A New Angle: Arts Development in the Suburbs

Whether we live in rural towns, big cities, or growing suburbs, the arts matter to all of us. The arts spark discussion, raise questions, feed our imaginations, and link us to one another. Watercolor classes. Broadway musicals. Knitting groups. Dance performances. Storefront studios. Teen-painted murals. Choral groups. Outdoor sculpture. Battles-of-the-bands. Photos on coffee shop walls. Repertory theater. Cello solos. Paint-your-own-pottery places. It is all art, and it all matters in ways we seldom acknowledge. The McKnight Foundation's conviction that the arts matter has always inspired our giving. That conviction also has driven us to find ways to highlight the arts and the nourishment they provide. This report is one such effort. A New Angle explores a growing commitment to the arts in the Twin Cities' suburbs. The report covers new ground by detailing the history, status, and direction of suburban arts activity