Art Shanty Projects - Joy, Art, & Community

I visited the Art Shanty Projects last winter, right after I moved up to Minnesota, and I immediately fell in love. It's a temporary artist village made up of local artist-built shacks and performances by folks who embrace the weather, all on top of a frozen lake. It is so quintessentially Minnesotan. 

I joined their board recently because I want to be a small part of helping this happen every winter. I had no idea what this winter would actually be like. 

There have been smaller crowds than usual this year, as you can imagine. But the folks who are coming out have enthusiastically participated in the shanty and other on-lake activities, and the artists have risen to the moment. The tricky thing about smaller crowds is that it also means fewer donations. ASP keeps a careful budget, but also pays artists a living wage. Any dollar you send to support will help us be able to host this again next year. 

If you're local, and you feel comfortable coming out this year, I hope to see you on the lake. If you're outside of MN, I hope you'll plan a trip up next year so you can enjoy the shanty life in person!