PROJECT LIFEHOUSE
Imaginarium - 2022 & 2023
-BEFORE -
DSAI X LIFEHOUSE
COLLABORATION
MAY-2022
UPDATE: JULY 2023
-AFTER -
DSAI X LIFEHOUSE
COLLABORATION
JULY
2022 & 2023
This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to appropriations from the Minnesota State Legislature's general fund. Additional support provided by the Legacy Amendment, Bell Bank, Jonathan Reznick, and Gregorich Family Dental.
Looking back:
What is the proposed project?
DSAI will create a multi-faceted mural on the outside wall of Life House's new Imaginarium building in Downtown Duluth.
DSAI will hire 4 professional local artists to paint the building and lead workshops with Lifehouse youth and Harbor City School arts students. Students will be involved in the painting process and will have the opportunity to work alongside professional artists. The project will culminate in a community celebration with live music and food to celebrate the unveiling of the new mural.
The goal is to create a beautiful new work of art which will enhance/revitalize our Downtown area, and also create a unique opportunity to mentor young artists throughout the process.
Where will it take place?
This project will take place during Duluth's annual Sidewalk Days, in order to increase community participation and harness the vibrant energy that surrounds this annual event.
The artistic vision behind the project:
DSAI believes that public art serves as a catalyst for public safety, cleanliness, and conversation. Installing a multi-faceted mural on the Imaginarium building will enhance the beauty of the area, as well as illustrate the overall purpose of the Imaginarium which is to provide a safe and supported space to be creative and be in community with others. Through this collaboration with Life House, youth will develop relationships with working artists and learn fundamentals of design, teamwork and creating artwork to scale. DSAI will work directly with local artists such as Matt Kania, Vern Northrup, Delphin Starr, Michelle Misgen and Sean Moore to design the mural, and will partner with Life House for the community engagement piece during Duluth's Sidewalk Days. A public viewing area will be set up for youth and folks walking by, with tables and vendor booths in partnership with YES Duluth and Life House's Legitimate Hustle program. Simply by viewing the mural's creation, the public will be taking part in a meaningful artistic process. The finished project will reflect images of resilience, hope and belonging.
What is the anticipated community value of your project?
The value of our project will be in its promotion of local artists, in the opportunity for youth to learn and grow as artists, and in the creation of an environment of respect and appreciation for redefining the role of art and public space in our community. DSAI seeks to engage the public in disused spaces through re-purposing downtown alleys and building faces into canvases for public art. This project will enhance the beauty and vibrancy of Downtown Duluth, and specifically, the Life House organization, by creating a large-scale meaningful work of art. The installation itself will be a community-centered effort during Sidewalk Days, with emphasis placed on engagement, appreciation for the arts and the artistic process, awareness of LifeHouse programming, and will culminate in a public celebration.
✨GET INVOLVED - PROFESSIONAL ARTIST APPLICATION✨
CALLING ALL PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS!
For this event, we hope to hire 4-5 local artists to each paint a roughly 10 by 10 ft canvas, including framing out the murals with community art, and creating a “safe tagging space” for youth and community members. On May 19th we are hosting a fundraiser for this alley project and the scope of the alley project will depend on the results of our fundraising efforts. We will create a call for artists as soon as possible following the fundraising event.
✨GET INVOLVED - PATRONAGE✨
DSAI has already secured a partnership with Life House for this project, and with our already-established community supporters, strong relationships with professional artists, robust list of volunteers and active board members, we have every confidence in our project.
Donate funds and contribute to the success of fund the Imaginarium now!
