It All Started When …
The founding Board of Directors met in an artist group called Eagan Artist Connect. We gathered to support one another, share creative inspiration, develop professionally, and learn. Art Works was founded in order to provide the community with missing aspects within Eagan: space for artists to create, venues for artists to display work, space for performing arts, opportunities for collaboration among artists of all media and performance backgrounds, and a venue for the community to interact with artists and support creativity locally.
Art Works was formed in January of 2016 and is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. In the first year, we officially incorporated as a non-profit business, established a Board of Directors, completed legal and organizational documents for financial planning and 501(c)(3) status, and designed programming for the coming years. We are very proud of what we’ve accomplished in our community and the legacy we leave through The Art Works Legacy Fund. We are eternally grateful for the volunteerism of so many who were with us every step of the journey.
Origins
Originally conceived as Art Works Eagan, the “Eagan” was dropped from the name in early 2018 to be more inclusive of surrounding communities. We are proud of our Eagan roots, but wanted everyone to know that we weren’t just for the Eagan community.
Merger
In February 2021, Art Works and Burnsville Visual Art Society announced a merger to provide more opportunities for artists in the south metro area. Read more about that merger HERE.
Closure
Art Works Board of Directors made the difficult decision to sell its building, which was located at 3795 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, MN, and released this video for our community and other stakeholders.
Endowment
The Art Works’ Board is beyond proud to be leaving our community with a sizable Endowment that will help sustain other arts non-profits in the South Metro area in perpetuity. Thank you to the Eagan Community Foundation for adopting the Legacy Fund as part of their programming for the future.