Creative City Challenge Maker Day Sept. 13
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Creative City Challenge Maker Day will inspire innovation you can take home with you at free event on Sept. 13
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 4, 2014 -- Maker Day, the final of three Creative City Challenge events at the Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) Plazas Balancing Ground public art space, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This FREE event offers participatory activities for all ages that you can take home with you!
Earlier this year, President Obama declared a National Day of Making (more info: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/17/presidential-proclamation-national-day-making-2014) that pointed out that in the world today, increasingly, more and more people are able to use technology and create just about anything with 3D printers, lasers and more. The spirit of invention has long been a hallmark of this country.
In a similar spirit, Creative City Challenge, itself an effort to showcase the talents of local innovators, designers and artists, invites the public to try their hands at making projects from dumplings to puppets to musical fruit.
Maker Day starts off with a way to make your body more flexible and centered when Gorilla Yogis offers a morning yoga session from 10-11 a.m.
From there, the skys the limit: Visit these artists and projects and become part of the Maker Movement from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
- James Airhart and Elizabeth Ryan, Butterfly Yarn Bombing
- Molly Balcom Raleigh and Emily Stover, Dumpling House
- Peter Haakon Thompson, Mobile Sign Shop
- Soozin Hirschmugl, sPARKit Mobile Unit Puppet Make and Take
- Wil Natzel, Wearable Hats and Corrugation
- Justin Schell, Fruit Orchestra
- Susan L. Solarz, Make Your Own Musical PVC Stool
Descriptions of all projects and more information about the Creative City Challenge events on the plaza can be found at http://www.minneapolis.org/minneapolis-convention-center/on-the-plaza/events.
Additionally, you can make your own combination of Pepsi products as the exclusive nonalcoholic beverage partner at the Minneapolis Convention Center will be offering product mixing and sampling on the Plaza during the event.
More information:
In case of inclement weather, Maker Day will be moved under the front entrance arcade of the Convention Center, located at 1301 2nd Ave. South, Minneapolis. Severe weather cancellations will be announced at www.minneapolisconventioncenter.com and via social media.
Balancing Ground is the 2014 winner of Creative City Challenge created by Amanda Lovelee, Christopher Field, Kyle Waites and Sarah West. Creative City Challenge is an annual competition for individuals of all backgrounds to create and install a public artwork at the MCC Plaza for display throughout the summer. Balancing Ground debuted June 14 and will be available for viewing and interaction through early October.
The next Creative City Challenge call for artists will be released later in the month. Watch for details at http://www.minneapolis.org/minneapolis-convention-center/ccc.
PHOTO ATTACHED/CUTLINE
Dumpling House by Molly Balcom Raleigh and Emily Stover is a demonstration that the simple act of preparing food with friends is a powerful way to share history, build knowledge, and foster strong relationships in a community of people. (Photo courtesy of Northern Lights.)
Other photos are available; contact Kristen Montag, kristenm@minneapolis.org for high-res images of Balancing Ground, the MCC or a previous event.
ABOUT MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER
The Minneapolis Convention Center (MCC) is the largest indoor, contiguous, convention center in the Upper Midwest with over 1.5 million visitors annually, including 250,000 during the summer months. The MCC is more than a meeting place. It's more than a show space. It's a building all about building something elserelationships. A blend of form and function, the MCC provides aesthetically pleasing and innovative solutions for a variety of conferences, trade shows and events. With nearly 480,000 square feet of trade show space, 87 column-free conference meeting rooms, a 28,000-square-foot ballroom, and an auditorium with superb production and flexible technology options, the facility can handle any event from a small meeting to a large convention or trade show.
ABOUT THE ARTS, CULTURE AND CREATIVE ECONOMY PROGRAM, CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS
The Arts, Culture and Creative Economy program is an initiative of the City Coordinator's office established August 2011 to leverage the creative sector towards strengthening social and economic growth in the City of Minneapolis. The goals of the program are to: promote and coordinate City resources to develop the arts as an economic generator in alignment the City Goal "art and artists are economic drivers in and of themselves, to stimulate cross-sector collaboration to strengthen the arts economy and community in Minneapolis and provide presence and visibility for the creative sector in the City of Minneapolis.
ABOUT NORTHERN LIGHTS.MN
Northern Lights.mn is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to artists working innovatively in the public sphere, exploring expanded possibilities for civic engagement and encourages pluralistic community. They produce Northern Spark and Creative City Challenge plaza events.
ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS
Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to maximize the economic benefit of the greater Minneapolis area. Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of the Destination Marketing Association International.
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#askMPLS
When visitors attending events in the city have questions about where to go, what to do or just need directions, all they need to do is ask by using the Meet Minneapolis hashtag #askMPLS on social media. Staff members are on the ready to respond to questions and assist to ensure a great visitor experience for all who come to Minneapolis.
MEDIA CONTACT
Kristen Montag, media & communication manager, 612.767.8038, kristenm@minneapolis.org, Minneapolis_PR on Twitter.
