The North Suburban Center for the Arts in Fridley is no more.
North Suburban Center for the Arts shuts down
The center, previously known as the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts while located in a historic house in Fridley, faced financial struggles in recent years.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
July 31, 2024 at 1:30PM
On Monday, the nonprofit’s board of directors announced that it shut down the center located at 110 77th Way NE. in mid-July following a prolonged period of uncertainty.
Troubles began at the end of 2021 when the Anoka County Board ended a $50,000-a-year grant to the center to host family events, classes, programs and art exhibits, and evicted it from its longtime home in the county-owned historic Banfill-Locke house on the northern end of Manomin Park.
The arts center changed its name from the Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts back to its original name, the North Suburban Center for the Arts, and moved into a decommissioned fire station in 2022. Financial pressures mounted as the center became responsible for utilities and remodeled the station.
Despite a record-setting fundraiser last year, the arts center’s most recent fundraiser two weeks ago, called Burbfest, did not meet goals. That, combined with an inability to secure grants, led to the decision to close, directors said.
“Together these instances have brought us to this moment where we must contend with the reality facing this organization,” the board said in its announcement. “The board has agreed we cannot continue operations, knowing the financial future of the organization rests on shaky ground.”
The board thanked those who have supported the center over the past 45 years, and said it hopes “connections formed at the NSCA will live on and continue to reverberate throughout the community in the years to come.”
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