Art Works Eagan

Help the arts community thrive with Art Works!

Art Works mission is to enhance the local arts community by connecting working artists, arts organizations, and the community in a creative gathering space.

It's our 5 year anniversary! In celebration of making it through 5 years, we are asking everyone to give at least $25 - $5 for each year we have been open. Of course, we will accept any amount, but if everyone donated $25 we would smash our goal of $9,000!

We've been busy! 

This year we were able to curate five gallery exhibitions! This year's theme was Life is in the Details. Here are a few of the exhibitions that were in the space this season: 

Inside the Box: Minutia An exhibition about tiny things and the tiny details of the things around us. All work was smaller than a 6” cube. Magnifying glasses were provided as part of the viewing experience. Check out the video exhibit:

What You Were Wearing: A Response  This exhibit ran concurrently with “What You Were Wearing”  a project by 360 Communities which focused on dispelling the myths of sexual assault. Art Works worked with 360 Communities on their special project to bring insight to cultural norms around this topic. This exhibit invited artists to respond to the cultural experience of sexual assault, violence, sexual harassment, power and myth, and perhaps the road to survival and healing. Art provides an outlet for healing and the expression of all kinds of emotions and traumas. No virtual tour was provided for this exhibit.

Bits and Pieces of the Human Whole   The Human Form is a wonderous thing. This exhibit focused on the details of the human form. What stands out? The curve of a cheek? The size of a grin? The sensitive fingers of a musician? Check out the video exhibit 

Art Works has also hosted several events this year, including Rotary Comedy night and the City of Eagan Art Block which included Eagan Art Festival's Art Fair, live figure drawing, Eagan Community Foundations mini-golf, Art Works Gallery opening, and a live concert by Hip Hop artist Nur-D!

Another great example of how we build community is our annual fundraiser that was held in May The Battle of the Eagan Stars! This fun, interactive event featured teams from the community who were put to the test, competing in 3 different creative challenges. Audience members cast their votes and in the end one team emerged victorious! In addition to the creative competition, there was a wine toss, a prize wheel, a silent auction and food and beverages. This was the first event of it's kind since the pandemic and it felt so great to bring the community back together in the spirit of supporting our organization in this fun way.  

We raised $11,000 towards our $20,000 goal!

 Art Works believes that community is built piece by piece, layer by layer, and side by side in the common canvas that is our community.

Help us continue to connect! We are just $9,000 short of our $20,000 goal. 

We are coming together again. Help us continue reconnect! Your generosity will enable us to continue to offer:

Core Programming:

• Studios for Working Artists - studio space is offered on a private, semi-private or communal space basis.  2-D, Ceramics, and MakerSpace are all available.

• Arts Organization Support and Connection - local arts organizations such as the Dakota Center for the Arts, Eagan Community Foundation and Eagan FunFest use Art Works as a focal center for program planning, joint community efforts, and sharing resources.

• Resource and Networking Center for Working Artists - working artists, both Art Work's members and non-members, utilize Art Work's consolidated resources and network to enhance their businesses and art form.

• Fine Art Gallery - the first of its kind in Eagan, our gallery attracts community members and local educational institutions as an opportunity to gain artistic perspectives and learning, and allows local artists to share their work with the community.

• Performance Space - our performance space is available for a wide variety of events and opportunities, such as a venue for small theater groups, lectures, dance performance (with our newly acquired portable dance floor!), music performances, and poetry or other short story readings.  

• Community Gathering - the community and conference room spaces are available for a wide variety of meetings, workshops and events, supporting our mission of community connectedness. These can be held by individuals or various groups, such as our knitting group, both within and outside of Eagan. 

Connection, care and community through artmaking - we can't wait to see you at Art Works!