PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
Community collaboration and continuing to increase opportunities for BIPOC public artists was a top priority in our 2025 programs and projects.
This year marked the completion of our two-year partnership with three state agencies to engage visitors across Minnesota’s parks. Additionally, our team continued engaging a broad swath of local stakeholders in Saint Paul through partnership on the development of a 25-acre area within the HIdden Falls Crosby Farm Regional Park and Mississippi National River and Recreation area for the Mississippi River Learning Center.
We focused on creating, curating, and facilitating opportunities for artists to participate in public art planning, engagement and major public art projects, including parks, festivals, libraries, design-wrapped utility boxes, light rail stops, and more, reaching thousands of people.
Minnesota Parks Artists in Residence (Minnesota)
Minnesota’s first state-wide artist-in-residence program invested $526,000 in the state’s creative economy, embedding 12 artists at 13 parks in 11 Minnesota counties, engaging thousands of visitors, and demonstrating how artists strengthen belonging in the state’s parks
For this pilot program uniting three state agencies, we partnered with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division, the Metropolitan Council Metropolitan Regional Parks, and the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission to launch MNPAiR, an Artist Residency in the Parks pilot in parks across Minnesota, with a cohort exploring community and belonging. MNPAiR aimed to foster a sense of welcoming and belonging, deepen community engagement, and increase appreciation for outdoor recreation and natural resources, particularly among underserved communities.
Unlike traditional residency opportunities, this program focuses on how artists can serve as partners to and ambassadors for the parks and contribute not just art, but ideas. Starting in January 2025, artists held dozens of events, from workshops to school visits, they conducted tutorials, guided community creative activities, organized and led walks, and invited the public to celebratory culminating events and artwork installations. The artists and parks also installed over a dozen community-informed creative works and infrastructure in a variety of formats, from murals and sculptures to weavings, mosaics, signage and benches, both permanent and ephemeral.
The Minnesota Parks Artists-in-Residence program (MNPAiR) is a Legacy Amendment success story—supporting Minnesota artists, strengthening public lands, and ensuring that parks belong to all Minnesotans. This pilot is a first-of-its-kind cross-agency model in the U.S., demonstrating what becomes possible when state, regional, and local park systems invest in creativity as a public good.
Selected artists and their host sites
Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Granite Falls Memorial Park + Douglas County Lake Brophy Park: Tamara Isfeld + John Sterner. Olmsted County Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, Rochester Cascade Lake Park / Rochester Quarry Hill Nature Center: Cassandra Buck. Sherburne County Two Inlets at Bdé Heháka - Omashkooz Zaaga’igaans Regional Park, Wright County Robert Ney Park: Lindsay Buck.
Metropolitan Regional Parks Dakota County Parks (Incl. Lebanon Hills and Spring Lake Park Reserve): Ifrah Mansour. North Mississippi Regional Park: Stephanie Lindquist. Battle Creek Regional Park: Tara Perron + Marlena Myles.
Minnesota DNR Parks and Trails Lake Bemidji State Park: Nicole Rojas-Oltmanns + Monica Rojas Tettegouche State Park: Sam Zimmerman Wild River State Park: JG Everest
VISITORS ENGAGED
2,000+
ARTIST-LED EVENTS
70+
5 Key Takeaways
There was a specific focus of this program: belonging. The goal of the MNPAiR program was to enhance a sense of welcoming and belonging to park users. The intention was that the pilot help foster deeper community engagement and relationship-building in state and regional parks, improving access to Minnesota parks and trails, and increasing collective appreciation for park uses, outdoor recreation, and natural resources, especially in underserved communities.
This pilot program showed that when artists are embedded in government systems, it leads to:
- A unique collaboration, which leads to unique outcomes
Collaboration across agencies and across sectors yields creative solutions and innovation.
- Deepened visitor connection to the park
To encounter—and be allowed and encouraged to actively participate in making something lasting—was exceptionally meaningful to participants, as well as park staff.
- Increased public involvement
The MNPAiR experience increased public involvement at the participating parks with the broad outreach each of the artists made in their communities.
