New season, new leaders, new ideas

What artistic good or improvements have come as a result of the challenges of the past two years?

The pandemic forced me to really scale back everything. I couldn't perform live. It allowed me to take a pause and figure out what was nurturing my soul. Writing and recording felt great. — Singer-songwriter Adam Levy, releasing a new Turn Turn Turn album this fall

With the events surrounding the murder of George Floyd, I think that it caused all of us in the independent music venue business to take a hard look in the mirror as far as how we're contributing to or hampering diversity. And that has most certainly led to more diverse programming. — Ward Johnson, co-owner, Parkway Theater

I've definitely seen a rise in support for historically excluded folks. I like to say it's a good time to be Native because there are so many opportunities that are available to us now. I feel privileged to have these doors opening for me and not having to fight for a realistic portrayal of Native stories. — Oogie, choreographer and dancer

There's still such a great vibe of being together in our room enjoying live music. It hasn't stopped feeling sacred yet, especially the international stuff. Some of our shows have been more emotionally charged about everything than others, but really they're all still emotional. — Michelle Woster, the Cedar Cultural Center's new executive director

We had time to slow down, and I believe the artistic quality of the work has improved. We are stronger at telling stories through movement. We also had time to create music for our first original dance musical, a goal we have had for numerous years. — Regina Peluso, artistic director at Collide Theatrical

Crooners Supper Club experienced a fundamental transformation during COVID. We created four unique outdoor spaces in the first year of the pandemic — from our parking lot drive-in, to two tents combining table seating and drive-in, and an outdoor café with distance-safe seating. ... Our programming has expanded into new areas. We've presented comedy and we are partnering with theater companies and theater artists to produce revues. — Andrew Walesch, music director, Crooners Supper Club

We are publishing writers whose books are confronting the pandemic, police murders of Black people, and the assault on democracy in very powerful and challenging ways. — Carmen Giménez, director and publisher, Graywolf Press

Apparently folks are ready to sing and be a part of a community after the pandemic. Over 180 people signed up this spring with interest in auditioning for One Voice. Our entire chorus is 120 singers and most of them are returning, so this is going to be an exciting challenge. — Jane Ramseyer Miller, artistic director, One Voice Mixed Chorus

We've strengthened our commitment to programming works that are diverse and inclusive. We make every effort to ensure that our programs showcase works by composers who are a part of the BIPOC community and are nonmale identifying. There are incredible composers in all communities. — Alexander Nishibun, tenor and programming manager, Cantus

Video chats really democratized Hollywood, because you no longer had to be available for lunches or cocktail parties or lot visits. Everybody was on a [Zoom] screen, and even the people who used to be in L.A. were now in Albuquerque or Vancouver or Bozeman. Multiple screenwriting gigs — and collaborations with directors and producers — became my new normal, as I streamed in from my cave in the [Minnesota] woods. — Ben Percy, screenwriter/novelist

We're coming out of a moment of shakeout and truth-telling, and many of us are seeing ourselves in new ways. There's nothing wrong with nontraditional casting but many of us want to have a chance to speak in our authentic voices and tell our own stories. — Ansa Akyea, actor, director and artistic associate, Park Square Theatre

What are you happy to bring back this season?

Every kind of programming — but mostly, the audiences themselves. No matter the kind of show [a movie or a live performance] — there was something so magical about being in a room with other people and having that shared experience again. — Jessica Paxton, programming manager and talent buyer, Parkway Theater

We have more than a hundred classes for writers of all ages and interests, our Wordsmith conference for writers is returning in person, the intensive Year-Long Writing Projects return for another cycle, and, yes, we have plans to bring Wordplay back in person in 2023. — Arleta Little, executive director, Loft Literary Center

My favorite monthly event at the Parkway is Scream it Off Screen, a crazy fun night [the first Friday of every month] that we describe as "independent short film meets the Gong Show," where filmmakers present their creations to a theater full of not-so-Minnesota-nice critics. It's been great building back up to a rowdy full house for that one. — Ward Johnson

I'm excited that we can share exhibitions and other programs with people once again. Pao Houa Her's exhibition opening felt like a warm embrace. Pao was surrounded by friends and family, the tonal sounds of Hmong song poetry could be heard outside the gallery, and chef Yia Vang and his team from Union Hmong Kitchen filled the Walker with the delicious smells of Hmong sausage and purple sticky rice. I'm looking forward to seeing our communities come together again this fall and to continue celebrating art and artists. —Vicky Sung, associate curator of visual arts, Walker Art Center

I'm happy to bring back "Edward Tulane" and "Don Giovanni," which were both canceled because of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. — Ryan Taylor, president and general director, Minnesota Opera

The thing I'm most happy about is the return of "KidsJam" in our partner schools and community centers. Live music education programming makes a different kind of impact on students compared with recorded videos. — Barry Kempton, artistic and executive director, the Schubert Club

We are finally moving to "masks optional" for choir rehearsals and concerts. As a chorus, it might seem obvious that singing without masks is easier for breath and resonance of sound. But, honestly, I am even more excited to see singers' faces and expressions again. — Jane Ramseyer Miller

We're most excited to bring back our artistic partners and add two new partners, Abel Selaocoe and Tabea Zimmermann. ... They both possess extraordinary communicative powers that translate into incredible chemistry with our players and thrilling interpretations for our audiences. — Kyu-Young Kim, artistic director and violinist, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra

We will continue to showcase art in our windows and downtown skyways when we reopen because we're committed to meeting people where they are, to being accessible and collaborative. We believe everyone should be able to enjoy the beauty of art, wherever they are. We can all use that kind of inspiration right now. — Kate Beane, executive director, Minnesota Museum of American Art

What are you doing differently now?

