Support the Center through AmazonSmile

Did you know that your online shopping can benefit the Cultural Center? AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact...

Puppet Pageant this Friday, August 21st

Workshops underway for 7th annual Puppet Pageant Workshops for the Puppet Pageant kicked off last week and continue this week, all leading up to the final performance on Friday, August 21st, 2015 at 7:00pm (immediately following the New York Mills Civic & Commerce...

Garage Sale fundraiser to benefit Puppet Pageant

Come to a Garage Sale behind the Cultural Center, under the Sugar Creek Woodworking awnings, this Friday and Saturday, August 21 & 22, 2015. Hours will be 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. until noon on Saturday, with $1 a bag from 11:00 a.m. until...

The Art of The Cookie Garden

Main floor gallery exhibit July 22nd – August 29th, 2015 The Cookie Garden is a children’s book written by Linda Henry and illustrated by Dawn Rossbach, and the gallery show featured at the Cultural Center July 22 – August 29 is a wonderful exhibit...

Making History with Crafts: Northwoods Troll

Join us Monday, August 24 from 1-3pm OR 6-8pm in creating woodland trolls! Many folktales from Scandinavia have trolls and other mythical beings. They often take on the traits of their woodland surroundings. A simple walk through the woods will provide you with almost...

Ellen Jean Diederich Reception

  Enjoy the gallery and come meet exhibiting artist Ellen Jean Diederich whose original watercolor and acrylic paintings are on display in the second floor gallery. The works come from Diederich’s book Samson’s Gift, available in our gift store for...

Book Publishing Panel at the Cultural Center

On Saturday, August 1st from 4:30-5:30 PM, Author/Illustrator Ellen Diederich, Writer Linda Henry, and Illustrator Dawn Rossbach will conduct a panel on the navigation of the publishing process. Currently, Original artwork from Ellen’s book ‘Samson’s...

2015 Great American Think-Off Winning Essays

The 23rd Annual Great American Think-Off was held on Saturday, June 13th, 2015 at the James Mann Center for the Performing Arts in New York Mills.  The first round featured David Lapakko and David Eckel both arguing for the side of “Technology Frees Us”....

7th Annual Puppet Pageant

7th Annual Puppet Pageant Please join us for the 2015 Puppet Pageant, once again under the creative direction of Anne Sawyer-Aitch.  This year’s original play will weave folklore from the Finnish national epic poem, the Kalevala, and the cultural heritage of the...

Making History with Crafts, Playful Marionettes

About 85 years ago, probably when your great-grandparents were growing up, Minnesota was hit hard by something we now call the Great Depression. Many people could not find jobs to support their families. To create jobs, then-President Franklin Roosevelt created the...

August 2015 Art in YOUR Park

August is right around the corner so enjoy the dog days of summer outdoors creating crafts! The final Art in YOUR Park events of 2015 will be taking place August 3-7 in New York Mills and Wadena. The activities will focus on turning trash to treasure as we take...

Ellen Jean Diederich in the gallery

The Cultural Center is proud to host the works of Ellen Jean Diederich in our newly refreshed second floor gallery. The exhibition runs from July 8 until August 8, 2015. Ellen Jean Diederich’s Neo-Impressionistic acrylic and watercolor paintings fill the pages of...

4th Annual Decoy and Wildlife Art Exhibition

Main floor gallery exhibit July 8-18, 2015 Stop in to the Cultural Center’s main floor gallery from July 8 through July 18 to enjoy the works of some Minnesota natives.  Items on display will include hand painted fish and frog decoys, and fish and wildlife paintings...

2nd Annual Fish House Festival July 10, 2015

Join us this Friday, July 10th, 2015 for the 2nd annual Fish House Festival, which is being held in conjunction with the New York Mills Summer Celebration and Lund Mania fishing tournament. There are many fun activities planned for the festival and we are excited to...

Photography Class for Kids July 20th

Are your kids always reaching for your phone or camera to take a picture?  Come explore and learn basic digital photography skills with local photographer Sarah Wilhelmi of Impressions by Sarah on Monday, July 20th from 4:30-6:15 p.m. This class is for kids entering...

Art in Your Park 2015

Join us in the parks this summer for FREE art activities for kids Each month will feature a different theme of activities and art projects that kids can take home at the end of the day.  Come and have fun being creative while enjoying the great outdoors.  Stop in or...

Making History With Crafts

Join artist, former art teacher, and Cultural Center volunteer Pam Robinson this summer in Making History with Crafts.  There will be four workshops offered on select Mondays during June, July and August, with each workshop to be offered twice, from 1-3pm and 6-8pm on...

Guitar Lessons at the Cultural Center

Learn to play the guitar this summer Local music instructor Rebecca Imsande will teach guitar lessons on Wednesdays beginning June 24 and running for six weeks. Half-hour lessons for ages 9-adult are just $10 per lesson, and 15-minute lessons for ages 5-8 are just $5...

Donate through Network for Good

Donate to the Center on-line securely through Network for Good Want a really easy, secure way to donate online?  Click on the logo below.  Our legal name is “New York Mills Arts Retreat.”  This provides the option of one-time or recurring donation, as well...

Kids Yoga Thursday mornings July 2 – 30

Call now to register for Kids Yoga Stretch, bend, balance and grow with certified yoga instructor Mel Lepper! We are pleased to offer Kids Yoga Classes as part of our Summer Programming. Kids of any age are welcome with a parent or caregiver. There will be one 4-week...