- An environment of creativity
Parks found that they were working and thinking differently just by having an artist embedded on their team for a year.
- New perspectives and impacts
When artists and parks work together as partners, parks and visitors experience exponential impact.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
incididunt non
Quis commodo in adipisicing nulla eu mollit amet. Nulla ex cillum velit ut.
From the Parks’ perspective, these partnerships were ways in which to reach a new audience. When artists and parks work together as true partners, the impact can be exponential. By respecting and supporting artists—giving them time, resources, and space to create meaningful work focused on belonging—we saw incredible results. Artists were central to the project, not an afterthought, and the work they produced was deeply impactful because they were paid fairly and given the freedom to work over a longer span of time.
—Renee Mattson, Executive Director, GMRPTC
excepteur tempor
Laborum consequat duis. Duis consequat amet in adipisicing.
excepteur tempor
Laborum consequat duis. Duis consequat amet in adipisicing.
excepteur tempor
Laborum consequat duis. Duis consequat amet in adipisicing.
excepteur tempor
Laborum consequat duis. Duis consequat amet in adipisicing.
Mississippi River Learning Center Engagement (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
The City of St Paul, with partners the Great River Passage Conservancy, Mississippi Park Connection, and the National Park Service, is developing a 25-acre area within the Hidden Falls Crosby Farm Regional Park and Mississippi National River and Recreation area for this gateway to the Mississippi. With lead architecture firm VJAA, landscape architects TEN x TEN, and consultants Full Circle Indigenous Planning + Design, we are collaboratively designing meetings, activities, and workshops to engage a wide range of residents and incorporate local artists into the project.
This year, we announced an open call for temporary, part-time independent contractors for two positions. These MRLC engagement artists:
- Collaborated with Forecast to co-develop and implement an arts-based community engagement event
- Supported idea collection during these events
- and are assisting with analyzing and synthesizing engagement information.
Over the course of the project, the team invited community to a variety of events to learn about the MRLC, engage with Forecast consulting partners Singer Horse Capture and Aki Shibata in interactive art activities, ask questions, share ideas, and connect.
In March 2025 at the Mni Sota Akitho Festival, for example, Singer and Aki were joined by artist Wóokiye wiŋ, who invited attendees to create a paper doll with the prompt: who do you see yourself with at Ȟaȟáwakpa, and what are you doing?
For an event with the art collective Spill Paint Not Oil, Theresa Ptak and Dio Cramer designed two prints, and Sean Lim was onsite as the lead artist during the engagement. Tara Perron (Tanáğidaŋ To Wiŋ aka Hummingbird Woman) led another engagement with her son and his partner, who are Flores de Miel (a tea company). Other artists who supported engagement included Wasima Farah, Bayou Bay, and Graci Horne.
COMMUNITY MEMBERS ENGAGED IN 2025
452
Amped Art (Saint Paul, Minnesota)
Artists’ digital designs now wrap 16 utility boxes near Mears Park and Kellogg Mall Park, transforming everyday infrastructure into storytelling canvases that reflect the identity, memory, and vitality of Saint Paul. From the story of the Underground Railroad to Southeast Asian family dinners to the Red Caps of Union Depot and native species of plants and animals of the Mississippi, each artist offers a new way to see into the history and people of our capital city.
The City of Saint Paul’s Parks and Recreation department hired Forecast to lead the artistic component of their downtown activation strategy. This strategy aims to activate public spaces to increase vibrancy, engage the community, and create a lively, welcoming environment that attracts both residents and visitors.
With our team at the helm of the strategy’s artistic component, the goal included identifying and onboarding local and regional artists. We aim to enhance public dialogue and foster an inclusive, diverse artistic presence in downtown Saint Paul. After engaging local stakeholders, we developed and implemented an open call for Minnesota-based artists.
Forecast invited Minnesota-based artists of all experience levels to submit qualifications to create digital designs covering utility boxes near two signature parks: Mears Park and Kellogg Mall Park. This opportunity sought artists who are excited to explore themes of the Mississippi River, Minnesota land, Saint Paul’s rich park systems, local history, culture, and the diverse residents who shape the city. The artist selection process included local and regional outreach to ensure a diverse applicant pool; one hundred twenty-three artists responded to the call.
