Northeast Minneapolis Audio-Guided Walking Tours

About

The project

ArtShare created this project because we had many questions about Northeast and thought we could address these questions through a community art process. ArtShare recognized that Northeasters were very attached and invested in their historical legacy. ArtShare also recognized Northeast as a neighborhood of constant change and wondered how Northeasters would talk about their changing neighborhood and how they would see this change in relationship to the established cultural history. ArtShare wondered whose history was being told and who was talking about the present. Artshare wondered if making an art project such as an audio walking tour—something most neighbors had no experience in doing-- would procure a new perspective on, and build a new relationship to, their neighborhood: past, present and future. Could we perform what it is to be a neighborhood through this project? And could we create change in this neighborhood within the process of exploring change, all the while creating something artistic and yet useful, a gift to our neighborhood?

The project was a twelve-week workshop for Northeast neighbors collaborating in the creation of three walking tours about Northeast. There were 21 volunteers (10 teens and 11 adults) from many backgrounds that came forward to participate in the twelve-week workshop.

ArtShare guided the participants through a process of unified storytelling rooted in personal Northeast experiences and interests and Northeast history. We mapped out our routes, developed our narrative and recorded Northeast sounds and people.

These three walks are the result of many months of hard work. As of August 29th we have launched one of the three walks, "Never the Same River Twice". The "Noon Whistle" and "Trolley Tour" will be released in the spring of 2010.

Please complete the cycle of "performing the neighborhood" by taking these tours. We made them for you. Walk, listen and be "Northeast".

You can download these tours for free on your MP3 players or burn them onto a CD-R. ArtShare also has a limited number of MP3 players that we can loan out for groups. Please for more information.

Thank you,
ArtShare,

Jennifer Arave
Sara Hanson
Jonathan Hamilton

ArtShare

ArtShare is comprised of three diverse artists who conceptualize and facilitate art projects that are to be created by the Northeast community, for the Northeast community. We at ArtShare believe that art making can be a valuable and cohesive community event. We also believe that art making stimulates confidence in the creative process and can be seen as a paradigm for addressing and creating neighborhood/community actions and solutions. ArtShare is Jennifer Arave, Jonathan Hamilton and Sara Hanson.

How to take the walks

The walking pace for the audio tours is an easy and relaxed pace. There are points of interest along the way that can also be used as landmarks in pacing your walk. If you get ahead of the audio, you should stop and wait for the audio to catch up. If you get behind the audio, you should press pause until you have synced up to the recording. Where possible we have provided directions in the audio that will help you with navigating and timing your walk, but please use your map along with the audio for full instructions. Each walk has been divided into chapters so if you lose your place on the audio you should start with the chapter nearest you. Chapters are notated on your map.

Remember things may have changed since the walk was created. Start your audio when you are at the start point and are ready to go.