LoLa Art Crawl
Saturday, September 20th and Sunday, September 21st — 10am-4pm both days.
Come see me at The Toolbox Collective in Longfellow amongst many other amazing artists for this year’s Lola Art Crawl! There’ll be an art raffle, interactive art-ivities, demos, good vibes, and more!
Plastic Fusing Workshop
Join designer, artist, and maker Emma Crutcher of Cool Trash for a hands-on exploration of DIY plastic recycling.
A member of the Precious Plastic Universe—an open source network of people, machines, platforms, and knowledge creating an alternative global recycling system—Emma specializes in hyperlocal, accessible techniques that transform everyday waste into new design materials and products.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to fuse waste plastic film (like grocery bags, bubble wrap, and produce nets) into durable textile-like sheets. These materials can be cut, sewn, vacuum formed, and more, opening creative pathways for upcycling and sustainable design. While plastic film is notoriously difficult to recycle through traditional systems, Emma will show how simple DIY methods and basic tools can give it new life.
This is a drop-in workshop, with open making time from 10 am to noon. Emma will give a short presentation of her work and processes at 11 am. Participants are encouraged to bring their own plastic bags and soft plastic films, or drop them in the collection box at the Fab Lab in Rapson Hall.
This event is a collaboration between the College of Design Fabrication Shops and the Kusske Design Initiative.
Marigold Pop-Up
Join us at Marigold on Saturday, October 18th for a trifecta pop up featuring Cool Trash, Outta Wax Record Pressing, and Sarah Berry Glass!
Actual time TBA — check back soon for updates.
REUSE25 Conference
I’m honored to be speaking at REUSE25, Reuse Minnesota’s annual conference focused on advancing the reuse economy across our region.
October 22–23, 2025
Twin Cities, MN
I'll be leading a session titled Cool Trash, Precious Plastic, and the Future of Sustainable Materials exploring new local avenues in plastic recycling.
REUSE25 brings together thought leaders, advocates, and changemakers in the reuse, repair, and rental space for:
An inspiring keynote by Alex Eaves, Escape the Waste
Interactive and engaging breakout sessions
Meaningful networking
Plus, attendees and non-attendees alike can sign up for $15 site visits to local reuse leaders like Better Futures, Bridging, Hennepin Restomods, Ridwell, and SouthWest Metro Lending Library.
Learn more + register: https://reusemn.org/conference
Looking forward to connecting with you there!
Artistic Reuse-A-Thon
The Artistic ReUse-A-Thon
Main Event: November 1st– Join us for the Art Supply Swap and Make and Takes! Vote for your favorite sculpture!
Where: Flux Arts Building, 699 Lowry Ave. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
A community event focused on ReUse!
Art to Change the World has received a grant from the Innovative Waste Reduction Grant from the Minneapolis Public Works to create this fun filled event.
What You Need To Know: The main event will take place on November 1st at the Flux Arts Building and will include a big family friendly party with three parts:
1) The Mystery Trash Remix- Art created by members from single use items
2) Make and Take Workshops with Reused Materials
3) Art Supply Swap
I will be leading a Make and Take workshop from 1:30-4pm in which attendees will learn how to make fused plastic material out of sheet plastic waste!
Metrodome Activation
Nick Chatfield-Taylor’s Metrodome is a sculpture built out of speakers and home stereo components. Resembling the vernacular igloo, the sculpture is a venue for musicians and sound artists to create sound baths, DJ sets, and durational live performances. It is a visual and sonic art piece that is intended to provide a stage for sound art in the Twin Cities.
With support from the Visual Arts Fund grant, Nick seeks to further develop the sonic capabilities of the sculpture, and make the space available to a wider audience of musicians, sound artists, spectators, and listeners.
I’ll be vending Cool Trash products at the first activation of Metrodome on June 28th, 2025. Time TBD.
Craft Night with Cool Trash
Join Emma Crutcher-McGowan, founder of Cool Trash, for a special Craft Night! Learn how to transform waste plastic into a beautiful, useful, and inspirational material! Emma will share the technique of fusing together layers of soft plastics like grocery bags to create a fabric-like substance that can be stitched into any number of objects. Bring your plastic waste such as any single-use plastic bag and produce nets. Please clean all plastic waste so that it is free from liquids, food, residue, etc. Remove sticky labels where applicable. Textile Center will have a couple of sewing machines available for anyone who would like to sew with their fused plastic fabric; participants are welcome to bring their own sewing machines to use as well as any relevant notions. This is an intergenerational class open to crafters ages 9 years old and up; participants under the age of 16 years must be accompanied by an adult caregiver.
