Art Walks and Gentrification, a Minneapolis Case Study

Art walks, or open studio tours, often take place in once-gritty neighborhoods trending toward the hip and expensive, but how responsible are the events for the effects of gentrification that emerge?

1 minute read

June 7, 2019, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sam Wagner / Shutterstock

Cinnamon Janzer explores the question of whether Art-a-Whirl, the largest artist open studio tour in the country, held in May every yeear, contributed to the gentrification in the Arts District in Northeast Minneapolis.

Art-a-Whirl began in 1996 as a way for a handful of Northeast-based artists to showcase their work and drum up interest from a few individually invited local buyers. The following year, the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association (NEMAA), a non-profit artist collective, was formed to support and promote the artists who had flocked to the area in search of affordable live/work options. For years the community of makers thrived, as did Art-a-Whirl. However, as the arts community in Northeast — locally referred to as Nordeast — grew, so did the commodification of arts culture.

What was once a "blue-collar and largely Eastern European community" has now become a place for "developed, regulated spaces home to tech companies and mass-produced art created by design firms," according to Janzer.

Dr. Brittany Lewis, a researcher at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, undertook a study of the gentrification of Northeast Minneapolis. Janzer explains the findings of the report in detail in the article.

Wednesday, June 5, 2019 in Next City

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Yellow electric school bus with preteen students exiting.

California Invests Additional $5M in Electric School Buses

The state wants to electrify all of its school bus fleets by 2035.

April 25 - Associated Press

City Hall building in Austin, Texas.

Austin Launches $2M Homelessness Prevention Fund

A new grant program from the city’s Homeless Strategy Office will fund rental assistance and supportive services.

April 25 - Spectrum Local News

Brick school building with mid-sized tree on front lawn.

Alabama School Forestry Initiative Brings Trees to Schoolyards

Trees can improve physical and mental health for students and commnity members.

April 25 - Governing