Creating Belonging
Through MNPAiR, art deepened visitors' connections to parks across Minnesota.
MNPAiR is the Minnesota Parks Artist-in-Residence program. It is made possible by the Legacy Amendment.
The Minnesota Parks Artist-In-Residence (MNPAiR) pilot was an initiative designed to embed artists across all state and regional park systems in Minnesota. Coordinated by Forecast Public Art (Forecast) in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Metropolitan Council Metropolitan Regional Parks, and the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC), 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.
For this residency, there were 12 artists-in-residence embedded in 13 different park & trail sites across the state. Their focus was to foster belonging using their skills as artists in collaboration with their park and trail site and its wider system. Unlike traditional residency opportunities, this program focused on how artists can serve as partners to and ambassadors for the parks, and contribute not just art, but ideas.
Park Sites
MN DNR Parks and Trails
- Lake Bemidji State Park
- Tettegouche State Park
- Wild River State Park
Greater MN Regional Parks and Trails Commission
- Douglas County Lake Brophy Park
- Granite Falls Memorial Park
- Olmsted County Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo
- Rochester Cascade Lake Park
- Rochester Quarry Hill Nature Center
- Wright County Robert Ney Park
- Sherburne County Two Inlets at Bdé Heháka - Omashkooz Zaaga’igaans Regional Park
Metropolitan Regional Parks
- Dakota County Parks (Incl. Lebanon Hills and Spring Lake Park Reserve)
- North Mississippi Regional Park
- Battle Creek Regional Park
"When government teams, whether state or local, work closely with artists, they start to think and work differently, discovering new ways to approach projects and even finding opportunities to incorporate art into future work. Exposure to art helps us see the transformative power it has—not just for individuals, but for whole communities."
—Renee Mattson, Executive Director, GMRPTC
Park Visitors Engaged
Artists held events and activities across 13 park sites beginning in January 2025.
12 Artists, 12 Months
Each artist residency ran 2024—2025, with a few final elements wrapping in early 2026.
Park Systems
Three Minnesota park agencies participated, with 13 host sites.
Park Host Sites
Artists were embedded in 13 park and trail sites beginning in January 2025.
Minnesota Counties
Artists engaged communities across the state: Lake County • Chisago County • Beltrami County • Douglas County • Yellow Medicine County • Wright County • Sherburne County, Dakota County • Ramsey County • Hennepin County • Olmsted County.
The duration and budget allowed the resident artists to truly embed with their park hosts.
"One of the most meaningful outcomes was how art deepened visitors’ connections to the parks. Through the MNPAiR program, the public was invited to experience what it feels like to create art in a park setting."
—Renee Mattson, Executive Director, GMRPTC
Artist Events
Artists held workshops, visited schools and conducted tutorials, guided community creative activities and experiences, organized and led walks, and invited the public to celebratory culminating events and artwork installations.
Artworks & Installations
Artists and parks installed 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.
Seasons of Activities
Artists connected with host sites and their communities across all four seasons, taking advantage of the variety of activities and opportunities available and open to the public in our parks year-round.
Dollars invested directly into Minnesota's creative economy Through artist stipends and materials:
Artist Stipends $40,000 was paid to each of the nine artist teams.
Shared Materials Budget Each artist team had access to a shared pool of materials fees available for creative activities and installations.
“The impact on park visitors was both visible and powerful. Families and individuals came together to create art, make new friends, and try something new. This hands-on, place-based learning deepened the connection between creativity and nature for many attendees.
Visitors also frequently mentioned how relaxing it was to simply sit, slow down, and enjoy the parks while making art. That kind of stillness and presence is rare, and it was meaningful to see people rediscover it in these shared outdoor spaces.
Several subgroups have even continued meeting after the events—proof that the project helped forge lasting bonds.”
—MNPAiR artist
MNPAiR Timeline
Key pilot milestones
From start to finish, this was a busy pilot. We went through an exciting selection process where we received hundreds of applications. We spent time onboarding and getting parks and artists familiar with the design of the pilot and its goals. The artists spent time getting to know their site, staff, and community, and began ideating on how they might use their artistic practices near the beginning of 2025. Throughout 2025 they developed projects, workshops and events, and installed artworks in various media.
2024
Cross-agency model conversations begin
An RFP is issued and Forecast is hired to help develop and manage MNPAiR
June 25 – July 21, 2024
Artist call open
Almost 300 applications received from interested artists across the state
June 2024
External news interest and media coverage begins
20 individual news pieces published by 18 different entities, from June 2024 – October 2025
August / September 2024
Pilot artist cohort selected, host site matching
August 2024
Forecast artist cohort mentorship begins
September 2024 – April 2025
Discovery and work plan building
Artist cohort meets, artists begin research at their sites, and the artists work with host sites to develop a work plan
October 2024
Pilot artist cohort public announcement
January 2025
Artist public events begin
Ephemeral events, workshops, classroom visits, and other creative gatherings and community invitations
June 2025
Artist installations begin
Murals, signage, sculptures, benches, and other more permanent structures and physical interventions
December 2025
Final Evaluation and story share
Spring 2026
Pilot artist cohort public events and installations complete
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Image credits
This page: 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.
Previous page:
Sam Zimmerman's residency at Tettegouche State Park included the exhibition “Mewadisaad inon odinawemaagana” – He Sits with Relatives. This new collection of work features various animal, bird, and fish relatives that Sam experienced over the ten months throughout his time in Tettegouche State Park, including this piece, titled Asin-badakide-ziibi Amik / Baptism River Beaver.
This new mural from Cassandra Buck, titled “Movement,” was created in collaboration with Rochester Cascade Lake Park staff and visitors. Mural elements were pulled from art created in workshops. Community themes include: playing, swimming, running, fishing, wind, water, wildflowers and grass swaying.