ALEXANDRIA
— When Kasey Morris was in the Leadership Alexandria program, she pitched a project to her other classmates for
boat motor art sculptures
that would be placed around Douglas County.
The project was a hit.
But during the process, one thing Morris learned when connecting with business owners is that they loved the idea of community art. So much so, that $40,000 was raised for that project. However, when all was said and done, only half the money was used and there was $18,000 leftover that was earmarked for the next community art installation.
Working with the
Alexandria Art Guild
, specifically Bill and Mimi Seykora, Morris said they discussed what the future would look like for another project. Morris said the Art Guild is an organization that focuses on artists, a place for artists to come together.
Contributed photo
The three also discussed
The Arts Collaborative
, which Morris said is an organization of collaborating what is going on in the community with performing arts, etc.
“But there wasn’t a space for what I was doing with the Leadership Alexandria project,” Morris said. “There wasn’t a space for the execution of these projects.”
Projects, she added, like wall murals or murals that wrap around electrical boxes. And there also wasn’t anyone to maintain the projects once they were executed.
Morris, along with the Seykoras, met with Tara Bitzan, executive director of the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. Morris said they explained that they wanted to form something that is impactful and they wanted her to be on board with the idea. Morris said Bitzan said she was on board.
“She (Tara) validated that this is a need and that there are grant opportunities out there,” said Morris.
An example Morris used for what this group would do is if a business owner wanted a mural painted on the side of their building, they wouldn’t have to sit and ponder about where to get started, who they should call, what permits they might need or where they could find an artist.
“This organization is meant to take care of all that,” she said. “This would be the place that people could turn to when they want an art project, a community art installation.”
And so, the
Artis Initiative of Douglas County
was formed and just last week, the organization received their 501c3 status. The members of the board include the Seykoras, co-chairpersons; Morris, marketing and communications; Sandy Susag, Saturday Art Market; Leila Peterson, secretary; Leanne Larson, marketing and communications; Rachael Johnson, treasurer; Bill Glade, Saturday Art Market; and Christine Reilly, Saturday Art Market and grant writing.
Morris said the group, which is made up of like-minded people who have a love for the community, will be a catalyst for community art, promoting public engagement with the arts while fostering a vibrant cultural landscape.
“We are dedicated to creating opportunities for artists and art enthusiasts to connect and collaborate, contributing to the artistic richness of Douglas County,” she said. Morris added the members of the group help facilitate finding artists, go through the legalities of contracts and city permits and help in the installation of the project. If it is a private business, however, they will not be a part of the funding of the project.
However, if it is a public community space, for example when a new county library is built, Morris said the Arts Initiative of Douglas County would love to be the ones who would bring the art to that space, which could mean helping with the fundraising and helping with grant opportunities.
Community art can bring in tourists
Morris said for people to think about the things they take pictures of when they are in another town. A lot of the time it’s pictures of art. It could be a mural painted on the side of a business like what can be found in Stillwater or Minneapolis, for example. She said when people come to Alexandria, many of them stop by Big Ole to take pictures.
“People travel to art and they don’t even realize it,” she said.
She said to think about the trolls that were recently added to Detroit Lakes or even The Bean that is a popular attraction in Chicago. The businesses in those towns that are near the artwork, like hotels, restaurants, shopping centers or even theaters are going to benefit from that piece of community art, said Morris.
“Art is grander than what one would think it is,” she said. “People love art. They just don’t realize it. But look at your pictures in your camera roll on your phone.”
Morris said beautifying a community with art is a positive thing, especially in the sense of vandalism.
“Artists don’t want to vandalize art,” she said. “Artists don’t want to hurt another artist’s work. When things get spray-painted, for example, it is because the space is an open canvas. Graffiti is a form of art.”
Morris said she knows that graffiti can be seen as negative, which sometimes it is, but she said it is the entry level for some people to perfect their art. It gives them a way to experiment.
One of the first projects the Arts Initiative will be working on, Morris said, is to work with the city of Alexandria, Alexandria Light and Power and Winning Edge. The group would like to wrap the city-owned utility boxes.
Morris has had conversations with leaders of other towns that have mural-wrapped utility boxes. She found out what works and what doesn’t. She said this is something many towns have been doing for several years and that this area is behind.
Other areas are giving not only their residents arts experiences, but also those who visit, she said. And this area not only has plenty of residents, it has lots of tourists. Tourists who may choose to come here for the art experience.
For more information about the Arts Initiative of Douglas County, visit its website,
artsidc.org
. There is also information about the Saturday Art Market on the website as that market is now a program of the Arts Initiative. Artists who are looking to showcase and sell their products during the 2025
Saturday Art Market
events can apply online at the Arts Initiative of Douglas County website,
artsidc.org
.
link