Help “change the narrative” of Cloquet’s Historic West End and generate more:

  • Pride in our geography, our indigenous and settler history, wisdom and talent
  • Foot traffic and economic activity
  • Warmth and connection among residents, visitors and customers
  • Interaction between leaders and creatives
  • Aesthetic improvements, revitalization and investment
  • Positive ripple effect and impact across the entire region

 

Cloquet’s leaders endorse the West End Flourish project because it:

  • Celebrates the extraordinary beauty of the St. Louis River and its 2 billion-year old granite and slate geologic formations, enjoyed by so many local residents
  • Honors the immense cultural and environmental contributions of the Anishinaabe people living now on the Fond du Lac Reservation.
  • Appreciates the distinguished histories of the settlers of Carlton and Cloquet, beginning as lumber industry and railroad towns; restored after the devastating 1918 fires; and known for their contributions to the US cooperative movement.
  • Treasures the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College that serves as an effective hinge in engaging Native and Non-Native people in educating and training our community’s young adults and reskills adults of all ages for our workforce –and in nurturing our community’s unity and vitality.
  • Values the artists, writers, musicians and other creatives who make their homes here.
  • Recognizes the benefits arising from artists and creatives working with the “industrial, business and urban” scene in Cloquet

A CALL TO ALL ARTISTS & CREATIVES!

Attend the Workshop for Artists and Creatives for the Second Round of Artists on Mainstreet Grants for Cloquet’s West End Flourish!

Tuesday, April 26 5-7PM at Common Ground Coffee Bar & Deli

103 Ave. C, Cloquet

(Please arrive by 4:45p.m. to select dinner options)

REGISTER TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE


WORKSHOP REGISTRATION

Artists and creatives of any level or discipline - who live or work in Cloquet and the surrounding area - are invited to join us for a free training on placemaking and the Artists on Main Street program!

Revitalize Cloquet's Historic West End Business District with your amazing talents and fresh ideas.

Details

Eligibility

  • Consider yourself an artist, creative, maker or someone who likes to creatively think outside the box!
  • Live or work in the Carlton County and Fond du Lac Reservation region
  • 18 years or older (or pair up with someone 18 or older)
  • Want to learn more about creative community development

Benefits

  • Eligible to apply for a commission to do a project in Cloquet's Historic West End July 1-December 15, 2022
  • Learn what other creatives make happen in other small towns around Minnesota
  • New connections to other creatives and community leaders in our region
  • Bring your creative energy to help make the West End more vibrant

Artist training video to submit a project proposal


ARTISTS ON MAIN STREET

Submission Deadine: Midnight, Friday, May 31

Artists and creatives who live or work in Cloquet and surrounding area are invited to submit proposals for art projects in Cloquet's Historic West End. Please download Artists Q&A and Business Contacts as well as Proposal Guidelines.

Our Partners

Our Creatives and Their Projects of 2021:

West End Art Day- Phyllis Ducey

Painters set up in Fauley Park to paint or sell their art. Opportunity for children to paint suncatchers and canvas.

MORE INFO ON WEST END ART DAY HERE! 

September Celebration- Ivan  Hohnstadt

Neighborhood night out party including craft vendors, music, and games for kids.

 

REKINDLE COMMUNITY- Charley Langowski

CCHS will host an educational tour, a documentary video, and a historic photo display. They will collect personal stories from the participants to add to the history of the area

 

PKN EXTRA INSERT- Emily Fuerste Swanson

Documenting West End Flourish activities by publishing articles in a special insert in  Pine Knot News

Ivory Garden- Krista Gardner

Open piano for the public to play with a flower display.

Small Business Launch/Plein Air Paint Out- Julia Jaakola

Revitalizing the old Smokies building with new landscaping and signs for a new business as well as hosting Plein painting events around the West End.

MORE INFO ON THE PLEIN AIR PAINT OUT HERE!

ALONG THE ST. LOUIS RIVER - HISTORY CULTURE AND ART 

Julia Jaakola has organized a creative painting event. Please Refer to the link above to read her artist prompt, which covers more information about the event and historical readings for artists to learn more about the area and draw inspiration from.

HAVE A GREET SEAT- Kris Nelson

Painting four chairs for businesses in the west end to showcase the culture and beauty of the area

Random Finds Of Art- Margie Helstrom

Artists paint mini canvases at Wood City Nutrition in August. Paintings are distributed throughout the West End in September for people to find and keep.

 

Cloquet Chronoquest- Matthew Krafthefer

Historic “geocaching” where a QR code will show participants a historic photo taken in the same place the participant stands today.

 

LAND OF STORIES- Lindsay Swan

Outdoor youth puppet theatre production braiding together traditional Anishinaabe, Finnish, Irish, and JudeoChristian creation stories

 

WOOD CITY FLORAL ALLEGIANCE- Debra Zime

Making flower arrangements along the streets of the West End

West End Fourish Background

Cloquet was selected for the 2020 cohort of the Artists on Main Street Program, a multi-year program that explores how the arts help address the challenges affecting Main Street communities today.

West End business owners and leaders will work with local artists and creatives to develop new approaches to community development.

OACC, RETHOS, and Springboard for the Arts will provide support on planning and implementing artist-led projects with training, one-on-one technical assistance, and cohort exchanges.

DOWNLOAD PROJECT BACKGROUNDER
PRESS RELEASE - ARTISTS ON MAIN STREET
PRESS | PINE JOURNAL ARTICLE
PRESS | DAILY YONDER ARTICLE
PRESS | PIINE KNOT NEWS ARTIST WORKSHOP