Public Art Tour and the Silo Art. www.cityartmankato.com