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Art-Packed Evening to Fill Stages Downtown Minneapolis

Minneapolis MOSAIC Celebrates its 7th Year with FREE Opening Night Kick-Off June 6th
Enjoy City’s Rich Diversity through Arts; All Summer Long

MINNEAPOLIS—March 23, 2009 – The seventh annual Minneapolis MOSAIC, a celebration of the city’s diverse arts and cultures, kicks off on Saturday, June 6 with a free, arts-packed evening between 8th and 9th streets and Hennepin and First Avenues in downtown Minneapolis. The celebration continues summer-long with more than 100 art, music, dance, spoken word and theater events throughout the city.

"Minneapolis MOSAIC is a chance to celebrate our city’s diverse treasures!" said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. "Our rich cultural scene is one of the things that we love about living here—and we love to share it."

From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., the free opening-night celebration, "Many Worlds. One Night." will feature more than 40 music, theater and dance acts as well as fine art exhibits filling multiple stages and exhibition both indoors and out.

Making their premiere Minnesota appearance, Ballet de Camara del Estado de Morelos (Chamber Ballet of Morelos www.balletdecamarademorelos.com), a professional dance company from Minneapolis sister city Morelos, Mexico will perform "The Passion." "Chamber Ballet of Morelos, with its magic performance, is a whole new source of pride and inspiration for the new sisterhood between Morelos and Minneapolis." said Ana Luisa Fajer, Consul of Mexico.

More than 15,000 festival-goers of all ages will delight in the sights and smells of Midtown Global Market food vendors, art exhibits and activities. Minneapolis MOSAIC will partner with the YMCA and Minnesota Lynx, who will hold interactive activities and games for youth ranging from toddler through high-school.

Commemorative Tradition
Each year Minneapolis MOSAIC commissions a lasting artistic work that celebrates the city’s diversity and serves as a commemorative representation of the festival. Best Buy has partnered with Minneapolis MOSAIC to present this year’s art commission, a creation of original photographs capturing the sense of cultural diversity in Minneapolis. The work of the commissioned photographer will be displayed at the June 6 celebration and will also be seen by audiences throughout 2009 in a variety of venues. Last year’s commission, "In the Garden," a youth media project by award winning director/producer John Gwinn and youth producers from Phillips Community Television (PCTV), was a poetic documentary highlighting people of diverse ages and ethnicities while exploring activities and points of interest all over the city. Other previous commissions have included ceramics, a symphonic composition, spoken word and a choreographed dance.

All Summer Long and More
Events celebrating the city’s diversity and artistic talents continue city-wide throughout the summer. A guide to all the Minneapolis MOSAIC events is available online at www.minneapolismosaic.com

The 2009 Minneapolis MOSAIC is co-chaired by Ana Luisa Fajer, Consul of Mexico and Josie Johnson, Community Leader. Both individuals are volunteering their time, along with an executive committee of nine who represent a wide range of artistic disciplines, businesses, communications, large and small cultural organizations and the tourism industry.

Corporate partners for 2009 Minneapolis MOSAIC include Best Buy, Xcel Energy, General Mills, Piper Jaffray, Mexico Tourism Board, RBC Wealth Management, Carlson, Minneapolis Foundation, Cities 97, Comcast, Minnesota Lynx and the downtown Minneapolis YMCA.

For more information, graphics and links please visit www.minneapolismosaic.com, email info@minneapolismosaic.com or call the Minneapolis MOSAIC hotline at 612/673-3379

Press Release available in Spanish upon request.

Contacts:
Angie Berthelot
651/329-4851

Scott Mayer
Mitch Kelly
Minneapolis MOSAIC
612/801-6138
651/271-3333

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Contacts

General Information
info@minneapolismosaic.com

Minneapolis MOSAIC
Scott Mayer, Project Coordinator
612/801-6138

Minneapolis MOSAIC
Mitch Kelly, Event Producer
651/271-3333

Minneapolis MOSAIC
Jennifer Guarino, Public Relations
612/222-7359