Northeast Minneapolis is a neighborhood-y neighborhood, and at no time is this more apparent than the annual Celebrate Northeast Parade. Every year the Northeast Minneapolis Chamber shuts down the main commercial corridor of Central Avenue to host a traditional neighborhood parade, complete with floats, Shriners, marching bands, and more.
One particular year, the parade featured a group entry from a local arts organization: Altered Esthetics! Th e Bike Art exhibit was up at the time of the parade, and we thought—what better way to celebrate Northeast and the gallery than with a mobile art exhibit? We had several works of art reprinted onto vinyl, which we applied to plastic presentation board. We rigged up a trailer with artwork all around and sandwich boards with art on either side. We walked and biked the entire parade route—a gallery on wheels.
Five years later I had the honor to ride in the Northeast Parade once more in a way I would never have expected. Nine months pregnant, ready to pop, I got to ride in a little coupe car as the 2013 Northeast Minneapolis Artist Ambassador. I ❤ Northeast!
This post is adapted from It’s Never Going To Work: A Tale of Art and Nonprofits in the Minneapolis Community. Book includes illustrations by Athena Currier. ©2019 Jamie Schumacher.
It’s Never Going To Work is a light-hearted, illustrated book that offers real-life insights on founding a community space and nonprofit. It provides tools, tips, resources, and camaraderie to community organizers and anybody attempting something new.