The Minneapolis Institute of Art’s 42nd annual Art in Bloom festival returns April 24-27, where more than 100 floral artists interpret different pieces in Mia’s collection with flower arrangements to welcome spring to Minnesota.
“It’s always been a popular event. It’s kind of the ‘hey, springs finally here.’ I moved to Minneapolis 23 years ago, and I used to take my kids when they were little. I was like, ‘It’s gonna stop snowing soon. You’re doing Art in Bloom at the museum.’ And I think a lot of people see it that way. It’s a nice thing for people. A lot of people go as families,” says Art in Bloom chairperson Sharon Secor.
In the past, Art in Bloom has drawn over 60,000 people in a weekend. The event is the Friends of the Institute’s largest fundraiser, with Party in Bloom on April 25, an evening of food, music, and, of course, beautiful floral art and its counterpart pieces. Tickets are $300 and still available, and this year’s funds will go toward restoration projects.
This year’s signature piece is Las Vendedoras de Flores by Alfredo Ramos Martínez, a tempera and pastel painting on heavy cardboard that depicts flower vendors among the floating gardens of Mexico City. The piece and theme was chosen because of Mia’s semi-recent curation addition of Valéria Piccoli, who signed on as Mia’s first curator of Latin American art in 2022.
The event kicks off April 23 with an exclusive preview for Friends of The Institute, with a reception hosted by the Friends of the Institute at the Minneapolis Woman’s Club later that evening. Piccoli will give remarks on the keynote painting by Martínez, with live music from Brazilian guitarist Alvaro Henrique and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are still available for $100.
Hear from lifestyle floral designer Ashley Fox on April 24 about the creative process when designing for someone else, and how to maintain authenticity when running a creative business. Art in Bloom’s workshops return this year, with sold out sessions with Sarah Arnold of Bloomcraft Dahlias. Attendees will create a hand-tied bouquet on April 25 and learn the art of ikebana, a Japanese floral display technique, on April 26. The workshops and Sunday’s family day are Secor’s favorite parts of the event.
“I love to go there every year—kids and families who’ve never experienced an art project museum, participate, learn something, walk away with something. And then the thing I love, probably second to that is the workshops. I’m happy we’re starting them again, because again, it’s so exciting to have someone come into the room who’s never done this, and to be inspired with something in our collection and to try to, in their own way, be a pedestal floral artist. I think it’s fun to see people be creative and inspired, for the first time,” says Secor.
Art in Bloom is free to attend, but Secor recommends coming early or late in the day to get parking.