Words by Holly Harrison
Ask anyone about Joan Vorderbruggen and they’ll tell you she is unstoppable.
In 2012, Joan developed and implemented the much-loved and multiple-award-winning Artists in Storefronts project, where she curated and directed more than 150 artists to create exhibits of original work in vacant and under-utilized storefronts.
From there she got hired on at Hennepin Theatre Trust as the cultural district arts coordinator, where she continues her work transforming public spaces by bringing new life (and great art) to the downtown Minneapolis Cultural District with the project Made Here.
“I was first hired at Hennepin Theatre Trust only part time,” she explains. “I realized very quickly that my role couldn’t be executed successfully part time and brought it to leadership’s attention my first day. I was hired full time a week later.”
It’s that brand of assertiveness that not only drove Joan successfully through a career 180 (from decades of waitressing and nursing to her current role in the arts), but also inspired the crowd of pioneers and path-forgers in attendance at her Giant Steps panel last year .
Joan took the time to tell us about her experience at Giant Steps and her expertise uniting the spheres of art and business.
I have a quote from your website. It says, “In just eight months of Artists in Storefronts, eight properties with a combined vacancy of more than twenty years acquired short- and long-term lease agreements.”
Do you remember what types of businesses decided to move into the empty stores? Did they say anything about how or whether AIS inspired them?
One of my favorite victories implementing Artists in Storefronts fairly early on was the takeover of the vacancies that existed in the Black Forest Inn property on Nicollet Avenue at 26th Street. Not only were both spaces that AIS activated rented after several years of inoccupancy, but two female-owned creative businesses moved in: Glam Doll Donuts and b. resale!
After Glam Doll opened they partnered with us to pair an artist with their empty wall space. It was a great next step in the evolution of the project, and they continue to host rotating art shows featuring Minnesota-based creativity long after AIS has moved on.
Mural by Erin Sayer, CAW*ES, and Wundr via Artists in Storefronts on Facebook (Photo by Steven Lang)
l’etoile once named you an “instigator.” Would you use that word to describe yourself? Can instigators be collaborators?
I love that descriptor! My friend and mentor Jack Becker referred to me early on as an arts mobilizer, which I like even better. Everything I do is rooted in collaboration, in more ways than people likely assume. I have to work with a downtown workforce that is largely underground or unseen—dock masters, security guards, hospitality workers, caretakers—so many people above and beyond the artists, owners, my coworkers at Hennepin Theatre Trust. I actually adore these relationships, seeing the same people regularly and having them crack up at the ridiculous load of stuff I’m dragging around or letting me stash my truck behind a dumpster for an hour.
Photo of Joan via Made Here on Facebook
Where do artists and businesses clash?
So much of my work is focused on doing everything I can to prevent a clash of interests between artists and property/business owners. It matters so much to me that everyone walks away feeling their experience was a good one. I like to think I am capable of pretty accurate temperature checks when it comes to anticipating property owners’ expectations, and I swear that ability came from decades of waitressing and nursing.
That said, I am equally sensitive to what an artist is envisioning, and I work very hard to support that vision being implemented in a way the artist feels good about. In the beginning we had a somewhat limited focus on beauty, which thankfully is plentiful in the artistic community. But as time has passed and trust has been earned, we’ve been so happy to allow space for work that addresses issues our communities are facing, concepts that may have been perceived as too provocative before.
Emily Lynch Victory working on her installation via Made Here on Facebook
Who do these initiatives benefit most—the businesses or the artists?
My greatest motivation is helping artists, so naturally I would like to believe that the work I am doing is supporting them first and foremost. But honestly, property owners enjoy having something they can feel proud of in their vacant windows, something that improves the space, makes it a destination even while it’s in flux. And then there is the community. From the generous feedback we’ve received, we know that pedestrians appreciate and enjoy having these art experiences as they traverse our downtown.
What’s next for Made Here?
Our panel just met and picked the theme for our fall/winter activation, so we are gearing up to launch that open call very soon! We also are partnering with The Third Bird and the Great Streets initiative to host an artist market and festival every Sunday, now through August in the Loring Corners Alley. The event is called the Loring Alley Rally and we can’t wait to see what thirty-five various artists and makers are going to have for us to blow our entire paycheck on!
You spoke last year at Giant Steps, a Minnesota-based forum to accelerate learning and create connections across the creative community. What was the experience like?
I totally loved it. I got to be on a panel with some amazing people, including Chris Cloud who is one of my all-time favorite fellas! The crowd had great questions and I just felt super lucky to have the chance to share a bit of my story with a really energized room.
What does Giant Steps mean to you?
It’s a platform to celebrate local leaders and innovative thinkers in a way that employs their expertise to become a little bit more flexible with the help of these unlikely collaborations. I think the topics are curated well and the conversations that are gleaned hold great value.
Ta-coumba T. Aiken painting in City Center via Made Here on Facebook (Photo by Karen Nelson)
You’ve done a lot of interviews. What is a question you wish someone would ask you? (And, of course, what’s the answer to that question?)
Oh man, I guess I would say, “Why should people and communities care so much about artists?” And my answer would be: Because they speak a language that connects us, they see beauty where there is darkness, they hold the ability to make us think, converse, and see things from many perspectives. In a world that can feel so disconnected and dark at times, this is a part of our community that can truly inspire transformation.
Installation by Mary Jane Mansfield and Julia Caston via Artists in Storefronts on Facebook (Photo by Steven Lang)