We resolve to promote the growth of our community through creative and culturally vibrant programming for all of Freeborn County and surrounding areas. We encourage the exploration of new ideas, art forms and self-expression through the arts.
The Freeborn County Arts Initiative was founded in 2012 to promote regional arts and culture to enrich and strengthen our community. We foster connectivity between individual artists, art-related businesses, culture groups and academic institutions. Our goal is to help develop the area into an arts and culture tourism and entertainment destination.
Our shows are often edgy and provocative. Our artists are multi-generational and artistically diverse. We aim to explore and develop new ideas in all art forms and encourage self-expression through all the arts that are current and educational. Our events are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Our gallery features bimonthly exhibitions that alternate between solo and group exhibitions. We serve both emerging and established artists in every media. In addition to our scheduled shows, we also host a wide variety of special events from pop-up shows to open mic nights and documentary screenings to street concerts.
We are the only arts nonprofit in Freeborn County that offers all programming at no cost.
That’s right, everything we do is FREE to the community: no admission, no tickets, no fee!
Our gallery is located in a 100 year old building that originated as an Opera Palace. This building was featured in Minnesota Monthly as one of the 10 most endangered buildings of Minnesota in 2010. We are proud to be a part of the re-use plan.
The Freeborn County Arts Initiative Gallery is located in the Historic Bessesen Building at 224 S. Broadway in Albert Lea, Minnesota in the heart of the historical district.
