One of the area’s biggest stimulators of the local economy, the Grand Marais Art Colony, announced on Friday, April 10 that it is cancelling classes for the summer, although it suggested in its email (submitted to Boreal Access) that some art courses might be offered online.
Grand Marais Art Colony Artistic Director Ruth Pzwaro and GMAC Executive Director Lyla Brown, on behalf of the Art Colony Board of Directors, signed the statement.
In part the statement read, “In order to protect the health and safety of our community, we have cancelled summer programming through August 31, 2020, including all on-site classes and activities, and our annual Arts Festival.
“The summer season is typically our busiest time of year, with hundreds of classes and activities occurring between May – August. While there is no substitute for the in-person experience of art along Lake Superior’s North Shore, we also know that our community transcends geographic bounds. Our community is a source of strength. You are a source of strength. And we at GMAC hope to be the same for you as we continue to connect and create together.
“This situation has only served to magnify our belief in the power and essential service of the arts. The Art Colony is committed to celebrating, supporting, and uplifting our creative community. What does that look like? We’d invite you to ask that question with us and send along your ideas.
“We are exploring ways to pivot our programming to an online platform. Look for GMAC on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to find information and ways to engage…”
All of this is coming at a time when the art colony was experiencing exponential growth.
Last September 2019, the art colony purchased the Arrowhead Pharmacy building. This winter a local contractor was hired to perform a complete demolition and rehabilitation of the interior with the hopes of leasing space to a business this coming summer as part of a Phase One project.
Also during Phase One, as an interim measure, the former Arrowhead Pharmacy building was going to be used to house an Artists-in-Residence. Plans included renting studio space for up to three professional artists at a time.
At the time of the fall purchase of the former pharmacy building Ruth Pszwaro shared, “The engagement in our studios and programming has grown by over 400 percent over the past several years and we look forward to offering much-needed additional space and opportunities for artists.”
The Grand Marais Art Colony is the longest-lived art colony in the state of Minnesota. It was founded in 1947, became a 501(c)3 in 1984, and serves more than 25,000 people every year.
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