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Minneapolis arts

Minneapolis claims to have the highestofficial city celebration, the
per capita attendance at theater andAquatennial, held in mid-July. The
arts events outside of New York City andAquatennial display is reportedly the
Chicago. The region is reportedly thefourth-largest annual fireworks show in
third-largest theater market in thethe nation.
country, attracting major performances.Arts education is also strong in the
The Guthrie Theater is the most famousMinneapolis area with schools like the
theater in the city. Minneapolis alsoPerpich Center for Arts Education, an
supports two Tony Award winning theaterarts-oriented charter high school, in
companies: the Children's TheatreGolden Valley, the Minneapolis College
Company and Theater de la Jeune Lune. Inof Art and Design, an arts college
order to help revitalize the downtownadjacent to the Minneapolis Institute of
and warehouse district areas ofArts, playing a central role in the
Minneapolis, which had declined in thecity's visual, music and literary
mid to late 20th century, the cityscenes, and the Art Institutes
purchased and renovated a few theatersInternational Minnesota, located in
on Hennepin Avenue to create thedowntown Minneapolis on the corner of
Hennepin Theatre District, including theHennepin Ave. and 9th Street, is an arts
State, Orpheum, and Pantages venues.college which focuses more on computer
In 2004 with an attendance of 50,197,arts, such as graphic design, animation
Minneapolis's Minnesota Fringe Festivaland media graphics, photography, and
was the largest non-juried performinginteractive media design.
arts festival in the United States andThroughout the city are scattered
the third largest Fringe festival invarious sculptures and murals.
North America. In 2005, the MinnesotaMinneapolis was home to the "Minneapolis
Fringe ran 11 days, August 4-14 withSound" in pop music in the 1980s. Prince
44,630 paid tickets. In 2004, 1,100is Minneapolis's most famous musical
artists produced over 800 individualprogeny. His 1980 album Dirty Mind,
performances and events.features a song called "Uptown",
The most extensive museum in the city isdedicated to his favorite neighborhood
the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.in the city, and several other songs
Modern art is displayed in the Walkerinclude references to the city.
Art Center. The Walker includes anArguably, producers Jimmy Jam and Terry
outdoor sculpture garden withLewis have also been as or more
"Spoonbridge and Cherry," which hasinfluential as Prince in creating the
become a symbol of the city.Minneapolis Sound.
The Warehouse District adjoiningAlternative rock groups such as Hüsker
downtown was a hub of studio and galleryDü and The Replacements were a force in
activity in the 1980s, but most artiststhe 1980s, and Paul Westerberg (of the
have been driven out by high rents.Replacements) still lives and works in
Today the Northeast Minneapolis ArtsMinneapolis. Popular acts from the 1990s
District is the most vibrant visual artsinclude The Jayhawks, Semisonic and pop
community in the city, though thegroup Information Society. In recent
largest art event (one of the largest inyears Minneapolis has garnered a
the nation) is the annual Uptown Artsignificant hip hop community with
Fair.labels such as Rhymesayers Entertainment
Numerous festivals are held across theand Doomtree.
city during the year. Many are small,It is also interesting to note that one
although others can attract visitorsof the most replayed songs of the past
from across the region. Fireworksfifty years, Funkytown, came out of the
displays occur several times a year,Minneapolis scene. It was recorded by
although the largest is not on July 4ththe disco group Lipps, Inc. and former
as in most American cities—that isMiss Minnesota finalist Cynthia Johnson.
reserved for one night during the



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