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Community Fund
Members of 826 MSP’s Young Authors' Council.
Since the Fund’s inception, ASI and its community have contributed $27,280 to neighborhood organizations and projects.
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In April 2020, ASI established the Community Fund to better serve neighborhood needs, joining other local arts and cultural organizations in seeking to address issues of inequality and racism. Supported by contributions from the ASI community, the Fund provides short-term gifts to projects within the Phillips West and South Minneapolis communities that align with ASI’s mission and that nurture diverse, vibrant relationships.
Learn more: asimn.org/support/asi-community-fund Recipients include: PICA Head Start Open Arms Tamales y Bicicletas Semilla Center for Healing and the Arts Somali American Women Action Center Alley Communications English Learning Center Sisters’ Camelot Joyce Preschool Phillips Community Free Store In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre 826 MSP Little Earth Residents Association Organic Oneness Center of Excellence Phillips West Neighborhood Organization Banyan Community Ebenezer Minneapolis Campus Corcoran Neighborhood Organization
Fostering Curiosity: 2021 Programs & Events
“It was great just being able to get your hands dirty and do the work yourself. We created something decorative, beautiful, and lasting. It was unique!” –Nordic Handcraft participant
This year, ASI adopted new and innovative methods of delivering programs to audiences around the globe. With in-person indoor activities significantly reduced, the majority of programs were offered virtually or in alternative outdoor spaces.
Among many positive outcomes from these pivots, outdoor activities prompted community members to connect in new ways to ASI’s campus grounds, uplifted access to programs and events for visitors traditionally unable to travel to ASI, and fostered the development of a global audience for ASI programs.
In addition to its analysis of ASI’s neighborhood impact, Wilder Research examined participant perceptions related to three of ASI’s programs: Nordic Handcraft, Nordic Table, and Tours, including interviews with in-person program and virtual program participants.
Wilder’s findings underscored the way ASI’s community values ASI’s instructors and teaching artists as culture-bearers, and reinforced the importance of offering tour experiences grounded in unique ASI stories. Community members shared that they also seek new and different ways to engaged with ASI beyond what was offered in the past.
FY21 Program Highlights
Julmarknad Holiday Market
Initial plans to activate the Courtyard across multiple weekends in November and December inspired by Sweden’s open-air markets ended after a government-mandated closure shuttered the ASI doors. Online Julmarknad shopping experiences were enhanced with 30-minute virtual behind-thescenes tours of select artists’ studios, as well as artist panels. Pictured: Display Everyday Virtual Julmarknad Artist Panel.
Virtual Lucia Choir
ASI’s Lucia Choir was comprised of 26 youth who took to Zoom for rehearsals for the Lucia season. Emmie Gumaelius and Nina Duffy were chosen as Co-Lucias. The end production was a magical virtual experience under the direction of Ingrid Aune.
Drive-Thru Lutfisk
The beloved holiday food tradition of lutfisk was preserved, if in a slightly different format than previous years. ASI and FIKA Café packaged over 240 meals and hand delivered them to waiting cars as part of a Drive-Thru Lutfisk event. More than a few registrants pulled out air freshener and ate their meal in the parking lot.
Swedish Museum Virtual Talks Series
In January 2021, ASI kicked off our Swedish Museum Virtual Talks Series. The first tour was to the Zorn Museum in Mora, Sweden with museum director Dr. Johan Cederlund our host. The tour brought virtual attendees into the home of Anders and Emma Zorn and through the museum’s galleries which showcase its extensive collection of works by Zorn. It was a hit with ASI members and viewers from around the country. The series has visited 7 Swedish museums and is one of ASI’s most popular virtual programs.
