Past & Present
Art Shanty Projects began as a vision of and discussion between founders regarding the potential to utilize a frozen lake as an artists’ happening. A 2005 partnership with The Soap Factory resulted in 26 artists creating diverse, multi-disciplinary projects, shanties, and performances on Medicine Lake. Flattering media profiles and a fiscal sponsorship with Springboard for the Arts has aided in the evolution to its current beloved standing.
From its humble beginnings, the On-Ice Program has been the annual home to ~25 structures and interactive exhibits for over ~100 artists. Attendance has risen from approximately 5,000 in 2007 to a record-breaking 19,000 in 2012. After a brief hiatus, the program moved from Hennepin to Ramsey County by invitation from the City of White Bear Lake with hopes of reaching new audiences and artist collaborators.
On-Ice Program
Every season in the upper Midwest presents its challenges. Sub-freezing temperatures, snow and frozen lakes, the notorious northern winters have earned its icy reputation. Lakes in Minnesota are a prime focal point for outdoor activity and the fading of fair weather only changes the types of activities; from wind-surfing to snowmobiling, from swimming to cross-country skiing.
One of the premier on-ice activities is ice fishing; winter anglers drill holes through the thick ice and surround themselves with a shelter to protect against the elements. These shelters range from minimalist lightweight canvas walls to more elaborate set-ups approximating the comforts of home. The best fishing spots quickly crowd with a community sharing in the challenges and rewards of temporarily settling a frozen lake. In the absence of codes and building restrictions, there is a frontier-like freedom encouraging personal expression and community engagement through temporary architecture.
Art Shanty Projects has found inspiration in the unique and diverse ice fishing houses and the communities that come together in this extreme environment. Our On-Ice Program brings hundreds of artists and thousands of curious visitors out to fend off brisk wind chills in the name of art and community. Artists create a variety of imaginable shanties, engaging the community in anything from knitting to science to karaoke. The broad and diverse audience includes lake residents, ice fisher people, suburbanites, city dwellers, fellow artists and passing snowmobilers.
The On-Ice Program is typically open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays in late January / early February where the frozen surface of a Minnesota lake acts as host and backdrop to a wide range of actions, interventions, happenings, stories, songs, games and more. A call for artists is sent out in the fall prior to the event. Submissions are reviewed and selected by a jury representing the organization.
We invite you to explore the many ways in which you can be a part of our On-Ice Program.