Arts Events across the Region

LISTING OF EVENTS & ARTS OPPORTUNITIES

We update this page on a consistent basis. We recommend you bookmark it and check back frequently to find out what’s going on!

Arts events and Activities in our Region

  • September 24 from 9am – 3pm: Visit Watermark on their south lawn for their first ever Outdoor Pop-Up Market featuring hand-crafted goods from the region’s finest artisans, including performances by local musicians and food. The current list of artists is available at WatermarkArtCenter.org. Watermark galleries are free and open to the public 
  • September 24 and 25: Art Leap, an “open studio event” featuring artists and guest artists, will offer 24 sites and feature more than 90 artists at studios and other locations in Hubbard and Becker counties. Sites will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Hop from studio to studio, learn processes, appreciate skill and support the artists.  The Event Guide for the 2022 Art Leap is available to view or download HERE. This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
  • On view through October 1: Nemeth Art Center – A two-person show of new works from Brooklyn-based artists Dana Schutz and Ryan Johnson. [Park Rapids]
  • October 2 at 3:00 pm: Bemidji Symphony Orchestra Basking in Brass Concert. Discover the melding of Native American and Symphonic Music with Shadowcatcher, Eric Ewazen’s concerto for brass and orchestra that will also feature Bemidji’s own Bemidji Brass Quintet. Bemidji High School Auditorium, 2900 Division Street West, Bemidji. Tickets available on line https://www.bemidjisymphony.org and at the door. This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
  • October 3-5: Join Lois Mueller and the Norda-Gonvik Rosemalers for a Valdez-style Rosemaling class [Leonard]
  • October 7 at 7 pm.: Headwaters Open Mic and CoffeeHouse is set for First Friday in October! The monthly community gathering offers a friendly open mic opportunity and welcoming environment for folks to listen and perform at Headwaters Music & Arts (519 MN Ave NW). October’s featured performer will be  Doyle Turner, fresh off his latest album release, Sweet, Difficult Sounds. Sign-up for the Open Mic begins at 6:30 or by email to jjhgaard@gmail.com. Admission is $3 per person or $7 for families. Coffee & treats are available for purchase. [Bemidji]
  • October 7 from 2-6pm: Gillian Bedford’s art opening will take place during First Friday, at the First Lutheran Church in Bemidji. This display of over 30 expressive, bold and colorful oil and acrylic paintings from over three decades (1993-2022) of her career as a professional artist invite the viewers to pause and witness how varied, subtle and vivacious the human experience can be. The artist’s talk is at 4pm. Show runs until December 1st. [Bemidji]
  • October 14 at 7pm: Headwaters Music & Arts welcomes Kansas based John and Myra Svoboda of No Bow Tie to their stage in Bemidji (519 MN Ave NW) for a live performance. No Bow Tie  is a project by career guitarist and instructor John Svoboda. The concert is open to the public and is free will donation. Folks can find out more about Headwaters music events and other programming at HeadwatersMusicAndArts.org
  • October 15-16 8:00 am – 5:00 pm: Lighting Design Workshop. Professional Lighting Designer, Heidi Eckwall comes to the Park Rapids MN Armory to work with technical theater students/volunteers. Lighting principles! Hands-on learning! More info, go to: www.northernlightopera.org. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from Region 2 Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
  • October 20-22: WORKBENCH Filmmaker Intensive, sponsored by the Northern Light Opera Company of Park Rapids, has been rescheduled for October 20-22 at the Armory in Park Rapids.   Award winning LA filmmaker David Leidy will lead a group of aspiring filmmakers through 3 packed days of learning the ins and outs of making their own film.  The workshop culminates with a showing of the newly created films and a reading of the full-length screenplay The Secret Keepers on October 22nd. No previous experience is required to participate and the cost is free. For more information and to apply, go to www.northernlightopera.org and click the link Filmmaker Intensive.This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from Region 2 Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
  • October 20 6:30 p.m.:  Poetry SLAM! After a two-year break, Watermark Art Center is reviving the Poetry SLAM! Series. SLAM! poets are invited to pre-register for the first event of the season. No fee to participate or watch.Poets should prepare three original SLAM! poems, each under three minutes reading time. Judges, selected from the audience, are tasked to give each reading a score on a scale of 1 to 10.  The poets with highest scores move forward to a second, then third round. The top three in the final round win cash prizes of $100, $50, and $25. The SLAM! will be held at Fozzie’s Smokin Bar-B-Q, 114 3rd St, Bemidji MN. Performers may pre-register by calling Watermark at 218-444-7570 or email Leah at lgrunzke@watermarkartcenter.org. Same-day registration at the venue is available based on space.
  • RESCHEDULED DATES October 24-28: Lake of the Woods Art Guild offers an Acrylic Portrait Workshop with Alice Blessing at their Red Door Studio in Baudette. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
  • November 4: Watermark Art Center Opening for It’s Only Clay. The IOC exhibit is a juried ceramics competition focusing on, and dedicated to, functional clay vessels. Each submission for IOC is judged in four areas: function, form/aesthetic, craftsmanship, and surface design. Cash prize money is awarded for first, second and third places. Additional purchase awards are made and the chosen pieces are added to the Margaret H. Harlow Collection at BSU. [Bemidji]
  • November 5: Watermark Art Center It’s Only Clay 2022 Juror Delores Fortuna offers an all day “Wheel Demo” workshop. Participants will learn about working with porcelain clay from preparation and handling of the clay, to strategies used for throwing different forms, assembly and finish work. Discussions on surface considerations and how glaze decisions are incorporated into the making process to the firing process are included. The registration fee is $20. Space is limited. Visit WatermarkArtCenter.org for detailed competition, workshop and exhibit information. IOC is a collaboration sponsored by Watermark Art Center and Bemidji State University Department of Technology Art and Design. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund

