Project: Practice & Swap Meet

Adding to the Public Functionary footprint at Northrup King Building is a new event, exhibition, and community space on the first floor (in NKB #144). This 7000 square foot space, currently in development, will pause to soft open over Art-A-Whirl weekend with Project: Practice a projection-based installation featuring 21 local artists in process. Following AAW weekend, Public Functionary will further test programming in the space in collaboration with artists and community partners and continue the renovations with the goal of launching a full exhibition schedule for Fall 2022. Project: Practice will be a ticketed event for AAW weekend, with proceeds going to the further development of the space. This new space will serve as Public Functionary’s new hub and publicly accessible art space over the next few years. Public Functionary has not had an event and exhibition space since closing its former Northeast space in 2019. 

On the second floor of NKB in a pop-up space, Public Functionary in collaboration with Tangible Collective presents Swap Meet (in NKB #247), an artist market and experience. Tangible, led by Za’Nia Coleman and Ricki Monique, creates spaces in Minnesota that are completely devoted to millennial Black thought. Since Fall 2017, Tangible has hosted open mic and visual art showcases. Tangible opened its first studio space in NKB in 2021. 

 PARTICIPATING ARTISTS
Project: Practice is curated by the PF team and features artists Addis Alemu, Alonzo Pantoja, Bayou Bay, Bereket Adamuu, Candice Davis, Chitra Vairavan, CRICE, Denimani, Leslie Barlow, Maiya Hartman, Michael Khuth, Sarah Nicole, Sarah White, Satya Varghese Mac, Shaina McCoy, Sophia Chai, Suyao Tian, Tia Keobounpheng, Witt Siasoco, Xee Reiter, & Yoni Light.

Swap Meet is curated by Tangible Collective and features vendors Melanated Remedy, Take Care Studio, Mercadito Buenas Vibras, Awa Mally, Addis, Las Ranas Jewelry, Empowered By Lemtutu, Driven Dreams Media, Joh So Good, and The Pickup.

 ART-A-WHIRL HOURS
 All events happen during Art-A-Whirl Weekend Hours
 May 20 – 22, 2022
 Friday: 5pm – 10pm
 Saturday: Noon – 8pm
 Sunday: Noon – 5pm

Project: Practice is Ticketed ($10/$20) / Open Studios, Swap Meet are Free

 LOCATION:
 Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson Street NE, Minneapolis
 Project: Practice - Studio 144
 Swap Meet - Studio 247
 PF Studios - 306, 400, 285
 

ABOUT PF STUDIOS
 Public Functionary’s PF Studios program supports emerging visual artists with affordable studio space, mentorship, workshops, and a community of practice. The program began in 2018 with one studio, an incubator for BIPOC, and under-resourced artists under the age of 30. The program aimed to open access to the Northrup King Building, which has historically been inaccessible to lower-income, artists of color just starting their careers. Since 2018, the program has expanded across 5 studio spaces serving over 35 artists. Along with 3 studios for visual artists, the PF Studios now include The Study, a studio that serves musicians, Dj’s, organizers, and multidisciplinary artists, and a mural studio that supports a PF adjacent mural collective, Creatives After Curfew. The PF Studio spaces will participate in Art-A-Whirl weekend.