ArtsLab

ArtsLab began as a two-year pilot project in 2000 and launched with a commitment to engaging with eight competitively selected arts organizations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Activities during these two years included in-depth training retreats, consultancies, and modest grants. Upon completion, the program was lauded for its combination of education, technical assistance, peer learning, and financial resources; its positive impact on organizational stability; and its accomplishments in developing the skills and knowledge of participating arts leaders. While organizations and funders remained interested in the program, the economic downturn and other factors put the continuation of the project on hold.

In 2008, after an extensive national scan of the arts field identified a renewed need for training and support, we launched the first full ArtsLab cycle. The renewed program expanded to serve two groups – one in northwestern Minnesota and one in Minneapolis/Saint Paul; engaged a strong team of educators and advisors to deliver workshops and develop content; and shifted from a more traditional management-training program to one focused on building leadership and adaptation skills. This cycle concluded in September 2011 and was evaluated as highly successful.

In early 2012, ArtsLab became a permanent program of Arts Midwest, which views the success of the program as inherent to fulfilling its vision of supporting and sustaining a forward looking, creative, and innovative Midwest.