Department of Public Transformation

11/10/2026

Pull up a chair! 🥂 Beyond the Clock is wrapping up the year with a little holiday cheer, a shared virtual table, and a whole lot of good food and stories.

Join Ash & Anna on Tuesday, December 8, from 4–5 PM CT for Recipes for the Future: A Dispersed Potluck & Cooking Show, featuring our 2026 Artist in Residence, Nikiko Masumoto.

We'll gather virtually to share stories, swap recipes, and explore how the traditions and knowledge we carry can nourish future generations.

Register by November 25 to receive a little special something from Ash & Anna!

Beyond the Clock Virtual Holiday Happy Hour!
Tuesday, December 8 | 4–5 PM CT
Online via Zoom

Registration is required, but it is free to attend – registration is available via the Events link on our website.

11/09/2026

Southwest Minnesota Artists: Applications Are Due Soon!

Applications for the 2027 River Valley Ripple (RVR) Artist Residency are due November 20, and we’re encouraging early-career artists across Southwest Minnesota to take advantage of this close-to-home opportunity.

Four selected artists will each spend two weeks at The YES! House in Granite Falls, with living accommodations, a $1,000 stipend, up to $250 for supplies and materials, and dedicated time to focus on their creative practice. Artists will also have opportunities to connect with regional artists and community members and share their work through a public artist salon.

The residency welcomes generative artists across creative disciplines, including visual, digital, performance, literary, culinary, craft, textile, and more. First-time residency applicants are encouraged to apply!

Applications are due Friday, November 20, 2026, at 11:59 PM CT. Don't miss this opportunity to invest in your creative practice!

Explore the details and apply today! –> theyeshouse.org/river-valley-ripple

11/06/2026

Nine years ago, we began with a belief that rural communities deserved more: more creativity, more connection, more possibility, and more say in shaping our futures.

What started as a bold idea has grown into nine years of relationships, shared stories, deep collaborations, and meaningful change in communities across the country.

As we look back on everything that has brought us here, we're raising $9,000 to celebrate nine years of service and to help carry this work into the next chapter.

Every contribution is part of the story we're writing together. Help us celebrate nine years of rural cultural work.

Make a gift today and invest in what comes next! –> publictransformation.org/donate

11/05/2026

🎉 Happy 1-year workiversary, Courtney!

It’s been a whole year since Courtney Bergey Swanson joined the DoPT team, and we’re so glad she did!

Courtney brings 15 years of experience in creative, place-based initiatives, along with a deep appreciation for rural communities and the people who make them special. From her roots on a farm in Lanesboro to her work with Lanesboro Arts and Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA), she has spent her career helping rural places grow, connect, and imagine what's possible.

As our Activate Rural Associate Director, Courtney brings a thoughtful mix of creativity, community development know-how, and care to the work (not to mention her many talents as a fiber artist, writer, home cook, and more!).

We're grateful for all the ideas, experience, and heart she brings to DoPT. Here's to year one and many more to come!

11/03/2026

There are still a few hours to get to the polls, and we hope you do!

Your vote helps shape the future of your community, so make your voice heard by reviewing your ballot and preparing to vote using Ballotpedia’s Sample Ballot Lookup at: ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup or go to Vote.org for more resources.

11/02/2026

In the latest episode of Beyond the Clock, Ash and Anna sit down with Adrian Molina (Molina Speaks) and Jessica Chacon to explore the power of radical imagination, cultural traditions, and everyday rituals in shaping the futures of rural communities.

From bilingual circuses and football tailgates to community ceremonies and skate parks, discover how creativity can open new possibilities for connection, healing, and civic participation.

Listen to the conversation and explore what it means to dream beyond the limitations we've inherited.

Read the blog and find the episode here: publictransformation.org/blog/btc-podcast-11-26

10/30/2026

Five teams from across rural Minnesota gathered at The YES! House in Granite Falls to kick off the 2026 – 2027 Engage Rural Civic Arts Cohort, a year-long experience exploring creative approaches to civic engagement.

During the launch, participants shared stories, identified community strengths and resources, and began exploring local challenges and opportunities.

Visit the blog post by Vivian M. Cook, Engage and Amplify Rural Program Coordinator, to learn more about the cohort’s kickoff and see photos from the day: publictransformation.org/blog/er-cohort-26

10/29/2026

In Joyful Belonging, author Casper ter Kuile sits down with DoPT CEO Ash Hanson to explore how creative play and community-based theater can build trust, strengthen relationships, and foster a sense of belonging in rural communities.

Ash shares how site-specific theater invites residents to tell their own stories, celebrate local identities, and imagine new possibilities together. Through examples from Moab, Utah, and Granite Falls, Minnesota, she illustrates how playful, collaborative experiences can help neighbors move from participating in someone else’s project to making something that feels like ours.

The conversation explores how belonging, trust, and relationship-building are essential foundations for civic engagement and democracy.

Read the full interview in Casper ter Kuile’s blog, Joyful Belonging, to discover why communities may need more play, imagination, and intentional investment in connection: link.publictransformation.org/joyful

10/28/2026

Southwest Minnesota Artists: Make Space for Your Creativity!

Applications are open for the 2027 River Valley Ripple (RVR) Artist Residency, a program from DoPT and The YES! House designed to support early-career artists across Southwest Minnesota.

Artists of all disciplines are encouraged to apply, whether you're a visual artist, musician, writer, performer, craftsperson, or working in another creative practice.

Curious about the opportunity? Attend our virtual information session on November 6, from 12 – 1 PM CST, to learn more about the residency and application process. Applications are due November 20, 2026.

Visit The YES! House website to learn more, register for the info session, and apply! –> theyeshouse.org/river-valley-ripple

10/26/2026

Where is the Capital for Creative Places? Join us on Wednesday, November 4!

How do you fund a creative space that brings your rural community together? Join us for a free virtual Activate Rural Workshop exploring the ins and outs of fundraising, capital campaigns, and building community trust.

Moderated by our Creative Executive Officer Ash Hanson, this conversation features two rural projects working to bring creative gathering spaces to life:

✨ Brandi Turner, Co-Director and Programs Manager of the Mississippi Center for Cultural Production (“Sipp Culture”) in Utica, Mississippi
✨ Celeste Koppe, Project Manager of The Bridge Center in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota

Get insights, learn from others doing the work, and explore the opportunities and challenges of raising capital for creative places in rural communities.

Wednesday, November 4 | 12 – 1:30 PM CST
Virtual via Zoom
Free, but registration is required!
Save your spot today: link.publictransformation.org/ar1126

This workshop is a part of the Activate Rural Public Workshop Series, workshops and sessions designed to offer support, peer learning, and resources to creative entrepreneurs, artists, organizations and small business owners with creative third places in rural communities. This program is supported, in part, by the State of Minnesota through a grant from The Office of Small Business Development, Department of Employment and Economic Development.

A virtual Activate Rural Workshop featuring rural artists and activators navigating the world of fundraising and capital campaigns to build their creative gathering places.