Arts and Cultural Programs

The American Swedish Institute offers a wide variety of cultural programming opportunities for all ages, including language courses, Nordic Handcraft and Nordic Table workshops, author events, Svenska Skolan, the Lucia Choir and heritage festivals like Midsommar. These programs help make ASI a vibrant cultural center that connects locally and engages globally with offerings that promote a greater understanding of culture, migration, heritage and identity.

Star Tribune’s Taste 50 Birthday Feast October 2019

The Star Tribune celebrated 50 years of the Taste section with a sold-out, seven-course feast hosted by ASI. Six James Beard award-winners for Best Chef Midwest, joined by executive chef Blake Meier of Fika at ASI, cooked together for the first time: Tim McKee, Isaac Becker, Alex Roberts, Paul Berglund, Gavin Kaysen and Ann Kim.

Danish String Quartet, November 2019

The Danish String Quartet performed a Schubert Club Mix concert, which included songs from their albums of Scandinavian folk music, Woodworks and Last Leaf, to a packed audience in Larson Hall.

The Jack & the Ghost book celebration November 10–11, 2019

Featuring author/musician Chan Poling and artist Lucy Mitchell, this special and unique performance in the ASI ballroom featured the renowned artists showcasing their new illustrated book.

Holidays at the American Swedish Institute December 2019

FY2020 encompassed in-person public programs that would prove to be among the last to welcome crowds before COVID measures would dramatically change social behavior. Among ASI’s many holiday highlights was the December 7–8, 2019 Julmarknad Christmas Market and festival, the Julglädje (Christmas Joy) performances, ASI’s popular Glögg Tours led by the Theater of Public Policy, the Winter Solstice Celebration and the Neighborhood Open House.

extra/ordinary First Look: Preview Party and Family Day February 28 – March 1, 2021

The First Look Preview Party for extra/ordinary and Family Day during the exhibition’s opening weekend, introduced the public to the new exhibition, as well as Tara Sweeney and Nate Christopherson, the artists behind the A to Zåäö book, in an evening full of hands-on activities, games and live music.

Virtual Programming

To continue to serve as a gathering place for all after March 2020, when in-person programming was not possible during the pandemic, ASI switched to online programming. Language classes enjoyed a jump in registrations with students from all over the world. New virtual experiences included exhibition tours, a DIY-athome Midsommar celebration. One highlight on April 17, was A Drop of Midnight — A Memoir, a virtual book talk with author/hip-hop artist Jason “Timbuktu” Diakité in conversation with translator/ASI language instructor Rachel Willson-Broyles about his search for self. • More than 2,100 students attended virtual classes including 120 new students from locations outside of Minnesota. • Language students came from 27 states (including Minnesota).

SPECIAL EVENTS

Lutfisk Dinner, November 16 Julmarknad, December 5-7 Winter Solstice Celebration, December 21 Julbords, December 21–22 Neighborhood Open House, January 8 Midwinter Folk Music Festival, February 14–16 First Look — extra/ordinary, February 28

PERFORMANCES

Danish String Quartet Lucia Celebration Concert Lucia In the Mansion Concert Julglädje

YOUTH & FAMILY FOCUS (until March 2020)

Kids at the Castle, two each month Preschool Programs, transitioned to a monthly program Babies at the Castle, one each month Birthday Parties Svenska Skolan History on a String with Bancroft school Pippi Project with Andersen and Bancroft schools Spool Knitting with Andersen and Bancroft schools Weekly After-School Programs at Whittier and

Bancroft schools Youth and School Tours Story Swap with Wellstone International High School Mini-Transmission Monthly Storytime at Center of Excellence Family Day for Handmade Holidays Family Day for extra/ordinary

OTHER PROGRAMS

Gingerbread House Making for Families ASI at Minnesota History Day (virtual) Swedish Genealogy Workshops Afternoons at ASI Jack & the Ghost, book event with Chan Poling and

Lucy Michell University Day Series Poets, Writers, Musicians Against the War on the Earth Walking Together Bowls for Open Arms Virtual Experiences (Post March 2020) Art and Anecdotes Stories in a Snapshot Jason Diakité, A Drop of Midnight book launch Neil Price, Children of Ash and Elm book launch Johan Bävman Talk Midsommar at Home Community Craft, weekly Makers Morning and monthly Makers Night Nordic Handcraft Nordic Table Swedish and Finnish language classes Monthly Preschool Program

COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PRESENTERS

89.3 FM, The Current radio 91.1 FM, MPR News radio Ann Aas Chip Addington Joe Alfano Marcia Almquist Amazing Balloons, MN LLC American Association for Runic Studies American Association of Museums American Craft Council American Friends of Uppsala University American Scandinavian Foundation American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia Anderson United Elementary School Apple Auto Paul Arneston Rose Arrowsmith-DeCoux Teresa Audet Augustana College Ingrid Aune Janis Aune Julie Aune Jeanne and David Aurelius Bancroft Community School Linda Banning DeAnn Barlow Bliss Benson Erv Berlgund Traudi Bestler

