Hennepin Theatre Trust to Launch REPRESENT: MADE HERE Thursday, 6/2

Hennepin Theatre Trust will launch Represent: Made Here, sponsored by Andersen Windows, with a free, public celebration at Marin Restaurant & Bar (901 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) on Thursday, June 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. This will be the sixth round of Made Here window displays in WeDo-the West Downtown Minneapolis Cultural District.

The launch event will include interactive performances by local performers Jayanthi Kyle, who takes audience suggestions to create instant songs; guitar and bass jazz duo Reynold Philipsek and Matt Senjem; and soukous musician Siama Matuzungidi with vocalist and ukulele player Dallas Johnson. Walking tours at 6 and 7 p.m. will be led by Joan Vorderbruggen, Hennepin Theatre Trust's director of public art and placemaking.

Featuring 45 window displays this spring and summer, Represent: Made Here explores the themes of community, nature and social justice issues. With works by more than 60 Minnesota artists and students, Made Here installations include photographs, paintings, graphic art, textiles, drawings and multi-media installations.

Made Here is a project of the Trust that fills windows and other underused spaces throughout WeDo twice per year with works by local artists. The project has grown from visual displays in windows to live performances, artist markets, pop-up galleries and more. Made Here is among the offerings that make WeDo a more active and vibrant walkable center of arts, culture and economic activity benefitting visitors, artists, residents, businesses and property owners.

Since its launch as a pilot project in 2013, Made Here has become the largest initiative of its kind in the country. Seven downtown commercial spaces that had a combined vacancy rate of more than 35 years were leased within 12 months of participating in the project. To date, there have been nearly 200 window displays in WeDo throughout 64 city blocks. The Trust has strived to maintain an equal balance of gender among the 276 Minnesota artists and strong representation of communities of color since its inception.

Andersen Windows has been the presenting sponsor since 2014, allowing the project to grow in scope and stature and attracting additional community support. A grant from The McKnight Foundation allows for specific emphasis on supplying resources for artist payment and artistic practice.

Represent: Made Here artists include: Scotty Gunderson, Reggie LeFlore, Corilyn Wagner, Larsen Husby, Guinevere Wollmering, Michael Johnson, Jennifer Chilstrom, Netsanet Negussie, Kulture Klub, Steven Lang, Julie Sirek, Mary Plaster, Nicole Collodoro, Pamela Gaard + Hassan Nor, Twin Cities Pride, Sophia Heymans, Soozin Hirschmugl, FLOW Northside Arts Crawl, Rory Wakemup, Yuya Negishi and Wayne Nelsen, Donny Gettinger, Nick Rivers, Lindsay Rhyner, Alison Price, Ruth Lais, Keren Kroul and Scottie B. Tuska.

Made Here is also curating local artwork for the recently opened expansion and new Grand Entrance at Mall of America with displays by: Leslie Barlow, Maggie Thompson, Brad Menninga, David Cunningham, Erik Pearson, Tara Costello, Caitlin Karolczak, Justine Di Fiore, Rebecca Ulasich, Holly Mujica, Mat Ollig, John Largaespada, Audrey Bernard and Andrew Eghobamien.

Special thanks to presenting sponsor Andersen Windows and Mall of America.