The YES! House Grand Opening!
On Saturday, April 25th, DoPT celebrated a huge milestone: the official Grand Opening of The YES! House! And, what a celebration it was! We are still buzzing from the hum of voices and laughter filling the stairwells, music and merriment drifting from room to room, quiet moments reflecting on the River Valley Ripple gallery show and the newly installed Star Quilt, and sharing of years of memories in the newly completed recording studio!
Over 120 amazing folks came through the doors of The YES! House on Saturday to activate and celebrate our shared creative community gathering space. This event was a reflection of something much bigger than a building… It was a reflection of years of shared effort, of string lights and boxed wine, of demolition days and dusty floors, of sheetrock and sanding, of paint and patience, of artists, volunteers, neighbors, family, and friends saying: YES!, we’ll help. YES!, we’ll show up. YES!, we’ll build this together!
At this monumental event, we watched the space come to life… upstairs, downstairs, gathering around zine tables, stepping into blacklight worlds, listening to the voices of the region, sharing stories, and recording memories for the future. We felt what happens when a building becomes a gathering, a project becomes a community, and an idea becomes something you can walk into, sit in, dance in, and belong to.
We heard amazing inspirational speeches from National Rural Arts Strategist, John Davis, President of Southwest Initiative Foundation, Scott Marquardt, Granite Falls City Councilmember, Beth Pullan, Architects James Arentson (Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership) and Miranda Moen (MO/EN Design). DoPT staff, The YES! House team, and DoPT board members past and present also gave impassioned speeches of gratitude to the artists and contractors who made this space possible.
One of the most powerful moments of the evening was looking out into the room and asking folks to stand if: you built something here, if you shared something here, or if you showed up in any way to make this project possible. And nearly everyone stood. That’s what makes The YES! House.
We hold deep gratitude for the artists, speakers, musicians, designers, food preparers, contractors, partners, photographers, and team members who helped shape this event and this space. Whether you knocked down a wall, led a workshop, performed on the stage, donated to the campaign, or simply walked through the doors… you are part of The YES! House!
And now, we begin, again! Because while this was called a “Grand Opening,” what it really was, was a threshold. It was a moment where we could pause, gather, and say: Look at what we’ve built, together! And also to say: We are so excited to see what we do next!
We can’t wait to continue creating, gathering, and imagining with all of you. We hope you come see us soon, and often!