Celebrating the Red River Valley’s history through art

"It's about building a program. We're not just doing one-off events, but creating a long-term, meaningful series."

Rosemary Johnsen The Red River winding through the valley

The arts have the power to bring a community together. At the University of Minnesota Crookston, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Rosemary Johnsen is using arts events to do just that.

Johnsen is leading a variety of arts events in Crookston to connect community members with the region's history and with one another.

Johnsen (right) and author Kari Lie Dorer (right)

Crookston sits in the Red River Valley, which includes Northwest Minnesota and eastern North Dakota. This region encompasses a rich diversity of people who have called it home, including Tribal Nations, Norwegian and French-Canadian settlers of the 19th Century, and seasonal migrant workers from Canada and Mexico, some of whom put down roots there.

"One of the things that I learned when I got here was that the Red River Valley is something that means a lot to the people who live here," Johnsen says. "It's a form of identification."

Over the past several years, Johnsen and the University of Minnesota Crookston have offered programming that brings community members together to learn about the arts and better understand the region's rich past.

Johnsen (left) and author Sarah Stonich (right)

Thus far, this programming has included annual author visits from writers whose work highlights Minnesota's tribal and immigrant peoples, including Minnesota authors Marcie R. Rendon, Sarah Stonich and Kari Lie Dorer. These visits have allowed community members to explore different cultures and histories through the books they're reading.

"People are hungry for this kind of stuff," Johnsen says. "I think when people have these kinds of experiences and gain this knowledge, it's beneficial to the entire community."

North Star Quilters Guild of ND at the Fiber Arts event

The success of these author events is part of Johnsen's broader goal to build events around other art forms. One such event was with area artist Pieper Fleck Bloomquist, who creates Swedish and Norwegian folk art. The event included a reception, workshops and a week-long exhibition of her original work.

"It's about building a program," Johnsen says. "We're not just doing one-off events, but creating a long-term, meaningful series."
The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, Johnsen says. Attendance at the events has increased and post-event surveys have shown community members enjoy meeting the authors, engaging in thoughtful conversations and learning more about the Red River Valley's diverse background.

Community members enjoying Fiber Arts event

"I loved the event," one community member wrote in a post-event survey. "It is important to nurture events like these in our remote communities. Without them, we lose our humanity."

In addition to these events, Johnsen says she wants to include cultural celebrations and expand the program. The hope is that these arts-centered events continue to bring the Crookston community together to understand their shared identity.

"This is a way we can get people talking about different backgrounds and how they can coexist and be respected," she says. "The university should be a place where things like this are available to everyone."

Women's History Month "With Her Hands" Fiber Art Display in Sargeant Student Center

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