Kulture Klub Collaborative, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Artists and homeless youth bridging survival and inspiration
Dorit Cypis, Founder and Director 1992-1999
Sally Ordway Award for Artistic Vision, 1996
Mike Hoyt, Director, 1999-2009
Jeff Hnilicka, Director 2009-current
Artist Dorit Cypis created Kulture Klub Collaborative in 1992 within Project OffStreets, a drop-in center providing crisis intervention services for homeless youth in Minneapolis. Kulture Klub, directed and staffed by professional artists and social service staff, develops partnerships and guides interactions between artists, homeless youth, social service, arts organizations and funding institutions.
Adolescence is like a stage between tadpole and frog. It’s where the private meets the public, family meets culture, where youth meets adulthood, where we rethink who we’ve been told we are, who we think we are and who we want to be. Add the complex tensions and pressures of being homeless and an adolescent is in trouble.
Artists and their practice offer valuable aesthetic tools which can reach at risk youth on deep personal levels, modeling positive expressions of vision and interaction with others, ultimately inspiring youth towards creativity in their lives, communities and in art. Artists survive to be inspired. Homeless youth are inspired to survive. Kulture Klub is dedicated to mentoring and supporting artists who want to share their knowledge with and learn from at risk youth. Kulture Klub is a bridge for at risk youth from isolation to expression, towards participation in one’s community with a voice.
There are 3 key elements to how Kulture Klub works – access for youth to witness professional artistic presentations throughout the Twin Cities arts organizations from cinemas, theaters and museums to public locations and private studios – consistent programming of artist residencies with youth interaction – consistent programming for youth to publicly present their artistic expressions.
Kulture Klub has always been based on partnerships between artists, youth, arts organizations, social service centers and funders.