The stage is set for the City to bring live events to small businesses and nontraditional venues across Minneapolis with a new program called Minneapolis Amplified. Running from October through December this year, the new program will pair live music as well as other types of art activations with local businesses, creating opportunities for residents to discover artists, explore new places and spend time in beloved small businesses throughout the city. The program specifically brings live events to businesses and venues that people may not typically associate with music events, including an auto repair shop and plant store.
“All across our city, there are opportunities to gather in spaces outside the norm,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “We can find community and conversation over lunch at a local business or around the corner at a neighborhood laundromat. With our partners at Dance Agenda, these events are a chance to support small businesses while seeing familiar places come alive in new ways. I’m looking forward to meeting more of our neighbors at one of these events.”
The program is led by Dance Agenda in partnership with the City’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Department. Dance Agenda will work directly with businesses to host a range of pop-up music events, from smaller activations to larger events. The program is designed to give people another reason to shop locally, support small businesses and showcase the vibrancy of Minneapolis.
The schedule of events will be updated at the Minneapolis Amplified website. While details on many more events are being solidified, the special series kicks off at:
- Uncle Franky’s on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 1 – 5 p.m. at 728 Broadway St. NE
- Band Box Diner on Sunday, Oct. 11 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at 729 S 10th St
- East Hennepin Auto Service on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 12 – 3 p.m. at 2100 E Hennepin Ave #16
- TAP IN on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8 – 11p.m. at 2618 Lowry Ave N
- Mother Co. Plants on Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 4 – 8 p.m. at 2400 N 2nd St
“Minneapolis is a place where there is always something new to discover, and our locally owned and operated businesses and artists are at the center of what makes our community so vibrant,” said Minneapolis Arts & Cultural Affairs Director Ben Johnson. “Minneapolis Amplified brings those two parts of our community together, giving people new ways to experience live music and art while supporting the small businesses and local spaces that make our city such a great place to live, work and spend time.”
The series of events is funded in part through the City’s Small Business Resiliency Fund which was approved last spring to support small businesses impacted by Operation Metro Surge. The week’s events also advance Minneapolis Forward, the City’s broader initiative to support economic recovery by investing in local businesses and expanding opportunity for entrepreneurs.
“Minneapolis has an incredible community of artists, entrepreneurs and small business owners creating the experiences that give this city its character,” said Leo Himself, founder and owner of Dance Agenda. “We created Minneapolis Amplified to bring people into those spaces, introduce them to local artists and businesses, and create more opportunities to connect with new audiences. We’re proud to build this program in a city that continues to give artists and small businesses room to create, grow and contribute to their communities.”
Minneapolis Amplified is one part of Minneapolis Forward’s broader work to use music and cultural experiences to support local businesses and bring people together. While the Family Gathering Concert Series creates family and neighborhood experiences, Minneapolis Amplified brings music directly into local businesses and other nontraditional venues.
Residents can follow the Minneapolis Amplified website as well as the City’s Arts & Cultural Affairs Department website for announcements about upcoming Minneapolis Amplified pop-up events and participating businesses.