Free Art Exhibit at Mill City Museum to Shine a Light on Disability Justice

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (July 8, 2024) – Featuring the works of more than a dozen artists, a new exhibit titled The Art of Disability Justice Now will debut at Mill City Museum this month. Curated, organized, and supported by artists, activists, and community organizers, the exhibit highlights disability justice in the Twin Cities.

Through varied works of art, the exhibit serves as an outlet for local artists to share their stories and their mission to shape a more equitable Twin Cities community for people with disabilities. Additionally, it emphasizes the narratives and leadership of individuals who have historically been most marginalized within the mainstream disability rights movement, including BIPOC, queer, trans, and immigrant disabled people. 

The Art of Disability Justice Now will be on display for free during regular museum hours from July 19 to November 3, 2024. A media preview for the exhibit will take place on July 18 from 11 am-4 pm. Please contact Nick Jungheim to schedule a time to talk with organizers and view the works of art.

On July 19 at 5:30 pm, an Opening Night Celebration for the exhibit will take place in the Mill Commons Area. Performances from local artists Said Shaiye, Molly Joyce, Alison Bergblom Johnson, and Houa Moua will take place beginning at 6:30 pm. The event will also be streamed virtually on Zoom. Registration is free and open to the public.

The Art of Disability Justice Now is Community-curated by AmplifyMN: A Disability Justice Collective and the students in AH 5950, Curating Disability Justice (UMN-Twin Cities). In partnership with and supported by the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub, the Minnesota Historical Society, University Libraries, the Critical Disability Studies Collective, The University of Minnesota Imagine Fund, UMN Department of Art History, Minnesota Transform, The Minnesota Council on Disability, and The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the College of Liberal Arts. Funding provided by the State of Minnesota’s Legacy Amendment, through the vote of Minnesotans on Nov. 4, 2008, and our generous donors and members.

Featured exhibiting artists include AK Garski, Alison Bergblom Johnson, Donna Ray, Drew Maude-Griffin, Emma MacLean, HML, Janice Essick, Jamie Kubat, Madison Elyse Rubenstein, Zoe Cinel, Taja Will, May Ling Kopecky, Ocean C. Poet, and Trista Marie McGovern.

The exhibit is made possible through funding provided by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

For more information, visit disabilityjusticeart.com.

About the Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota Historical Society is a non-profit educational and cultural institution established in 1849. MNHS collects, preserves, and tells the story of Minnesota’s past through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs, and book publishing. Using the power of history to transform lives, MNHS preserves our past, shares our state’s stories, and connects people with history.