Hailed as “the Stacey Abrams of the concert industry,” the club owner became a national leader who brought independent promoters together — and $173 million to Minnesota venues.
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Star Tribune: “People took it for granted there would always be a live music venue on the corner of 1st Avenue and 7th Street in downtown Minneapolis. All of a sudden, there was a very real possibility that would no longer be the case,” Dayna Frank, the owner of First Avenue Productions, said with an intense shudder.
First Avenue was among the few independent concert venues that were likely to survive the pandemic. And yet, Minneapolis’ most iconic performance space teetered on going black. That’s how Dayna Frank knew things had to be incredibly tough all over.
“And if First Avenue was in danger — with all its history and assets and support from the community — then so many smaller venues didn’t stand a chance.”
It’s what Frank did for all the others, as president of the National Independent Venues Association, that earned her designation as the Star Tribune’s Arts Person of the Year.
Frank’s passion led to millions in relief money that helped shuttered venues stay afloat through the pandemic. It’s hard to think of any person who had a greater impact on the Minnesota arts scene in 2021 — including all facets of the performing arts, not just music.
Link here to read more about Frank’s work this year and other Minnesota artists who deserve an honorable mention.
Some important things you’ll want to know before your visit: Reservations are required for both members and nonmembers at this time. Reservations are currently available by clicking Here.
All reservation holders should check-in at the Visitor Center glass doors with their bar codes. Click Here for a map.
Due to physical distancing guidelines we are currently limiting capacity. Advanced reservations are available on a first come, first serve basis. Due of maintaining our capacity limits, late arrivals will be denied access. Please plan accordingly.
Posed photography is not allowed at this time. This includes family photos, senior photos, engagement photos, dance photos and wedding photos. No photo permits are being sold and masks are required both inside and outside.
Como Live
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About
Mission: “To inspire our public to value the presence of living things in our lives.”
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One of the last FREE zoos in the United States, Como is home to a wide array of animals and plants and welcomes visitors 365 days a year. Located right next to Como Town Amusement Park, Cafesjian’s historic carousel, and Como Park, the Zoo and Conservatory are great fun for visitors of all ages.
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Some of Como’s main attractions include a world-class polar bear exhibit, Polar Bear Odyssey, which opened to the public in 2010. The exhibit is home to the zoo’s twin polar bears Buzz and Neil and features over 13,000 square feet of outdoor habitat. The zoo is also home to a collection of large cats, hoofstock, wolves, birds, primates, gorillas, orangutans, seals and sea lions, and several other aquatic animals. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory features six indoor gardens and several outdoor spaces, displaying thousands of beautiful plants each year. For more information about our attractions and to plan your visit, view our visitor guide at: Como Zoo Conservatory.
George Morrison poses between two of his paintings in 1997 at Lizzard’s Gallery in Duluth. An exhibit at the gallery featured 77 of Morrison’s pieces, chronicling six decades of his work.
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George Morrison — a beloved Minnesota painter known for challenging old ideas of what Native American art should be — will be honored with a U.S. Postal Service stamp series next year.
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Duluth News: Morrison was born in 1919 in the since-abandoned village near Grand Marais known as Chippewa City. His pursuit of art, and later, his teachings, landed him in New York, Paris and Rhode Island before he returned to the North Shore in the 1970s.
There, Lake Superior inspired Morrison to make hundreds of small paintings intimately attuned to dusk and dawn, mist and fog, and fiery sunset, said Jackson Rushing, a friend of Morrison’s and an art historian who co-authored “Modern Spirit: The Art of George Morrison.”
Rushing described those paintings, some of which will be among the five pieces featured in the stamp collection, as a mantra: “I am home again. I am home again.”
Morrison, as well as painter and sculptor, Allan Houser, were among those who broke through barriers confining what Native American art could be and in 2004 both were featured in the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.
Morrison is known as a founding artist of Native American Modernism and for giving other Indigenous artists a type of freedom to make art without being confined to symbols, storytelling and the styles of their forefathers.
George Morrison’s collection of Forever Stamps will be issued in 2022 and available at post office locations. The Postal Service will host a ceremony in Minnesota to celebrate the launch of the stamps. Information about the event will be available at a later date.
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Story by #duluthnews reporter Andee Erickson with file photo by Kathy Strauss.
Give your holiday season a big, brassy boost as Minnesota Orchestra trumpeter Charles Lazarus and some very special guests swing their way through your favorite holiday tunes. Lazarus’ all-star band features Grammy-winners, former Prince collaborators and many world-renowned performers, all lending a bright, fresh take on the most beloved classics.
Trumpeter Charles Lazarus’ annual Merry & Bright concert has become a brass-studded staple of the Orchestra Hall holiday calendar over the last several years, enticing audiences with its cool twist on holiday tunes and heartwarming classics.
For the 2021 holiday season, Lazarus and his all-star band return to the stage with a new collection of holiday hits from his latest album, Merrier & Brighter. Described as soulful and swinging, funky and classic, the album features his signature take on Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas and some new holiday originals, among others.
Part of the fun of a Lazarus holiday show is the sheer variety of guests who join him onstage: powerhouse vocalists Tonia Hughes Kendrick and Bruce Henry, a nine-piece brass band showcasing many Minnesota Orchestra brass players, and composer-pianist (and New Power Generation alum) Tommy Barbarella are among this season’s collaborators.
New to the festive line-up this year will be the Merry & Bright Kids Choir, a small ensemble of young singers who will help share the Orchestra Hall premiere of the infectious, I Believe. Take a listen below.
The Arboretum’s Winter Music Series is back! Enjoy live music from local performers and community groups throughout November and December. Concerts are included with Arboretum admission. Join us for a Sunday afternoon (1:30 pm to 3 pm) of holiday music featuring the Star of the North musicians! We will gather in the Visitor Center and the concert is included with Arboretum Admission; tickets must be purchased in advance and we hope you have time for a visit!
