Same festival, new title

The spirit of Northern Spark 2017 lies in the idea of collective action; of everyday tasks, intentions, big and small movements we can do together to make the change we need to see for a healthier environment. When we launched this theme in 2016, we conceptualized a movement from chaos to rising, in part to mirror the rising of temperatures and sea levels but also the necessity of action – of people rising. Inspired by the response of all of our presenting partners and festival artists, and to more accurately tell this story, we’re shifting the festival’s title this year to Climate Chaos | People Rising. Join us on June 10th — or before — to get involved and rise together!

People Rising website launch
It’s not too early to start planning your night! As the weather warms, log onto northernspark.org to be inspired by all the projects being presented at this year’s festival. Music, dance, poetry, installation and more await you on June 10 — take a peek!

Get involved in Northern Spark 2017 — starting now!
You don’t have to be an artist, activist or a scientist to have an active role in the conversation on climate change happening at Northern Spark 2017. You can get involved by simply participating in the festival in one of these ways:

– Support Northern Spark! The biggest festival yet has the biggest budget yet — with a $10,000 gap to close before the end of May. Your contribution will directly fund projects being created right now for Northern Spark — supporting collaborations with cultural communities along Metro Transit’s Green Line, purchasing supplies and paying artist stipends for nearly 70 artist projects, and fueling the people-power necessary to illuminate the METRO Green Line with Northern Spark’s energy and inspiration on June 10. Contribute today!

– Volunteer at Northern Spark! Sign up before April 20th to get Early Volunteer perks you don’t want to miss! Shifts are a short two to three hours, which means that you don’t have to miss out on the festival to help make it happen. You can even sign upfor matching shifts with friends! Sign up to volunteer here.

– Attend Northern Spark! Let the projects you experience and people you meet during the night open you up to new inspiration and fuel your own creative climate actions. Festival maps come out in late May— like Northern Lights.mn on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to find out when + where you can pick up yours.

AAA: Climate Trivia Night

How much have sea levels risen in the past 100 years?

What is the most potent greenhouse gas?

Which neighborhoods in the Twin Cities are most affected by air pollution?

Come to Climate Trivia Night, the last Anthropocene Awareness Association meeting before Northern Spark and show off your climate change knowledge. Assemble a team or play on your own! Join AAA for the mere cost of $10 and sip a free Fulton Brew while you battle it out for prizes and glory.

Tuesday May 9th, 7:00pm
Fulton Taproom
414 6th Ave N, Minneapolis 55401
Facebook event

Buy your ticket for the Northern Spark Launch Party!

Northern Spark Launch Party 2015. Photo: Nathan Santos

Join us this year at the Northern Spark 2017 Launch Party and help us kick off the night! Saturday, June 10th, 7:00-9:00pm.The Launch Party has two primary ticket options this year. That means you can choose how you support Northern Spark:

The Adapt Ticket – $50
When you buy this ticket, you’ll enjoy the Launch Party from 7-9 p.m with drinks included from Fulton Brewery, Barefoot Bubbly, and an exclusive Northern Spark cocktail using Crooked Water Spirits, served by the bartenders of Barbette. Keep your eyes peeled for the special cocktail announcement, coming soon.

The Sustain Ticket – $100
When you buy this ticket, you’ll also enjoy the Launch Party from 7-9 p.m., all the drinks mentioned above, plus artistic bites from local restaurants Mercy, Cafe Alma, Eastside, Red Stag Supperclub, French Meadow, Handsome Hog, and two more yet to be revealed. This is the ticket you need if you are a foodie!

No matter which ticket you select, you’ll get an energizing concert by ZULUZULUU to start your night off right. The Launch Party is happening in the historic Thresher Square building downtown Minneapolis. We can’t wait to see you there!

Why wait? Head to Eventbrite to purchase your tickets, and check out the additional student ticket option, options for kids, and t-shirts.

Artist Workshops and Opportunities

Rachel Breen and Koby Jeschkeit-Hagen, Seed-Saving Bingo, Northern Spark 2016. Photo: Jayme Halbritter.

Get involved with Northern Spark festival artists as they prepare their festival projects!

Thursday, April 20th, 2017
Find out how to get involved with iNMiGRATiON by Wavelets Creative in partnership with Take Action MN. Read more about iNMiGRATiON here.

Sunday, April 23rd, 2017
Make paper out of recycled festival guidebooks from previous years with Aki Shibata. Read more about Aki Shibata’s Dear Earth project here.

Deadline: Thursday, April 27th, 2017
Share gifts of light and gifts from the earth on the West Bank during Northern Spark 2017. Vendors/artists can request up to a $500 stipend for supplies and participation. Read more about the gifts of light, gifts from the earth project here.

Work With Us!

Northern Lights.mn has some temporary, contract positions open to help make festival night a success.

Northern Spark Press Relations Coordinator: Help us tell the story of Climate Chaos | People Rising by coordinating press.  Find the job description here.
Deadline to apply: Wed, April 26, 2017.

Volunteer Lead: A Night-of stipend position that helps welcome and manage Volunteers in festival neighborhoods. Learn more here.
Deadline to apply: Fri, April 21, 2017.

Put yourself on the map

Get your message out to tens of thousands of festival goers – advertise on the 2017 Northern Spark festival map. Email sponsors@northern.lights.mn for specs.
Deadline to submit: Wed, April 19, 2017.

Projects We Like

Congratulations to Pramila Vasudevan for winning the 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship in Choreography! Pramilia is one of the 173 fellows selected out of almost 3,000 applicants. Guggenheim Fellowships are awarded to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts. We are so excited for Pramila, who has been a long time Northern Spark artist and was also an Art(ists) on the Verge fellow in our inaugural year of the program!

One more day for the #catchatrainNS Photo Contest!

The contest deadline has been extended to Friday, April 14th – which means you have one day left to submit your capture of the train!

The Northern Spark Metro Transit light-rail train is currently speeding along the Green Line between Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Capture your best photo of Andrea Carlson’s stunning train wrap design, and post it to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter with the hashtag #catchatrainNS to win two tickets to the Northern Spark Launch Party!

Want to see how your submission might measure up? Check out the current photographs with the hashtag #catchatrainNS here and make sure to submit your photo before midnight on April 14th!

The #catchatrainNS Photo Contest will be juried by the new curator of Photography and New Media at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Yasufumi Nakamori. The winning photo will be featured on our social media, in our newsletter, and on our website!

*By submitting your photo to the Catch-A-Train Photo Contest, you give permission to Northern Lights.mn to share and reproduce your photo on any of its media platforms for non-commercial purposes.