Hear from rural artists and activators share stories of how cultivating creative places of connection plant the seeds of a creative ecosystem for their communities.

Join the Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) at our Northwest Activate Rural Public Workshop in Mahnomen, MN (pop. 1,210). This one-day workshop will provide connections for artists, creative entrepreneurs, small business owners, activators and leaders developing creative physical places of connection for their communities. Participants will take away community engagement strategies, funding resource ideas, and structures for stewardship and operations for rural creative gathering places.

You are invited to join Department of Public Transformation at The YES! House (726 Prentice St., Granite Falls, MN) on Saturday, April 26th  from 5-7pm for an open house, meet and greet, artist talk, and exhibition showcase featuring 6 rural artists and culture bearers from across the Upper Midwest that participated in this year’s Ignite Rural program!

Join Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for our next Activate Rural Workshop to hear two rural artists and activators share stories of cultivating creative places of connection for their communities.

Register today to grab a seat with Lacy at our virtual table on Tuesday, April 8th from 4 – 5pm CDT for what is sure to be an inspiring presentation and discussion!

Our first 2025 River Valley Ripple Artist, Ben Dempcy, will be showcasing his work on Saturday, February 22nd from 6-8 PM at The YES! House! Ben will give an artist introduction at 7PM followed by a Q& A.

Join Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for our first virtual Activate Rural Workshop in 2025, Capital Campaigns for Creative Places, to hear from two rural artists and activators share their stories of launching capital campaigns to cultivate creative places of connection for their communities.

February's Beyond the Clock will take place on THURSDAY, February 13th from 4-5pm CST with special guest Nancy X. Valentine, rural artist and Executive Director of Kaddatz Galleries in Fergus Falls, MN.

Join Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for our informational session about the 2025 Activate Rural Public Workshop Series on Wednesday, December 18, from 12PM to 1PM CST.

As we move toward the end of a wild year, we want to extend a special invitation to join us for our annual Beyond the Clock Virtual Holiday Party on Thursday, December 12th from 4-5PM CST! 

Please join us for a champagne cocktail hour and celebratory toast to support creative connection and rural-urban solidarity. Feel free to come as you are or wear your favorite sparkles!

Erika will share insights from her journey to Lucas, KS and how she utilizes her creative practice to activate civic engagement in her projects, such as "Step Right Up," inviting conversation around the practices of neighboring and how we show up for each other regardless of political differences. 

RVR application due date is November 10, 2024 at 11:59 PM CST.
Late applications will not be reviewed.

This virtual informational session will provides an overview of the River Valley Ripple (RVR) Artist Residency program and the Call for Artists application process.

At this informal event, we will continue to build on themes that emerged during our conversation with Country Queers Founder, Rae Garringer, at our September Beyond the Clock: exploring the tensions and risks we take on when we have increased visibility, the courage it takes to remain connected in divisive times, and the resources needed to continue showing up for your cause and your community in rural places.

Join the Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) at the second of four Activate Rural Public Workshops! The in-person one-day workshop, to be held in the Iron Range region, is designed to offer support, peer learning, and resources to creative entrepreneurs, artists, organizations and small business owners with creative physical places of connection based in rural Minnesota communities and the Native nations that share this geography, with a population of 20,000 or less.

Join Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for our 3rd Activate Rural Virtual Workshop, Creative Gathering Places for Youth, to hear from two rural artists and activators building youth-focused spaces for their communities. Participants will learn how each building space is navigating community engagement, funding resources, and structures for stewardship and operations. Be inspired by the activation of the two building spaces during a panel discussion moderated by Sarina Otaibi, Activate Rural Program Director, DoPT.

Come see what we’re building and how you can be a part of this vibrant community! Refreshments will be served, and everyone is welcome. Sunday, September 22 | 2:30–4PM, w/ a brief program at 3PM.

September's learning exchange event will take place online via Zoom on Tuesday, September 10th from 4-5pm CST with special guest Rae Garringer, Founder of Country Queers, a multimedia oral history project documenting rural and small town LGBTQIA2S+ experiences.

Join this special edition of Beyond the Clock Happy Hour for Rural Assembly Everywhere! Bring a beverage of your choice and get ready for sparkling conversations and lively connections with other rural cultural workers, connectors, and neighbors.

Join Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for our 2nd Activate Rural Virtual Workshop, Courageous and Compassionate Creative Places, to hear from two rural artists and activators transforming established creative places, a theater and art gallery, into courageous and compassionate spaces for their communities.

Join Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for Activate Rural: Cultivating Multi-use Creative Places of Connection to hear from three rural activators in the process of building creative spaces for their communities.

Beyond the Clock is a monthly digital learning exchange and happy hour for rural connectors and cultural workers hosted by Department of Public Transformation and Voices for Rural Resilience, in partnership with the Rural Assembly. June's creative learning exchange event will take place on Tuesday, June 11th from 4-5pm CDT with special guest, Melissa Peña with the Museum of South Texas History!

Application due date is June 5th, 2024 at 11:59pm CDT.

Join the Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) at the first of four Activate Rural Public Workshops in Granite Falls, MN!

We look forward to connecting with you at the Beyond the Clock Virtual Happy Hour on Tuesday, May 14th from 4-5pm CDT, where we will continue to build on our conversation with Donna Neuwirth from our April Beyond the Clock, during which we moved into a reflective conversation about what it means to “archive” our work.

Are you interested in applying for Ignite Rural? Join our Virtual Info Session to see if this program is a good fit for you!

Please join us for a happy hour reception and learning exchange at The Sky Suite @ Keller Center at the University of Chicago in support of Department of Public Transformation—a nonprofit organization working at the intersection of creativity, civic life, and change in communities across rural America.