Minneapolis recommends two nonprofits to run shuttered Cowles Center

Two nonprofit arts organizations — Arts’ Nest and Zenon Dance School — have been selected by the city of Minneapolis to operate the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts, which has been closed since spring 2024 because of financial woes.

If approved by the City Council, the two organizations will team up to activate the venue through performances and educational and community programming.

“I’m excited and a little terrified,” said Jenna Papke, executive director of Arts’ Nest, which has operated a much smaller venue — Phoenix Theater — at 26th Street & Hennepin Avenue since 2014.

Arts’ Nest currently only has two full-time administrative staff besides its artistic and technical part-time staff and freelance workers. Papke said when she read the city’s proposal request for a new operator, she felt the requirements aligned with the work that Arts’ Nest already does.

“I’m reading through what the city wanted and I’m like, well, we’re not a perfect candidate, but let’s just go do the tour.” So she scouted the space and spoke with Ben Johnson, director of the city’s department of arts and cultural affairs, who suggested partnering with other groups.

Papke immediately thought of Zenon, which has been based at Hennepin Center for the Arts that is next door.

Soon Papke and Danielle Robinson-Prater, director of Zenon, began hatching a plan.

Arts’ Nest also is working with Robin Gillette, of Arts Progress, a consulting firm, to come up with ways to raise funds, find sponsorships and scale up the organization.

The proposal will be submitted Tuesday to the City Council’s Business, Housing & Zoning Committee for approval. A vote could come in a couple of weeks. Papke hopes the Cowles Center will be ready to open in February 2026, operating at a $1.5 million budget initially and eventually growing to a $2 million budget.

One of Papke’s goals for the space is to “un-silo” the arts. While dance will be the venue’s primary focus, she also wants other art forms to be represented at the space.

“There’s only so many dance companies in this town,” she said. “So, I’m just going to fill the rest of the weeks with anything that makes sense and that won’t damage the beautiful floors.” Comedy specials, concerts, live podcasts, TED talks, all will be under consideration.

She also plans to apply for a liquor license, something the last operator of the Cowles Center did not have. (The club next door ran the bar before shows and at intermission, she said.)

Meanwhile, Zenon will create a new arm for programming. Currently, Zenon hosts adult and youth classes, and runs a pre-professional program. With the new partnership, the school will work to support the Cowles with Arts’ Nest as the operator.

Robinson-Prater seeks to facilitate outreach and engagement with the community through residencies and workshops to artists coming through the Cowles. “If a group wanted to offer a student matinee, we would coordinate that with them,” she said.

Zenon will also work to re-establish dance education initiatives that had been part of the Cowles before it closed, such as a roster of dance educators, and regular classes both at the Cowles and in schools and communities. Robinson-Prater said she also hopes to restart the Cowles’ innovative virtual learning program, which provided access to dance education to schools and communities around the state.

Johnson, who both Papke and Robinson-Prater credit for inspiring the idea to think outside the box through collaboration, could not be reached for comment. “This recommendation represents an exciting step forward in our efforts to center equity, creativity and community in the heart of downtown,” he said in a statement.