25 years since our inception in 1995, the name still embodies our ethos: core strategies juxtaposed to create a vibrant and sustainable whole. Art & economics; individual development through collaborative work; young artists employed and their professional counterparts.
On our 25th birthday in 2020, JXTA is poised to become the foremost arts organization in North Minneapolis with a permanent and essential legacy.
In 2020, JXTA will reflect on successes and lessons learned. When JXTA was founded in 1995, the focus was on the immediate future: building access to the arts for talented young people in North Minneapolis. With a $1,000 grant, JXTA started as a small summer program, enrolling 15 students to participate in youth mentorship led by professional artists. Today, JXTA employs 70 young people ages 14-21 in five revenue-earning art and design studios; offers year-round personal and professional development to young creatives; enrolls 110 young people ages 8-21 in free arts programming annually; provides access to arts-related activities to thousands of visitors and participants; and employs 30 adult teaching artists and operations staff. 25 years later, JXTA is the largest youth-focused arts employer in the Twin Cities, and one of the largest employers of young people on the Northside.
25 years of work provides a basis for what the future can look like. That future includes a capital campaign slated to conclude in 2021, a brand-new building completed in 2022, continued and expanded programming, more students through the doors, and, ultimately, an established cultural legacy in North Minneapolis.
Says JXTA longtime youth apprentice Justice Jones:
“JXTA is a place where you learn how to do collaborative projects, hear everybody’s voices in a creative process, and learn to be ok with having your ideas changed. Or at least to be open to suggestions about other ideas and other perspectives. I don’t think I had the opportunity to work or think this way before I came here.
“Knowing that the things you want to do and the person you want to be is achievable. I think that’s why I want to teach and make art. I want people to understand that everybody is different and unique. Everybody learns things differently and processes things around them differently…everybody experiences everything in a different way.”
To celebrate a history of impact and achievements in 2020, JXTA will host a number of events, publish a series of unique stories, and produce merchandise celebrating the 25th anniversary.
More information about this year’s celebratory programming can be found HERE.
This year’s celebrations will include a series of 25 stories for 25 years – the first story is an interview with JXTA programming graduate and current Graphic Design Lab and Communications Assistant, Patricio De Lara.
Read it HERE.