BLOOMINGTON
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Artistic expression shared in many ways
Stages and galleries in Bloomington provide the setting for artistic expression and appreciation throughout the year.
A variety of artistic opportunities are housed under the roof of Bloomington Center for the Arts, which provides stage, rehearsal, classroom, gallery and office space for several nonprofit arts organizations.
The Center for the Arts opened in July 2003 as part of Bloomington Civic Plaza. Financed through a voter referendum, an endowment and fundraising by the Bloomington Fine Arts Council – an association of Bloomington-based arts organizations – the Center for the Arts is home to two theaters and two art galleries.
The larger of the two stages is inside the Schneider Theater for the Performing Arts is a 366-seat theater that hosts a variety of musical and theatrical performances. The Black Box Theater is a smaller, multi-purpose space.
Bloomington Fine Arts Council members Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs, Bloomington Chorale, Continental Ballet Company, Medalist Concert Band and NOTEable Singers hold performances in the Schneider Theater yearly and maintain office space within the Center for the Arts.
Artistry, which was formed in 2009 through the merger of a nonprofit theater group and a nonprofit visual arts and education organization, produces theater, curates gallery exhibitions and facilitates arts-based community development at the Center for the Arts.
Many of Artistry’ s gallery exhibitions are on display in two galleries at the Center for the Arts. The Inez Greenberg Gallery is on the main floor of the Center for the Arts, while the
Atrium Gallery is the building’ s second-floor display space. Artistry is responsible for selecting and installing all of the exhibits that appear in the galleries, featuring works by local and regional artists.
Artistry is also a partner of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington’ s South Loop District. Its visitor center houses the Confluence Gallery, a venue for emerging and established Minnesota-based artists who reflect the community and create artwork with a focus on nature and natural elements, ecology, conservation and the beauty of the Minnesota River Valley.
Not all of Bloomington’ s performing arts organizations call the Center for the Arts home. Bloomington Symphony Orchestra performs many of its concerts in the Ives Auditorium of Bloomington’ s Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center, and can be found performing outdoors many summers during Bloomington’ s Summer Fete celebration and during the Normandale Lake Bandshell’ s Thursday night music series.
In addition to orchestra concerts, the Masonic Heritage Center is home to concerts and productions, many produced by Sidekick Theatre, a not-for-profit theater company.
Information about the arts council and its members is available online at bloomingtonfinearts. com. Information about Artistry theater productions, art exhibits and class information is available online at artistrymn. org. A list of upcoming performances at the Ives Auditorium is available online at tinyurl. com / mhc-ives.
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