2015 Think-Off Question Answered: Technology Frees Us

America’s Greatest Thinker named for 2015 The Cultural Center in New York Mills is pleased to announce that David Lapakko of Richfield, MN, asserting that Technology Frees Us, was voted America’s Greatest Thinker on Saturday, June 13th by a crowd of 300 at the New...

2015 Great American Think-Off Question Answered: Technology Frees Us

America’s Greatest Thinker named for 2015 The Cultural Center in New York Mills is pleased to announce that David Lapakko of Richfield, MN, asserting that Technology Frees Us, was voted America’s Greatest Thinker on Saturday, June 13th by a crowd of 300 at the New...

23rd annual Great American Think-Off

Think-Off Saturday June 13th @ 7pm The Center is bustling with activity this week as we prepare for the 23rd annual Great American Think-Off.  The Great Debate will take place on Saturday, June 13th at 7:00pm at the James Mann Center for the Performing Arts at the New...

19th annual Regional Show in the Gallery now

Reception Saturday, May 30th, 2015, 7-9pm Please join us for an Artists’ Reception on Saturday, May 30th from 7-9pm at the Cultural Center for what is always one of the most fun receptions of the year with many regional artists attending to connect and view...

2015 Garden Party: THANK YOU!

On May 14th, we hosted our annual Garden Party fundraiser at the Cultural Center.  We were overwhelmed with the generosity of donors and bidders, and are thrilled to report that you, our community of supporters, invested more than $7,300 to bring high-quality arts...

Norman Kennedy to kick off Think-Off weekend

Scottish balladeer and storyteller to kick off the 2015 Great American Think-Off weekend with a concert at the Cultural Center on Friday, June 12th at 7:30pm Don’t miss the opportunity to hear Norman Kennedy in concert at the Cultural Center on Friday, June 12th at...

2015 Annual Kite Festival, NEW Rocket Launch

The Kite Festival is back at the New York Mills School This annual program sponsored by the Cultural Center has in the past included classes from NYM building and launching various types of kites with help, instruction and supplies from the Cultural Center.  This...

2015 Regional Art Show

Submit your work and participate in the annual regional art show at the Center.  Everyone is welcome, all media are accepted, and this is a non-juried show.  Details below. Wednesday May 27th – Thursday July 2nd, 2015 Open to all artists working in any medium...

2015 Garden Party: Thursday May 14

Join us for our annual live & silent auctions Spring is here to stay…let’s celebrate with the annual Cultural Center Garden Party fundraiser!   We will have many gardening and other items for your bid at our May 14th event. The Cultural Center’s...

2015 Think-Off Finalists Announced

The Cultural Center’s Great American Think-Off committee is pleased to announce that the four finalists for the 23rd annual debate have been selected to answer this year’s question, “Does Technology Free Us or Trap Us?”.  Arguing that...

2015 Think-Off Finalists Announced

The four finalists have been chosen for the 23rd annual Great American Think-Off, to answer the question “Does Technology Free Us or Trap Us?” Arguing that technology traps us will be Paul Terry and Marsh Muirhead, while David Eckel and David Lapakko will...

2015 State High School League Arts Festival

Annual student gallery show April 29 – May 6 Each Spring the Cultural Center hosts the annual Minnesota State High School League Arts Festival for Region 6A North.  This year the show will be in the gallery April 29 – May 6th.  The festival will be on...

Open House for Jamie Robertson April 23rd

Jamie’s Off to New Adventures Please join us on Thursday, April 23rd, 2015 for an Open House honoring Jamie Robertson at the Cultural Center from 4:30-7:00pm, with a short program at 5:45pm.  Help us thank Jamie for sharing his creativity and devoted service to...

Young artists’ shows in April and May

Now through May 22nd see student work in the gallery in three separate but linked shows.  The local high school show is in the gallery now through April 25th to be followed by the State High School League show and the local elementary show. High school artists from 5...

Annual Meeting – Tuesday, April 21

Welcome Betsy Roder,  the Center’s new Executive Director This year’s annual meeting (Tuesday, April 21 at 6:00 pm) is particularly noteworthy because Betsy Roder, Arts Retreat Coordinator and Gift Store Manager, will assume her new leadership role as...

Artist-in-Residence Angela Sprunger

A printmaking artist from Minneapolis will be occupying the Arts Retreat house for the first few weeks of April 2015. Angela Sprunger is an artist, educator, and administrator. She creates socially engaged prints and objects to agitate cultural complacency. In the...

Cultural Center Announces Roder as New Executive Director

The Cultural Center, located in New York Mills, MN announces the selection of Betsy Roder as its next executive director. Roder will assume the position on April 22, when current executive director, Jamie Robertson leaves his post of nearly 8 years, to pursue personal...

Next “little big year” event at the Cultural Center

Little Big Year bird count Movie night with snacks, beverages and door prizes on Thursday April 16 at 7:30 p.m.  We’ll be watching “The Big Year” starring Owen Wilson, Jack Black and Steve Martin. As you can tell by the cast, this is a comedy, but at...

Tickets for the Great Debate

Tickets available now Buy your tickets now to get seats at this year’s debate slated to begin at 7:00 pm on Saturday, June 13, 2015.  The event will be held at the James Mann Center for the Performing Arts at the New York Mills Schools.  Cost for advance tickets...