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How Can Cities Stay Competitive Using Arts and Culture?

by | Mar 8, 2023 | Solutions

With downtown office markets reeling, how can cities stay competitive as desirable destinations? One area of strength is arts and culture, which we’ll explore in the Saving the City documentary series about how to make cities better places.

While filming in Minneapolis for a story about the Mill City Museum and the remade Mississippi riverfront, we got a sneak preview of the inner workings of the Guthrie Theater. The first regional repertory company in the country, the Guthrie’s second home houses three performance spaces and overlooks the river in a striking blue structure that mimics the shape of neighboring former flour mills.

The Guthrie is one of several major cultural institutions in and around downtown Minneapolis that contribute to a sense of vitality even as other sectors in the city center continue to contract.

Cities across North America from Vancouver to Montreal and Boston to San Francisco have been bolstering their visual and performing arts offerings, which have increased in importance as traditional urban mainstays of in-person office work and brick-and-mortar retail continue to evolve.

Meet Joe Dowling, former longtime director of the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Watch more videos.

Check out our Minneapolis preview video. Contact us Check out our work and let us know what you think.

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