ON-GOING MONTHLY OPPORTUNITIES

First Friday Open House – 2PM to 5PM

Creative Café on the third Tuesday of every month – 4PM to 6PM [A fun event where artists will take you on a hands-on adventure into the arts]

Create it! Sessions: Once a month, learn something new! Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced skills of all ages are welcome. Second Monday of the Month

Community Art Studios: Studio mentors, Karen and LeAnne, are ready to help you with your project if you need assistance. All ages welcome, adult supervision is required for 12 and younger.

  • Headwaters Music and Arts– [Bemidji]

Headwaters Music and Arts – [Bemidji]: Headwaters’ latest group music class for children ages 5-8 starts up in September. Music & Movement is an 8 session class led by Suzuki trained and long time music teacher Julia Anderson held Fridays, 5:15-6 pm, September 16 through November 4 at Headwaters Music & Arts (519 MN Ave NW, Bemidji). It explores music through songs and movement while introducing students to a variety of instruments.$150 per child. Limited financial assistance is available. info@headwatersmusicandarts.org | 218.444.5606

Headwaters Music and Arts – [Bemidji]: Mini Musician Program for Children Ages 3-4 and their Grown-ups. This is an 8 session program held Fridays, 4-4:45 pm, September 16 through November 4 at Headwaters Music & Arts (519 MN Ave NW, Bemidji), led by Suzuki trained and long time music teacher Julia Anderson. $150/ child-adult pair, $75/ additional sibling. Financial assistance available. info@headwatersmusicandarts.org | 218.444.5606.

Headwaters Music and Arts – [Bemidji] After School Year Art Clubs. From September 2022 – May 2023, at Headwaters Music & Arts, 519 Minnesota Ave NW, Bemidji, MN 56601, club participants will be broken up by age participants and meet once a week for quality visual art experiences. Go to https://headwatersmusicandarts.org/youth-art-club for more information or contact info@headwatersmusicandarts.org | 218.444.5606.

COMMUNITY EVENT CALENDARS

Did we miss something you know about? Help us update the information by emailing laura@r2arts.org with your event information!