Four artists were selected—Ngân Huynh, Ruby Thompson, Shea Maze, and Stef Kiihn. Selected designs were professionally wrapped onto sixteen utility boxes, transforming everyday infrastructure into captivating public art that reflects the identity and vitality of Saint Paul.
ARTISTS HIRED
4
St Louis Park Vision 4.0 (St Louis Park, Minnesota)
This is the fourth visioning process undertaken by the City of St. Louis Park, with previous processes having been successful and impactful in St. Louis Park leading to significant changes over the last 30 years.
As the lead group for Vision 4.0, our team provided a variety of opportunities for residents to share their vision for St. Louis Park’s future.
Visioning is a unique opportunity. These processes help to build relationships with the community outside of typical regulatory city functions, to learn about evolving community priorities and values, and hopefully inspire us all and develop the next generation of civic leaders. Engagement is an important part of the city’s racial equity and inclusion efforts.
The participation in these efforts has grown each time, leveraging new methods and tools.
Beginning in early spring and running through fall 2025, activities included Ambassador Cohort Sessions, mobile pop-up events, a town hall, and a survey. In the Ambassador Cohort Sessions, city council members, community committee members, city staff, community organization representatives, and high school students held discussions about the identity of St Louis Park, developed and finalized Vision 4.0 survey questions, and built relationships, while a local artist group (Studio Thalo) painted live on site to capture key takeaways. All summer, mobile engagement pop-ups provided ways for community members to share dreams and aspirations for the city. In fall, we held a virtual town hall and an in-person open house to both share and gather information so that community members could make their voices heard.
Artists who supported engagement include Streetcorner Letterpress, Studio Thalo (a collective), traveling foundry Pedal to the Metal, and the Mobile Sign Shop with Peter Haakon Thompson.
PEOPLE REACHED
2,000+
Top banner image: Cassandra Buck was one of 12 artists embedded at various Minnesota parks statewide as part of MNPAiR (MN Parks Artists-in-Residence). Cassandra held workshops at three parks in Olmsted County, surfacing community-identified themes at each location that informed her designs for murals and creative installations across the three parks. “Creating these installations has been a meaningful way to connect with residents and celebrate the beauty of our shared natural spaces," the artist shared. "I hope the work invites people to pause, reflect, and feel a deeper sense of belonging in these parks.” The resulting artworks made by community members informed Cassandra’s public art installations for all three parks, installed and unveiled from July–September of 2025.
MNPAiR: (1) John K Sterner and Tamara Isfeld were a team among 12 artists embedded at various Minnesota parks statewide, as part of MNPAiR. John and Tamara led a series of free, all-ages-welcome community workshops at Memorial Park in Granite Falls and Douglas County Lake Brophy Park near Alexandria, offering participants hands-on experiences in mosaics, plein air painting, and ceramics. Mosaic class participants made permanent murals in each park, and John created accompanying sculptures to leave a beautiful, lasting legacy of the MNPAiR experience. (2) Cassandra Buck's community-informed MNPAiR installations include a series of collage signage at Olmsted County Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo, two murals at Rochester Cascade Lake Park, and at Rochester Quarry Hill Nature Center, a cross-stitch installation as well as painted artwork along with two community murals. The community murals—painted with attendees during a celebration for the main Quarry Hill Nature community art project—can be found on the main hiking trail that leads to the food storage caves: one depicts a cardinal with open wings, and the other, a dragonfly. (3) Stephanie Lindquist and a workshop participant weave a star shape out of willow reeds; photo by Elizabeth Crawford. (4) Marlena Myles and Tanáğidaŋ To Wiŋ (Tara Perron) held four community celebrations at Battle Creek Regional Park that brought together Dakota ancestral teachings, modern Indigenous artists and artistry, and community-building activities to honor each season’s beauty and cultural significance, and