Mpls Downtown Improvement District

The Mpls Downtown Improvement District (DID) and Hennepin Theatre Trust (HTT) today announced the 3rd annual Downtown Mpls Street Art Festival, which will take place August 12-14 on Hennepin and Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis.

The event will feature chalk art and spray painting works by world-renown artists, a Thursday evening performance by NUR-D, a special X-Games Mural Celebration, food, a dance party and much more. Follow along at www.mplsstreetartfest.com.

“This past year has helped us all recognize how much art helps us connect, experience community with our family, friends, co-workers and neighbors, and ultimately move toward healing,” said Lisa Middag, Director of Nicollet Activation for the Mpls DID. “We are thrilled to once again be working with Hennepin Theatre Trust on the return of this signature downtown art event that gives people the chance to experience street art of all kinds. Artists have really held us up this past year and sustained us. It will be great to celebrate our return to the street with them and the rest of the downtown community.”

The schedule includes:

 

Thursday, August 12

• Nicollet Farmers Market Preview  |  10 am – 2 pm
• X-Games Mural Celebration & Skate Deck Exhibition on 1st Avenue  |  12 pm – 3 pm
• Live Mural Painting: Kulture Klub Collaborative & City Mischief Murals  |  12 pm – 4 pm
• Downtown Street Art Festival Kick-Off Concert featuring NUR-D  |  5 pm – 7 pm

Friday, August 13

• Nicollet Chalk Art Festival  |  10 am – 6 pm
• 3D Chalk Art Installation at IDS Center  |  10 am – 6 pm
• Live Spray Painting on Nicollet  |  10 am – 2 pm
• Street Eats on Nicollet  |  10 am – 2 pm
• Street Show performances on Nicollet  |  11 am – 5 pm

Saturday, August 14

• Nicollet Chalk Art Festival  |  10 am – 6 pm
• 3D Chalk Art Installation at IDS Center  |  10 am – 6 pm
• Live Spray Painting on Nicollet  |  10 am – 5 pm
• Street Eats on Nicollet  |  10 am – 5 pm
• Nicollet Makers Market Street Art Festival Edition  |  10 am – 5 pm
• Street Show performances on Nicollet  |  11 am – 5 pm

• Street Dance Party with DJ Mickey Breeze  |  2 pm – 5 pm

Nicollet Farmers Market Preview
The activities begin during the Nicollet Farmers Market and Nicollet Makers Market preview on Thursday midday, when celebrated chalk artists Shawn McCann and Lydia Anderson pique your interest and demonstrate their unique techniques of chalk as an art form near 6th and Nicollet.

X-Games Mural Celebration and Skate Deck Exhibition on First Avenue
Be there for the unveiling of this extraordinary new large scale work on the NRG Clearway Building at 730 1st Avenue South by artist Reggie LeFlore presented in collaboration with HTT, ESPN and Meet Mpls. Take in the skate deck exhibition brought to you by youth from the MN African American Heritage Museum and Gallery. Enjoy light refreshments and DJ Mickey Breeze on the turntables (you may even catch some breakdancing and skate demos). Remarks begin at 12:30p.

Live Mural Painting with Kulture Klub Collaborative and City Mischief Murals 

Stop by to check out a new work in progress created in partnership with downtown youth on 9th street between Hennepin and First avenues. This event is part of Hennepin Theatre Trust’s 5 to 10 on Hennepin initiative.

Downtown Street Art Festival Kick-off Concert featuring NUR-D

The festival officially kicks off Thursday evening at 5 pm between 9th and 10th streets #OnNicollet with a free performance by the super-talented NUR-D. While he dubs himself your “7th favorite hip-hop artist,” NUR-D’s extraordinary talent, joyful stage persona and amazing band will have you dancing in the street. Or keep it cool and check out happy hour at one of the nearby patios during the performance.

Nicollet Chalk Art Festival

The centerpiece of the Downtown Street Art Festival is a two-block-long series of chalk installations by 14 local and national chalk artists. Come watch beginning at 10a as amateur and professional artists begin to transform the sidewalks of Nicollet between 6th and 8th streets with their unique artistic vision in vibrant chalk. Enjoy live Street Show performances and a variety of street games for all ages. Channel your inner artist and contribute to our community mandala in chalk.

3D Chalk Installation at IDS Center 

Watch world-renowned local chalk artist Shawn McCann as he transforms the IDS Center outdoor plaza with a special 3D chalk installation. See him use advanced techniques and anamorphic perspective to produce an illusion of depth and perspective.

Live Spray Painting on Nicollet

The excitement of live mural painting continues as national and local spray paint artists Danya Aletebi, Tom Janssen, Sig Natur, and Briauna Williams bring their unique sense of color and style to the challenge.

Street Eats on Nicollet

Enjoy street games and lunch from a selection of food trucks and street vendors #OnNicollet between 6th and 8th streets.

Street Shows Performances on Nicollet

Enjoy live street performances from a variety of local artists and musicians presented in conjunction with Street Show streetshowmpls.org. Produced by DID and HTT and curated by The Warming House, Street Show has brought more than 1,000 hours of paid street performance by local musicians, artists, dancers, poets, painters and others to the sidewalks of downtown Minneapolis. All summer, DID will match all tips for Street Show performers and donate toward local social justice organizations. For a full Street Show schedule, visit www.onnicollet.com/schedule.

Nicollet Makers Market Street Art Festival Edition

Catch a special weekend appearance of the Nicollet Makers Market (nicolletmakersmarket.com), our weekly downtown craft and art market that features locally made and designed goods. More than 15 artists and makers will bring their unique wares to the street, including live screen printing and artist demos.

Street Dance Party with DJ Mickey Breeze

Put on your dancing shoes and get ready for dancing in the street as DJ Mickey Breeze’s second set of the festival lofts down from the Bell Bank balcony on the corner of 7th and Nicollet.

Street Art Festival Virtual Tour

Throughout the festival you will see QR codes with scannable links to the Downtown Street Art Festival online tour with more information on the participating visual artists and artworks. While the festival is best experienced in person, this platform provides another opportunity for people to experience the festival from their living rooms. The link to the virtual tour will be available during the festival from the festival website at mplsstreetartfest.com.