Lake Street Roots, Rock & Deep-Blues Festival
The award-winning annual Lake Street Roots, Rock & Deep-Blues Festival returns to its ‘block-party’ format for the first time since Covid-19 on Saturday, June 7, 2025!
With the help of a Lake Street Lift grant, the non-profit Hook & Ladder Theater is activating a series of on-site stages and satellite locations, including;
Arbeiter Brewing will feature a live music stage, craft beverages, food trucks, bouncy house (for kids) and more! 2-10pm
Lagniappe and Du Nord Cocktail Room will offer guests an early-bird pre-fest brunch option and a cool-down location with comfortable seating throughout the fest along with features on their unique New Orleans craft food and beverages. 11am-9pm/5-10pm, respectfully
Moon Palace Art Market (curated by Benchpressed) will host a music stage, story-telling in the courtyard, numerous craft vendors, food trucks, interactive arts activities and more from 2-8pm. *Weather contingency location – inside coliseum building
The Hook & Ladder Theater will present music on (4) stages in addition to a live-painting stage! 2pm-12
In all, the festival is presenting 22 acts in 2025! While The Hook & Ladder capacity/footprint requires a ticket purchase (or registration code from a community partner) to enter, the alternate stages are both barrier-free and open the community!
7 Stages: Outdoor Main Stage • Indoor Theater & Lounge Stages • Indoor Zen Arcade Stage & Lounge • Arbeiter Brewing Stage • Art Lot Stage
This award winning music, food and arts festival features an eclectic mix of the best local, regional and national entertainment across seven stages, and a wide variety of local craft food and beverage options. This unique summer celebration of performance, craft, and culinary art is also the annual fundraiser for The Firehouse Performing Arts Center, the non-profit community theater that is home to The Hook & Ladder Theater, Zen Arcade/Mission Room, and the Under The Canopy music series.
Whirlygig
Entry to this event is free and open to all ages (must be 21+ to drink beer and THC beverages). Whirlygig will go on rain or shine.
Whirlygig coincides with Art-a-Whirl presented by NEMAA, the largest open studio tour in the country. There will be artwork from nearly 1,300 artists in every medium at more than 100 locations, including the Solar Arts Building.
More info here.
Whirlygig
Entry to this event is free and open to all ages (must be 21+ to drink beer and THC beverages). Whirlygig will go on rain or shine.
Whirlygig coincides with Art-a-Whirl presented by NEMAA, the largest open studio tour in the country. There will be artwork from nearly 1,300 artists in every medium at more than 100 locations, including the Solar Arts Building.
More info here.
Whirlygig
Entry to this event is free and open to all ages (must be 21+ to drink beer and THC beverages). Whirlygig will go on rain or shine.
Whirlygig coincides with Art-a-Whirl presented by NEMAA, the largest open studio tour in the country. There will be artwork from nearly 1,300 artists in every medium at more than 100 locations, including the Solar Arts Building.
More info here.
In the Spirit of Mayday 2025
Reverie Cafe + Modus Locus are throwing Mayday block party and YOU are invited! Come down, get your boogie on and welcome spring with us on Sunday May 4th for this 5th annual block party. We will be closing down the street to provide space for folks to gather on this very special day in May.
This event is FREE and open to the public.
We will have live music, art, bevs and good vibes; the cafe will be open for food and drinks! Puppets, stilters, painters, art cars welcome!
Misfit Market
Happy 420! Bring all your buds to celebrate @misfitcoffee on Sunday, April 20th 10a - 2p
Check out goods from 20 local artists and vintage vendors set up inside + outside, vinyl vibes to enjoy all day, crafting supplies to share, donuts, an outdoor smoking lounge, more donuts and the best pastries, sandwiches & provisions to cure your munchies from the homies at Dahlia!
Plus St Paul Cannabis is coming through again with 100 FREE GOODY BAGS for y’all (must be 21+)! Be sure to come early and stick around for all the fun!
Bench Pressed Last Call Holiday Market
Join us on Sunday December 22, 2024
3 to 8pm at Minneapolis' Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge
We are thrilled to announce that after many years of hibernation, Last Call is back and better than ever! Join us and some of the Twin Cities' best local artists on Sunday 12/22.
Cohosted by Bench Pressed and The Bitter Buffalo, presented by Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge in South Minneapolis.
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Free to attend & open to all!
A Very Merry Misfit Market + Zero Waste Gift Wrapping!
I’ll be vending and offering zero waste gift wrapping with help from sarahberryglass at this special festive event!
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping — complimentary for tenants of Blair Arcade!
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping — complimentary for tenants of Vandalia Tower!
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping — complimentary for tenants of Vandalia Tower!
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping
Zero Waste Gift Wrapping — complimentary for tenants of Vandalia Tower!
