Photo by Shine On Photos
A village of 20 colorful ice shanties will pop up on Minneapolis’ Lake Harriet (Bdé Umáŋ) later this month as part of the annual Art Shanty Projects, a celebration of community and creativity meant to brighten the frigid days of a Minnesota winter. Each shanty is created by an individual artist or a group to highlight a theme of their choice—from “Science Sunday: Lakes are Alive!” by a group of lake scientists to “Scritch and Scratch’s Free Stuff Surplus,” a shanty that offers gently used outerwear to help keep visitors warm while they explore the frozen lake.
“From proposal to production, [the artists] have shown efforts toward community care, radical joy, and eagerness for dialogue,” says Art Shanty Projects’ artistic director, Erin Lavelle. “You’ll encounter contemplative projects on epidemics and climate change alongside exuberant celebrations of queerness.”
Art Shanty Projects has had a presence on Minnesota lakes since 2004, encouraging artists and audience members to interact in a low-pressure environment and to enjoy the (chilly) fresh air and (sometimes) sunshine.
Photo by Ryan Stopera
In addition to browsing the shanty village during the festival’s open hours (Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.), guests can also take in music and dance performances and art pop-up stations at various times. This year’s performances include Taiko on Ice, the Prairie Fire Choir, a community sing-along, and square dances with caller Ann Carter. zAmaya Theater, a troupe focused on housing justice, will perform commissioned works by Minneapolis Poet Laureate Junauda Petrus. Lavelle says, “While Art Shanty Projects celebrates getting outside in winter, and creating a joyful gathering space for socializing and fighting isolation, it’s important to include those for whom this season can be critically dangerous.” Highlighting housing insecurity is one way Art Shanty Projects carries out its mission of community care.
Photo by Ryan Stopera
If you’re visiting the village with family or friends this year, there’s a shanty for seemingly every interest, with entries focused on pollinators (“Pollinator Frenzy”), a multi-sensory submarine experience (“Sub Bdé Umáŋ”), and “The Beaver Shanty” by researchers at the University of Minnesota’s Beaver Lab—where guests can put on a beaver tail, forage for food, and even try their hand at building a dam.
Art Shanty Projects runs Saturdays and Sundays, January 17 through February 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lake Harriet. A $10-$20 donation is suggested per visitor. Paths are plowed on shore at the park and on the lake through the shanty village. Accessible parking is available in the Lake Harriet Bandshell lot, and two ADA-compliant ramps bring visitors to the welcome gate.
Photo by Ryan Stopera
