Causes: Education

Mission: Textile center of minnesota (the organization) is dedicated to honoring textile traditions and promoting excellence and innovation in fiber art. The organization is a regionally-based national center for fiber art and its facility serves as a central place for artists, guilds, collectors, youth and adults to gather, meet, study and participate in fiber art exhibition and education programs. It is the only facility in the midwest that represents all fiber art forms. Fiber art is broadly defined to include weaving, quilting, knitting, sewing, dyeing, needlework, lace making, basketry and beading. The organization receives a majority of its revenue through program services and contributions from individuals and foundations. The organization's programs advance the development of fiber artists, support a vibrant fiber art community, and provide public access to excellent fiber art programs.

Programs: Education - textile center is a primary education and networking resource for fiber artists. Through participation in textile center seminars, master classes, symposia, mentoring and project grant programs, artists are advancing their technical and creative skills, taking artistic risks, and exploring new avenues of creative work. Many workshops and classes for adults focus on techniques and take advantage of the textile centers dye lab. Technology-based workshops help artists utilize equipment, applications, and online resources to create, document and sell fiber art work. Other classes focus on technique and design in areas including surface design, felting, sewing, needlework and embroidery, quilting, and 3d and mixed media. More than 700 adults participated in fiber art workshops and classes during the year. Emerging artists advanced professionally through textile centers mentor program and the jerome fiber artists project grant program. Textile center partnered with surface design associate to present an international fiber art conference in minneapolis that featured presentations by internationally renowned artists and 35 fiber art exhibitions. 460 people from 12 countries attended the conference. The collection of the textile center pat oconnor library grew to more than 23,500 fiber art books, periodicals, and media materials and the library was utilized by 4,960 patrons. The textile center ellen errede wells dye lab continued to provide artists and students a safe and professionally-equipped resource for undertaking ambitious dye projects.

exhibitionsexhibitions at textile centers facility and on the road present exceptional work by fiber artists from the region and around the world, showcasing both mastery in technique and cutting-edge innovations in fiber art. The joan mondale gallery presents juried, invitational and member exhibitions. The community gallery and library gallery feature the work of individual and organizational members of textile center. Traveling exhibitions give people from the region new opportunities to view innovative fiber art. Textile center presented 26 exhibitions of fiber art work by about 600 artists in its galleries and on tour. From the annual a common thread showcasing work by textile center members to constructions in concert featuring work by the esteemed artist joyce melander-dayton, these exhibitions exposed the general public to excellence in fiber art. Textile centers new touring exhibition, land by hand: artists explore place, traveled to art centers in bemidji, new york mills, and mankato, mn. The long running touring exhibition, focus on fibers, made its final stop in red wing, mn. Specializing in extraordinary fiber art created by member artists, the textile center shop is the only retail store of its kind in the region. Artists are selected through a jury process and they receive 60 percent of consigned sales. The shop presented and sold fiber art work by 175 artists and generated nearly $85,000 in payments to artists.

community outreach - textile center is developing the next generation of fiber artists through it residencies, summer camps, and outreach services for youth. Fiber art residencies and workshops were conducted in partnership with more than 26 schools, libraries, social service and cultural organizations across the region. Textile center served more than 460 youth through its new field trip service, feed the fibers, which operated in partnership with 15 schools and youth service organizations. 24 fiber art summer camps served 125 children. Fiber art demonstrations, exhibits, and hands-on activities served thousands of minnesotans attending regional art fairs and other large public events.