celebrate what it means to people who have called this area home for thousands of years. Additionally, Marlena and Tara worked on an outdoor classroom and a medicine garden full of native plantings, shown here during a tour at their Okáǧa Summer-Wind Celebration. (5) While in residence at Lake Bemidji State Park, Monica Rojas and Nicole Rojas-Oltmanns learned about and connected with the Bemidji community, park staff, and the natural world of the park. Their stays at the park totaled 52 days, over 7 visits. In the colder months, they enjoyed a camper cabin. In the warmer months, they enjoyed a tent. They planned and facilitated 30 events and workshops, working with 500 participants. These included documentary screenings with discussions, felted lantern making (shown here), ice painting with native plants, interactive carnivorous plant puppet performances, mending circles, creating and photographing temporary nature art with park visitors and local youth groups, and workshops in town at the library. (6) Lindsay Buck focused on two parks: Wright County Robert Ney Park and Sherburne County Two Inlets at Bdé Heháka – Omashkooz Zaaga’igaans Regional Park (Two Inlets). She developed a mobile phone app, called heart+land, that pairs with onsite signage to bring users a new perspective on the land through the lenses of history, language, and botanical knowledge. The trail and app are free and open to the public for self-guided tours anytime. (7) While Sam Zimmerman spent the year exploring and learning about the natural environment and inhabitants of Tettegouche State Park, he also engaged with local schoolchildren and visited the park with kids on a field trip. Sam held an art show with students from William Kelley High School, with an opening reception, at Tettegouche State Park Visitors Center in Silver Bay, Minnesota. (8) MNPAiR artist JG Everest held a Wild River Poetry workshop; participant Nur reads his site-specific poem at the spot where he wrote it, for Teaching Artist Rosetta Peters (in red) and other workshop participants along the shore of Wókižu Wakpá (St Croix River) at Wild River State Park on July 28, 2025. (9) For Ifrah Mansour's MNPAiR residency, participants co-created 7 sculptures across Dakota County parks, transforming discarded matter into living symbols of resilience, care, and interdependence. (10) Ifrah Mansour headshot by Jenn Ackerman.
Mississippi River Learning Center: (1, 5, 7, 8) Water Whisperers was an opportunity to come together and build our connections with the Mississippi River, ourselves, and each other! This riverside event was one of many opportunities for community to learn more about the future Mississippi River Learning Center and share thoughts, ideas, concerns and wishes for the space. Bayou Bay facilitated the engagement, which provided comfortable riverside seating and invited participants to share reflections and dreams for the river. (3) At the Mni Sota Akitho Festival in March 2025, Forecast Consulting Partners Singer Horse Capture and Aki Shibata were joined by artist Wóokiye wiŋ (Katie Bendickson), who invited attendees to create a paper doll with the prompt: "who do you see yourself with at Ȟaȟáwakpa (the Mississippi River), and what are you doing?" Responses included: “Dakota boat tours,” “want to make art with my mom,” “paths that feel safe,” "easy and open access to water,” “interactive sculptures,” and ”natural medicine trails.” This event was one of many opportunities for community members to learn more about the future Mississippi River Learning Center (MRLC). We collaboratively designed meetings, activities, and workshops to engage a wide range of residents and stakeholders to share thoughts, ideas, concerns and wishes for the future space.
Amped Art: (1) Shea Maze's designs celebrate the Red Caps of Union Depot, offering a new way to see into the history and peoples of Minnesota's capital. (2) Ruby Thompson's designs illustrate native species of plants and animals of the Mississippi River. (3) Ngân Huynh's designs celebrate Southeast Asian cuisine and culture. (4) Stef Kiihn's designs celebrate stories of the Underground Railroad, the suffragist movement, and more, offering a new way to see into the history and peoples of Minnesota's capital.
St. Louis Park Vision 4.0: (1-4, 7-8) Summer 2025 mobile engagement pop-ups, including Streetcorner Letterpress and Pedal to the Metal. (5) Local artists Studio Thalo painted the key takeaways from the 2025 Ambassador Cohort Work Sessions. (6) 2025 Ambassador Cohort Work Session.