Activate Rural Workshop: Building Vibrant Futures Through Creative Places
Location: Virtual - Zoom
Date + Time: Wednesday, May 6, 2026, 12PM - 1:30PM CST
Join the Department of Public Transformation (DoPT) for a virtual Activate Rural Workshop on Wednesday, May 6, from 12–1:30 PM CST, featuring rural artists and activators who are building economic opportunities and community connections around their creative places.
This workshop explores the practical, day-to-day work of community engagement—what it takes to build visibility around their impact, create meaningful experiences, and grow a space that people feel safe in. Panelists will share insights on outreach, programming, partnerships, and building trust, along with the challenges and lessons that come with sustaining community participation over time. The panel will be moderated by Sarina Otaibi, Activate Rural Program Director at DoPT, with the following guest speaker:
Julie Garreau is the Chief Executive Officer of the Cheyenne River Youth Project in North Eagle Butte, SD (pop. 1,270). A citizen of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Julie has seen the project through its exhilarating development from a tiny, one-room youth center in a former Main Street bar to a comprehensive youth and family services organization that includes “The Main” youth center for children ages 4-12, the Ċokata Wiċoni (Center of Life) teen center for youth ages 13-18, the Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Institute and Art Park, the Winyan Toka Win (Leading Lady) Garden, and three social enterprises—the Keya (Turtle) Cafe & Coffee Shop, the Keya Gift Shop & E-Store, and the Leading Lady Farm Stand.
Lucy Soderstrom is the Executive Director of the Ely Folk School in Ely, MN (pop. 3,268). Its vision is to be a gathering space where all Ely area residents and visitors forge new connections, build a stronger community, and develop as individuals through experiential learning that honors the crafts and cultures of their region. The Ely Folk School, founded in 2015, provides learning experiences that celebrate the wilderness heritage, art, history, culture, and craft of the people of northern Minnesota.
This virtual workshop is free, but registration is required. For workshop and registration questions, please contact Courtney Bergey Swanson, Activate Rural Associate Director, at courtney@publictransformation.org.
This workshop is a part of the Activate Rural Public Workshop Series, workshops and sessions designed to offer support, peer learning, and resources to creative entrepreneurs, artists, organizations and small business owners with creative third places in rural communities. This program is supported, in part, by the State of Minnesota through a grant from The Office of Small Business Development, Department of Employment and Economic Development.