Last December, MPHA was awarded a $20,900 grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board to support two art exhibitions at the agency’s Cora McCorvey Health and Wellness Center (CMHWC). This funding marks the first arts grant MPHA has been awarded directly from the State of Minnesota. The two upcoming grant-supported art exhibitions at the CMHWC will feature local artists, including MPHA resident artists, along with free opening receptions.

The Cora McCorvey Health and Wellness Center is an activity hub for local seniors, bringing together many partners in one convenient, fully accessible space offering a wide variety of services and recreational activities. Since 2024, the CMHWC has been hosted biannual art exhibitions with submissions primarily from older adults, reflecting the community using the center’s services. Past exhibitions have centered themes of belonging, home, motherhood and the inspiration that comes from a lifetime.

Selected from over 400 applicants, MPHA is one of 166 awardees in the Minnesota State Arts Board’s Arts Experiences pilot program supporting meaningful art experiences for Minnesotans. More than $5 million was awarded across the state this year, funding a wide range of experiences, including concerts, plays, public art, and more.

For MPHA, this new funding ensures that the CMHWC’s art programming can continue in 2026. Beyond an investment in art experience, this grant award also recognizes the value of MPHA residents’ and artists’ lived experience, which are often underrepresented in traditional arts spaces. It also supports community arts programming in North Minneapolis, helping bring back community and creative energy that slowed during the pandemic.

The next CMHWC art exhibition, “The Many Ways We Are Neighbors: Art About Care, Community, and Connection,” kicks off with an opening reception Saturday, June 6th, 2025 from 1pm to 4pm. The collection will be focused on neighbors and community care reflecting on the many ways people have practiced being neighbors amid the many challenges Minneapolis has faced in recent years.

The call for artists is now open, and interested exhibitors can learn more about the exhibition’s theme, timing, and artist application, via the artist call announcement.