Arts and Culture Commission

Members

Name	Title	Term expiration
Todd Edwards	Member	December 31, 2022
Cynthia Gilbertson	Secretary	December 31, 2021
Paula Granquist	Member	December 31, 2020
Karna Hauck	Member	December 31, 2022
Alyssa Herzog Melby	Chair	December 31, 2020
Matthew Klooster	Member	December 31, 2022
Heather Lawrenz	Vice Chair	December 31, 2020
Vacant	Member	December 31, 2021
Vacant	Member	December 31, 2021
Harper Bechtel (Voting)	Youth Representative (voting)	2019-2020 school year
Madeline McDermott	Youth Representative (non-voting)	2019-2020 school year
Edie Meehan	Youth Representative (non-voting)	2019-2020 school year
Robby Swenson	Youth Representative (non-voting)	2019-2020 school year

Staff liaisons

Name	Title	Phone number
Teresa Jensen	Library and IT Director	507-645-1801
Kathy Rush Vizina	Administrative liaison	507-645-1800

Overview

The Arts and Culture Commission advises the City Council about the development of arts and cultural activities, organizations, and facilities in Northfield. The Arts and Culture Commission was created by City Council in January 2007 following a recommendation from ArtsPlan06 which identified its mission. Its purpose is to assist Northfield in becoming a community in which arts and cultural activities:

Are recognized as vital components of community life worthy of investment and support from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors
Are valued and promoted for their economic benefits and development potential, especially in the downtown
Include new ethnic groups in Northfield’s identity and sense of community
Represent an integral part of Northfield’s educational mission and programs for young people
Engage the talents and involvement of retirees and senior citizens
Develop a wider array of opportunities for collaboration between faculty and student artists at the two colleges and community artists
Cooperate to enhance the public perception of Northfield’s identity and quality of life in the community itself, the surrounding region, and beyond

Meetings are called by the chair. For transaction of business at any meeting, a majority of members shall constitute a quorum.

2019 accomplishments

Passed the Cultural Plan in March and formed implementation subcommittees
Funded the first public art project through the 1% for the Arts initiative facilitated through the Public Art Review Process (PARC), an information kiosk located that the corner of Division Street and 6th created by Rick Swearer, Keeney Swearer and Howard Ostrue
Worked with the Public Works Department to recommend approval of the Banner Policy
Accepted and awarded first ever Spanish poems in the Sidewalk Poetry Program
Installed new “Welcome” banners on Division Street, funded by the NDDC, created by artist Steve Maus
Awarded 2019 Living Treasure Award to musician and educator Donna Paulsen

2020 major projects

Partnering with the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation on the Artists on Main Street Initiative (AOMS)
Implementing the Public Art Review Process for five separate projects (kiosk, AOMS, bench, banners, and roundabout)

Ongoing projects

The Arts and Culture Commission has initiated a number of special projects, including:

Sidewalk poetry

High school sculpture project

Living treasures award