Creative City Challenge Winner
Radical Playground by Candida Gonzalez and Mary Anne Quiroz wins the 2019 Creative City Challenge and 30 artist projects will explore the theme We Are Here: Resilience, Renewal, & Regeneration
Northern Lights.mn announces the Creative City Challenge winner and line-up of artists selected to create vibrant and thought-provoking projects for the ninth annual Northern Spark, the free arts festival illuminating public spaces in the Twin Cities Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15—starting at dusk (9 pm) and ending at 2 am.
This year, artists will explore the theme We Are Here: Resilience, Renewal, & Regeneration with projects in three walkable and transit-accessible locations—the American Indian Cultural Corridor in Minneapolis, The Commons in downtown Minneapolis, and the Rondo neighborhood in St. Paul.
Radical Playground wins the 2019 Creative City Challenge
The participatory art installation Radical Playground by Candida Gonzalez and Mary Anne Quiroz has won the 2019 Creative City Challenge.
During the summer of 2019 on The Commons, participants will be invited to “heal through play” with whimsical interactive alebrije: animal sculptures inspired by dream creatures from the Caribbean, Mexico, the Pacific Islands and the indigenous cultures of Minnesota. Radical Playground will debut on The Commons June 14 as part of Northern Spark. The art will remain on The Commons through August 2019 for a summer of everyday interaction and special programming events in July and August.
The artists intend Radical Playground to invite Indigenous communities and communities of color to a space where they feel free to gather, to play, to heal. They want their project to bring a feeling of play, of free joy, of giving people’s bodies a break from stress and worry.
The installation shape follows eight posts circling a large center post. The center post is topped by a large, striking alebrije and has a pyramid-shaped base that will serve as an ofrenda (altar) during programming. The outer posts are topped alternately by alebrijes and flowers representing the four directions. Four “selfie” panels anchor the four direction posts at the bottom and invite people to become alebrijes themselves as they put their faces in the panel cutouts. The color palette is bright and tropical for exciting, colorful viewing from long distances. Solar lights will create a magical nighttime experience. Read more about the Creative City Challenge in the City of Minneapolis’ press release.
Presenting Partners
About the Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy Program, City of Minneapolis
The mission of the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, a division of the City of Minneapolis Coordinator’s office, is to leverage the creative sector towards social and economic growth in the City of Minneapolis. The office is responsible for the city’s cultural planning and policies, arts, culture and creative economy research, artist creative workforce support and cross sector engagement and collaboration.
About Green Minneapolis and The Commons
The Commons is a new 4.2 acre public green space in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. Spanning two city blocks, the beautifully landscaped and actively programmed park offers experiences to welcome and engage the community at large. The Commons is located at 425 Portland Avenue S in Minneapolis, across from U.S. Bank Stadium and steps from the Light Rail Train station.
About Northern Lights.mn and Northern Spark
Northern Spark is a one-night, all-night participatory arts festival taking place on Saturday, June 16th, 2018 from 8:59 pm – 5:26 am. During Northern Spark, tens of thousands of people gather throughout the city to explore giant video projections, play in temporary installations in the streets, and enjoy experimental performances in green spaces and under bridges. From dusk to dawn, the city surprises you: friendly crowds, glowing groups of cyclists, an unexpected path through the urban landscape, the magic of sunrise after a night of amazing art and experiences.
Northern Spark is produced by Northern Lights.mn, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to artists working innovatively in the public sphere, exploring expanded possibilities for civic engagement.
Find out more
Online: http://northern.lights.mn/platform_group/creative-city-challenge/ and http://www.minneapolismn.gov/coordinator/arts/acce
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NorthernSparkMN
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/northern_spark
On Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/northernlights.mn/
On Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/northernspark and http://www.flickr.com/photos/northernlightsmn
On Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/manage/albums/4769583
MEDIA CONTACT
For media inquiries, please email press@northern.lights.mn.