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Top 20 Art and Design Vacation Cities on a Budget
Jill Hare, Kevin Powers, Valerie Atkisson | Monster Worldwide
October 12, 2009
#14: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The metro area surrounding the Mississippi River known as the Twin Cities has quietly become one of the country’s best hubs for the arts. There are more theater seats in this metro area per capita than in any U.S. city besides New York, and it also boasts a strong local scene of diverse genres that span from punk to folk to hip-hop. There are numerous venues around the many local colleges, but make sure to see the acts that come through the historic venue 7 Street Entry.
The Walker Art Center is known nationwide for its cutting edge art exhibitions. This summer they welcome Tomás Saraceno. “Saraceno pushes the conventions of art and architecture and their capacities to invoke inventive solutions to complex questions about how we inhabit and coexist in the world.”
In 1883, twenty-five citizens of Minneapolis founded the Minneapolis Society of Fine Arts, committing them to bringing the arts into the life of their community. More than a century later, the museum they created, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, stands as a monument to a remarkable history of civic involvement and cultural achievement. Don’t miss this venue.
You will also want to check out both the St. Paul Cathedral and the Basilica of St. Mary located in Minneapolis; both were built during the great rivalry these two cities had during the early part of the 20th Century.
spacecadet
5 months ago
2 comments
How is Portland, Oregon not on the list?! Aside from being a gorgeous city, impressively cheap, and full of great eats and drinks, there is a huge First Thursday following west of the Willamette River and an equally-impressive Last Thursday on the east side. Not to mention there's a thriving indie art scene and tons of alternative/non-profit gallery spaces for those not just looking to scope out museums-- though we do have the Portland Art Museum, Blue Sky Gallery, and the Museum of Contemporary Craft to scratch that itch. Not to mention, the Pacific Northwest College of Art is located in the midst of all the art galleries and has well-attended holiday events and shows throughout the year. Nine other colleges in the area have impressive exhibition programs as well. The annual Stumptown Comics Festival is a huge draw, as is the city-wide, two-week long Time Based Arts festival (T:B:A) hosted by the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art that draws performance and visual artists from around the globe each September.
Portland lives, breathes, and eats art... really a shame to not see it on here.
aboutcolor
5 months ago
24 comments
i'd like to add my little city to the list, Reno, NV. While we are not officially known for art it is a happening place during the summer. We start things off this June 18-21 at the El Cortez and Townhouse with Nada Dada motel. Over 50 artists will be participating and I'll be exhibiting my Sea Anemone Garden in rm. 308 at the El Cortez. Next door in the yard at the Town House will be a sculpture garden where I will also have pieces on display. Then during the month of July Reno becomes ARTown where there is something going on every single day, music, performances, dance, art exhibitions, you name it, free concerts, etc. Come to Reno!
courtneyyy
5 months ago
1612 comments
i can't believe savannah, georgia, isn't on the list... it's riverwalk is absolutely gorgeous, it's got all the historic southern charm, & the presence of SCAD certainly assures that it's got appeal for artsy people.
OlgaSuarez
5 months ago
2 comments
Great Articol
mosaic
5 months ago
64 comments
Charleston is a wonderful creative special place. There are so many artisitic places to visit and a lot of inspirational places as well. It has charm,elegance,culture, and of course the beaches and inlets
anani
5 months ago
2 comments
lol at the comments! NYC is my hometown and tho yes it can be very expensive there are plenty of people who live there on less then nothing and thrive. *warm smile* you just have to know where to eat, where to shop and where to live! lol seriously you can have a great meal for $3 (falafel) lol
DerekMason
5 months ago
8 comments
There are a GREAT number of FREE things to do in Washington, DC. Why is it listed as last? The Corcoran cost money to get in and see art, unlike the Smithsonian. There are free concerts and outdoor movies during the summertime and other various cultural event throughout the year. You explained the criteria of how these cities were being ranked, really. NYC? What? Seriously. I can not last that long having very little money. There are other cities that should be ranked higher.
JonathanKee
5 months ago
10 comments
no kidding, i had to laugh at the seattle entry, home of the $7 quarter pounder
astrocat
5 months ago
2 comments
uhhhhm --- you said a budget? NYC is a budget? --- whose budget? Paris Hilton's?
ugh