Since people couldn't travel for so long — and we're still dealing with so many travel issues — we feel more than ever it's our mission to bring music from all over the world to them here and expose them to different sounds and cultures. — Mary Brabec, the Cedar Cultural Center's new booking director

This fall we will be introducing a yearlong theme that will connect across all of our programming. Riffing on the Toni Cade Bambara quote, "The job of the writer is to make the revolution irresistible," we will explore the theme of Narrative Power, or how writers can lead and influence movements for social change in realms that are personal, public, and planetary. — Arleta Little

The last two years were very rough on this neighborhood [Cedar-Riverside]. So we're encouraging our patrons to eat at the many great restaurants around here before a show and support the other businesses. And we're being very conscientious about listening to the communities that have been marginalized in this city, making them feel welcome to come here as patrons and as performers. — Michelle Woster, Cedar Cultural Center

I'm at the age where I've done "My Fair Lady" and "[The] Music Man" four times, "Fiddler [on the Roof]" five times. They're great shows but I'm enjoying doing new stuff ["The Prom" next year], especially something with a real focus on faith and destiny, with the sense that life is short and you've got to go out and live it. — Michael Brindisi, artistic director, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

The isolation was humbling. I spent many years feeling a sense of entitlement about "paying dues." I really felt like this period was a reboot, a chance to start over and be really grateful to those that have come to shows and bought records. — Adam Levy

With our STREAMS Platform, we're able to present films and content in a more inclusive way, offering online free and discounted films. We've also added new film "series" in CODE RED (climate change) and Black on Screen (films about the Black community/creators) offering opportunities to deepen our community outreach and impact. — Jatin Setia, founder, Twin Cities Film Festival

Simply being open is a gift — and in turn, there's regular reminders of gratitude for simply being able to do what we do. Yes, the bottom line always looms and audiences are nowhere near what they were pre-pandemic — but we're getting there and people are returning and there's a shared appreciation for what we do that makes it feel less like a "job" or a business and more like something that we're providing or creating that gives people so much happiness and personal satisfaction. — Jessica Paxton

Beyond virtual incarnations of what would have been live events, we turned to writing commissions, podcasting and even community-participation instruction pieces by text message to keep the creativity flowing during those low-contact days. We'll continue such programming as a complement to in-person activity in the future. — Kate Nordstrum, artistic director, Liquid Music, and executive and artistic director, the Great Northern

We're maintaining fairly rigorous COVID-related protocols in an effort to keep our performances on schedule. However, I think almost every aspect of our company has been changed by the last several years, and I have to work hard to try and think of what isn't different than before March of 2020. — Ryan Taylor

What has changed in the way you interact with the community?

We will launch a new Musical Promise Scholarship program this season, steering financial support and musical mentorship to promising Twin Cities students who otherwise might not progress to their full potential because of barriers to development. — Barry Kempton

In 2020, we began a partnership with the senior residents at Episcopal Homes in St. Paul by performing in parking lots for those under lockdown. We have also increased our Dance Pass program, which gives free tickets to low-income families and organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and Project Success. — Regina Peluso

We began to livestream various programming to our social media. These programs included concerts, visual artist talks, and gallery exhibitions and award presentations. They were very successful so we decided to continue providing these programs virtually as well as in person. We've been able to reach a wider audience while also being able to remain connected to the community. — Kelly Blau, concert coordinator, Hopkins Center for the Arts

Online events become interactive happenings because they allow everyone to comment or pose questions through the chat function. And these events help us reach audiences with accessibility issues by including transcriptions and recordings, and because they are recorded and available online, this allows us to create a digital archive of important readings and conversations. — Carmen Giménez

The Museum of Russian Art began a free arts and culture book program for kids this year. ... The museum has already reached hundreds of kids in their schools, in the museum, and at the Washburn Library, and hundreds more will participate before year's end. And, as a bonus, each child gets to keep a copy of their program's book for themselves. — Mark J. Meister, executive director and president, the Museum of Russian Art

For the past three years all of our activities are really by and for the diverse communities we serve. Some of our best work does not even happen within the traditional confines of the park — it's in the critical dialogues and collaborations we're having with community partners across Minnesota, it's in redistributing resources to other artists and organizations, and it's by introducing our audiences to the important work being done by peers in the community, in supporting and uplifting each other. — Ginger Porcella, executive director and chief curator, Franconia Sculpture Park