With The Scenic Route: Reimagining Highway 250, Lanesboro Arts is re-igniting the intersection of civic engagement and arts programming in tandem with an upcoming large road construction project. Highway 250, which is the main street through downtown Lanesboro, will be the location for this construction in 2027-28. By supporting artist projects that celebrate downtown Lanesboro in new ways, Lanesboro Arts hopes to change the narrative from one of uncertainty to one of opportunity!

Lanesboro Arts invites artists and community members to apply to host their own artistic activation of the space, whether through installation, performance, or other creative programming. 

Between 10 – 20 artist-led projects will be supported for $500 – $1500 each to address the the following criteria and goals:

• Create connection, beauty, and pride in downtown Lanesboro.
• Encourage visitors and residents to stop, shop, and linger downtown.
• Foster collaboration and relationship building across sectors despite, amid, and because of the disruptions of downtown construction.
• Spark conversation around construction, maintenance, and building for Lanesboro’s future.

Artist projects will invite engagement from locals and visitors alike to enliven Lanesboro’s downtown, whether it’s by creating an art installation, hosting an artful picnic, throwing a dance party, offering a new point of view on construction, or something else creative!

The Scenic Route will start with a Civic Arts Engagement Workshop offered by Springboard for the Arts on September 26th at the Sons of Norway Lodge from 9 am to 1 pm. In this workshop, participants will explore methods and techniques to develop creative projects that benefit the community. Springboard’s Michele Anderson (Rural Director) and Molly Johnston (Rural Program Manager) will be joined by representatives from MNDOT to explore possibilities for creative projects. Facilitators will share examples of similar projects, lead an observational tour of town, and encourage creative brainstorming through various visioning activities. Other workshops, including Creative Idea Development Round Table and a Creative Project Support Round Table, will also be offered by Lanesboro Arts staff throughout the length of The Scenic Route.

The application will ask for a brief project proposal, including information about the intended location, audience, goals, and timeline. The priority deadline to submit an application will be January 15th, with projects taking place spring and summer of 2027. Rolling applications will be accepted until project funds are depleted. Priority will be given to residents of Fillmore County, as well as BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and/or disabled individuals. Preview application questions and learn more here (link coming soon). 

Events & Dates to Know

• Civic Arts Engagement Workshop with Springboard for the Arts: Saturday, September 26th, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm | Sons of Norway Hall
• Creative Idea Development Round Table: Thursday, October 22nd, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | Sylvan Brewing Scale Room
• Virtual Civic Arts Engagement Workshop with Springboard for the Arts: Thursday, November 12th, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm | Online via Zoom
• Creative Idea Development Round Table: Sunday, December 13th at 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Sylvan Brewing Scale Room
• Priority deadline for project applications: Friday, January 15th, 2027, 11:59 pm 
• Creative Project Support Round Table: Thursday, February 18th, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
• Creative Project Support Round Table: Sunday, March 14th, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• Projects Implemented April 2027 – October 2027

About the Construction

In 2027-2028, Lanesboro will be the site of a road project on its main street – updating the water and sewer lines as well as the surface roadway. In addition to road improvements, the work will include improving adjacent sidewalks, lighting, and trails. Parkway Avenue is the heart of much of the local economy – it’s the gateway to the livestock sales barn, the largest of its kind in the region; it’s an outdoor recreation and tourist hub; it’s where arts organizations and businesses thrive; where town celebrations happen. The tension around this project has left business owners and community members feeling overwhelmed. Yet projects like The Scenic Route, Team 250, and more are building up opportunities to meet this moment strategically, creatively, and sustainably. 

About Lanesboro Arts

Lanesboro Arts serves as a regional catalyst for artistic excellence and educational development in providing diverse art experiences for people of all ages. Lanesboro Arts has been weaving art through the social and physical infrastructure of rural Lanesboro for over four decades. The organization works to positively impact Lanesboro’s social, civic and economic vibrancy for residents, visitors, and artists. In 2014, the Lanesboro City Council passed a resolution recognizing the entire town of Lanesboro as the Lanesboro Arts Campus, contributing to a national model for utilizing the arts as an economic driver and as a tool for cultural sustainability. The Scenic Route extends this arts campus initiative during a period of change in the community.

About Springboard for the Arts

Springboard for the Arts is a community & economic development organization for artists based in Saint Paul and Fergus Falls, MN. 

As Rural Director, Michele Anderson leads overall strategy and partnerships for Springboard’s rural programs in support of rural artists and creative community development, including the Rural Regenerator Fellowship, the Rural Futures Summit, Artists on Main Street, and the Falls Community Arts Exchange. Michele is also a composer, creative writer and pianist with a BA in Music from Lewis and Clark College and an MA in Cultural Sustainability from Goucher College, where she was awarded the inaugural Rory Turner Prize in Cultural Sustainability. In 2015, Michele was selected by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits for their Catalytic Leader Award. Her work is about creating and seeking out multiracial and multi-generational pathways to new rural futures rooted in repair, stewardship and joy, whether through policy, poetry, or karaoke!

As Rural Program Manager, Molly Johnston ensures that the artists and partners in Springboard’s rural programs, including the Rural Regenerator Fellowship and the Falls Community Arts Exchange, are supported and have what they need for a joyful and impactful experience. Molly also supports the Community Development and Economic Opportunity teams to align goals and programming across rural and urban spaces. Molly is also a dance artist and cofounder of DanceBARN Collective in Battle Lake, MN. Molly holds a BFA in Dance from University of the Arts and an MFA in Dance from the University of Oregon. As a dancer and choreographer, Molly has worked with the Fergus Falls School of Dance, Art of the Lakes, the Creative Arts Center, and enjoys collaborating with artists across disciplines to create site specific performances that celebrate rural places.

Lanesboro Arts is proud to partner with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the UMN Extension.