[For Immediate Release, February 1, 2025]
Contact: Sheila-Marie Untiedt, Great Idea Grant Chair, Stillwater Area Community Foundation
[email protected]
2024 Great Idea Grant goes to Union Art Alley
Stillwater, MN—Transform a forgotten alley into visually inviting and engaging space filled with beautiful artwork… now, that’s a Great Idea!
Stillwater resident, Sara Jespersen, owner of The Lumberjack, Heather Rutledge, Director of ArtReach St Croix, Kelly Nygaard, President Discover Stillwater, businesses surrounding Union Alley, and talented artists worked together to infuse the abandoned space with visual art. It is now a fun and colorful place that the community can be proud of and enjoy.
Each year, Stillwater Area Community Foundation accepts applications from local individuals, businesses, nonprofits and other groups who have an idea that will benefit our local communities, and who have the determination to put it into action. This year’s Great Idea grant award was presented at the Stillwater Area Community Foundation’s annual celebration on December 10.
The Union Art Alley Great Idea will not only focus on beautifying the alley but also bolster community pride while enhancing the local art scene. The majority of the $10,000 grant funds will go towards local artists. “We have an opportunity to showcase the art that is in the soul of our community. To become a destination for photos, expression, and colorful enjoyment. This may have started as a simple clean up, but we want it to become a social movement in our community where artists are free to express themselves and work to spread the messages of our day to each other,” said Nygaard. “Besides supporting local artists, it will also create a pedestrian friendly, visually inviting and engaging space for both locals and visitors to enjoy.”
For more information about Stillwater Area Community Foundation, visit StillwaterAreaFoundation.org.