extra/ordinary

Dag Blanck Borton Volvo Mayan Briggs Sean Brock Betsy Byers Cantus Choir Carl Larsson-gården, Sundborn, Sweden Carlson Family Foundation Cedar Cultural Center Becca Cerra Ann Charters Nate Christopherson Steve Claypatch Coffee House Press Andy Cook Cooks of Crocus Hill Dalarnas Museum, Falun, Sweden Catherine Dalton Danish American Center Danish Honorary Consulate, Minneapolis Danish String Quartet Delta Airlines Jason Diakité District Court of MN (Naturalization Ceremony) Doody, Jessica and Patrick Beth Dow Earthtones Ebenezer Fairview Care Centers Seth Eberle Carin Ekstrand-Anderson Embassy of Sweden Embassy of the United States, Stockholm, Sweden Lauren Emmons Lisa Erickson Kala Exworthy Michael Fasold Fiddles on Fire Fika Coffee Film Society of Minneapolis-St. Paul Finnish Honorary Consulate Sue Flanders FOCI Minnesota Center for Glass Arts Folktopia Fotografiska, The Swedish Museum of Photography Foxglove Market & Studio Gammelgården, Scandia, MN Donna Garhofer Emma Gasterland-Gustafsson Germanic American Institute Kim Gordon Scott Graden Melba Granlund Brendan Grant Green/Blue Paula Gudmensen Gustavianum, Uppsala, Sweden Gustavus Adolphus College Gayle Hallin Greta Hammelman-Svenddal Marya Hart Peder Hegland Krista Heilman Valerie Hennig Charlie and Ann Heymann Jess Hirsch History Alive! Lanesboro Beth Homa-Style House of Sweden, Washington, D.C. Icelandic-American Association of Minnesota Improvestra Laurie Jacobi Bill Jaeger Anita Jain Karen Jenson Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas Brenda Johnson Carol Johnson Kairos Alive James Kaplan Gavin Kaysen Holly Keller Dee and Kleinow Ray Stuart Klipper Jill Koski Beth Kraus Elise Kyllo Ola Larsmo Peggy Larson Larsson Trio Tom and Catherine Latane Lilla Lag Little Fevers Fred Livesay Michelle Lund Lupulin Brewery Laura Mackenzie Male Chorus McNordiques Meet Minneapolis Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Mill City String Quartet Donna Millard and Kim Losse

Brian Miller Nancy Miller Mindekirken Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis Public Schools Minnesota Association of Museums Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minnesota Historical Press Minnesota Historical Society Minnesota Historical Society, Museum Fellows Minnesota International Center Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings Museum MinnPost MN Scandi Ensemble Musik i syd National Library of Sweden National Nordic Museum, Seattle, WA Brad Nelson Meghan Nelson New Dawn Theater Company New Scenic Cafe Jen Newburg Scott Nichols Magnus Nilsson Natalie Norman North House Folk School Norway House Open Arms of Minnesota O’Shea Irish Dancers Natalie O’Shea Cheryl Paschke Randy Peck People Serving People Flemming Petersen Sonja Peterson Phillips Midtown Neighborhood Association Phillips West Neighborhood Association PICA Head Start Chan Poling and Lucy Michell Neil Price Puppets ‘n’ People Ilrid Richards Royal Norwegian Honorary Consulate Jake Rudh Robynne Runyon Cecilia Schiller Mary Jo Schmith Catherine Schoenherr Karen Searle Silverwood Park Slovczech Band Sons of Norway South Highschool Carolers Spelmanslag Spoon and Stable Daithi Sproule St. Kate’s Empty Bowls Project Julie Steller Oskar Stenmark StepUp Sun Street Breads Ross Sutter SVEA Singers Svenskarnas Dag / Scandinavian Day Fest Susan Marie Swanson Swedish American Chamber of Commerce Swedish American Museum (Chicago, IL) Swedish Council of America Swedish Crown Bakery Tara Sweeney Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center Sofia Talvik Kari Tauring Richard Tellström Theater of Public Policy Three Rivers Park District Tiny Footprint Coffee Tjärnblom Karyn Tomlinson Susan Tracy Transmission Music Twin Cities Caricaturists Twin Cities Jewish Choral Tyke Invite University of Minnesota Press University of Minnesota, Department of German,

Scandinavian and Dutch Studies University of Minnesota, Goldstein Museum of Design University of Minnesota, Institute for Global Studies and

European Studies Consortium Uppsala kommun, Sweden Uppsala University Alumni Association –

Minnesota Chapter Uppsala University, Sweden Urban Forage Becky Utecht Renee Vaughan Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Viking Age Living History Viking Encampment Viking Fiber VocalEssence

Wellstone International High School Janey Westin Whittier Elementary IB PYP Henrik Williams Sara Williams Rachel Wilsson-Broyles Women’s Woodshop Writers, Poets, Musicians –Jim Lenfestey, Tim Franzick, Ruth Bly, Freya Manfred

FY20 Program Instructors

Soile Anderson Allison Aune Kirsten Aune Maddy Bartsch Sean Brock Liz Bucheit Bonnie Buzza Faith Clover Lesley Darling Beth Dooley Beth Dow Eric Edgin Meg Erke Sue Flanders Pieper Fleck Bloomquist Renata Fosset Sam Gathje Melba Granlund Skyler Hawkins Jess Hirsch Christine Hoffman Rose Holdorf Beth Homa Kraus Theresa Hornstein Bill Jaeger Patrice Johnson Gavin Kaysen Kitty Latane Paul Linden Kayla McDaniels Judy McDowell Ann Mekala Mette Nielsen Chiaki O’Brien Keith Pierce Laura Ricketts Anna Ruhland Eva Sabet Anna Sharratt Gigi Stafne Julie Stellar Ingrid Sundstrom Tara Sweeney, Erin Swenson-Klatt Josh Torkelson Susan Tracy Amy Umbel Becky Utecht Janey Westin

Star Tribune’s Taste 50 Birthday Feast

Minnesota Wild player Joel Eriksson Ek and A to Zåäö collaboration