R5DC is supporting an economic development opportunity that utilizes culinary art, functional and nonfunctional art installations and experiences that intend to make Sprout Growers & Makers Marketplace in Little Falls a destination as well a reflection of the unique cultural diversity of central Minnesota.

Sprout Growers & Makers Marketplace is a newly constructed 20,000 sq ft local food processing facility, cooking demonstration kitchen and indoor winter marketplace for growers and makers, established by a cadre of thinkers over the last 6 years who hosted its grand opening April 1, 2016. Sprout Marketplace offers a unique community engagement setting that creatively engages residents to design projects and intrinsic/social programming at a one-of-a-kind regional space where art/culture/food increase cultural appreciation and offer positive economic impacts.

WHAT WILL THIS EFFORT DELIVER?

Commissioned ART. Project Seed Team members (from Sprout, R5DC, with intentional conversations with Amish, East African, Native American, Latino, Culinary and Youth communities), will continue to meet with culturally diverse communities to prioritize commissioned art that will reside at the Sprout Marketplace to allow for ongoing conversation and appreciation of diverse cultural heritage. 

Art demonstrations. In addition to commissioned art from culturally diverse artist, grant funds will support performing artists and artist demonstrations coordinated for general public on open Marketplace dates.

Multi-cultural culinary art demonstration and cooking classes. Seed team members engage regional culinary artists/chefs to set cooking demonstrations and cooking classes of heritage recipes, alongside community members.

Business classes. Growers and artists will set forth a schedule of learning opportunities, such as succession planning that increase economic prosperity.

Deployment of a variety of art forms selected to address economic development offer mutually beneficial impacts. Artists partner with local growers at Sprout Marketplace to increase economic benefits and livable wages for both. All activities improve our region’s way of doing business, create an improved ecosystem that collectively provides new experiences for residents to financially prosper, and welcome all resident to participate and learn from each other in ways that inspire future initiatives.