Mission
THE MANOOMIN ARTS INITIATIVE (MAI) IS AN INDIGENOUS-LED ARTIST-LED CREATIVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS ARTISTS AND CULTIVATES THE CREATIVE ECONOMY WITHIN THE WHITE EARTH NATION AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. WE WORK WITH LOCAL ARTISTS AND YOUTH TO CREATE PUBLIC ART PROJECTS, COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO BRING ARTIST RESIDENCIES, ORGANIZE ARTS FESTIVALS, AND SUPPORT ART WORKSHOPS IN OUR COMMUNITY. OUR CURRENT WORK IS TO ACTIVATE CREATIVE SPACES WHERE OUR ARTISTS CAN EXHIBIT, CREATE, TEACH, AND SELL THEIR WORK. MAI GREW FROM A MULTI-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE WHITE EARTH NATION (WEN), THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, MN, AND THE MAHNOMEN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (MCEDA). IN 2017, THE WENS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION'S GIZHIIGIN ARTS INCUBATOR, THE CITY OF MAHNOMEN, AND THE MCEDA COLLABORATED ON THE RAINBOW THEATER MURAL PUBLIC ART PROJECT. IN 2021, THE COLLABORATION CONTINUED WHEN MAHNOMEN RECEIVED AN ARTIST ON MAIN STREET GRANT. THE MANOO