FY21 Programs
Special Events
Drive-thru Lutfisk Julmarknad Midwinter Folk Music Festival Easter at the Castle and Egg Hunt First Look — Kindertransport University Day — Kinderstransport Midsommar Performances Crayfish Party
Performances
Lucia Choir Performance Julglädje Kairos Alive Intergenerational Dance Silver Hands Schubert Club Music In the Courtyard Series
Youth & Family Focus
Kids at the Castle Preschool Program Babies at the Castle Svenska Skolan History on a String The Pippi Project Youth and School Tours
Other Programs
ASI at Minnesota History Day Afternoons at ASI Art and Anecdotes Stories in a Snapshot Community Craft, weekly Makers Morning, and monthly Makers Night Nordic Handcraft Nordic Table Swedish & Finnish Language Classes Swedish Museum Tour Series Marcus Samulsson Book Talk Magnus Nilsson Book Talk
Community Partners & Presenters
91.1 FM, MPR News radio American Association of Museums American Craft Council American Scandinavian Foundation American Swedish Historical Museum,
Philadelphia Anderson United Elementary School AnnMade in Minnesota äventyr Bancroft Community School Becky Utecht Felt & Fiber Beth Homa-Kraus Briggs and Craft Knits Carlson Family Foundation Catherine Schoenherr Cecilia Schiller Cheryl Paschke Christine Hoffman Clayhouse Pottery Studio Cooks of Crocus Hill Cris Anderson Danish American Center Danish Honorary Consulate Minneapolis Dottir Ebenezer Fairview Care Centers Elinor Geene Embassy of Sweden Embassy of the United States, Stockholm, Sweden Emily Vikre Emma Gasterland-Gustafsson Erin Swenson-Klatt Folktopia Gammelgården, Scandia, MN Gothenburg Museum of Art Gretapearl Gustavus Adolphus College Heather Brunch Helena Hernmarck Homesteading Bliss House of Sweden, Washington, D.C. Ilrid Vikings J.Renee.Brenda Janis Aune Jess Hirsch Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas Jonas Åkerlind Karin Siden Kelzuki Kilns of Flanders Kim Losse/Donna Millard Pottery Kingsteet Catering Kirsten Aune Laura Ricketts Lauren Emmons Laurie Jacobi Original Designs in Wool Lesley Darling Fiber Lessebo Paper Mill Lilla Lag Liz Bucheit Lund Studios Magnus Neilson Male Chorus Marcus Samuelsson Maria Genne Marya Hart McNordiques Meet Minneapolis Megan Flød Johnson Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Minneapolis Public Schools Minnesota Association of Museums Minnesota Center for Book Arts Minnesota Historical Press Minnesota Historical Society MODplayhouse Morgen Chang National Nordic Museum, Seattle Nikki Lemire Nor Hall Nordiska Museet North House Folk School Norway House Open Arms of Minnesota Open Cupboard Designs Parker Genne Patrice Johnson Peder Hegland Pottery People Serving People Phillips Midtown Neighborhood
Association Phillips West Neighborhood
Association PICA Head Start Pieper Fleck Bloomquist Rachel Wilsson-Broyles Richard Tellström Rose Arrowsmith-DeCoux Ross Sutter Royal Norwegian Honorary Consulate Sara Åkerlind Sean Hansberry Silvercocoon Silverwood Park Simlpy Elegant Glass Art Slovczech Band Sol Moran Sons of Norway Spelmanslag Stanley Leonard Studio Steller Handcrafted Goods STITCHESbycarin Studio Tuola Susan Marie Swanson SWEA MN
Swedish American Chamber of
Commerce Swedish American Museum, Chicago Swedish Council of America Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center Tamera Ober Tara Sweeney Teresa Audet Tessoro Jewely The Jewish Museum Stockholm The Sweing Swede The Waldermarsudde Muesum The Zorn Museum Third Daughter, Restless Daughter Three Rivers Park District Tjärnblom Tom and Catherine Latane Tom Johnson Traveling Tomten Twin Cities Flower Exchange University of Minnesota Press Våva! Veve! Viking Encampment LLC Viking River Cruises Vikre Distillery Vladimir Garrido-Biagetti West Ash Design Whittier Natural Leaders Summer Program YWCA - Abbott
FY21 Program Instructors
Alison DeRungs Amy Sands Ann Mekala Beth Homa-Kraus Bliss Benson Christine Hoffman Elizabeth Belz Emily Vikre Erin Swenson-Klatt Heidi Skoog Ingrid Erickson Ingrid Sundstrom Jess Hirsch Kathleen Sheridan Kayla Ann Kirsten Aune Laura Berlage Laura Ricketts Lesley Darling Liz Bucheit Maddy Bartsch Maria Wesserle Meg Erke Patrice Johnson Paul Linden Pieper Fleck Bloomquist Sam Gathje Sara Åkerlind, Jonas Åkerlind Sue Flanders Susan Tracy Tara Sweeney Teresa Audet Yuka Petz
