The Brainerd community has a rich arts community and a key component of that is the The Crossing Arts Alliance. The Crossing Arts Alliance is a 400 member arts organization in Brainerd, MN. It is comprised of artists, arts enthusiasts, and interested community members, who hope to inspire and enrich our community for those who create, and those who appreciate the arts. This week Holly from the Visit Brainerd team visited with Lisa from The Crossing Arts Alliance for the #LoveBrainerd Like A  Local segment.

Stop into the TCAA, located in downtown Brainerd, and catch the end of the Mitchell Cory Nelson Retrospective exhibit. It closes on February 1 so make sure to stop in before it’s too late. Then come back for the Love exhibit being held February 7-29.

If you’re interested in getting hands-on with art this weekend, there is a Needle Felted Valentine Gnome class on Saturday, February 1, from 1:00–4:00 p.m. Guest Artist Lisa Jordan will teach students the art of needle-felting. This class is perfect for beginners, but also fun for those with prior felting experience. Using a specially-barbed needle and fluffy wool, we will coax fibers into the shape of a tomte gnome. All materials are included, and students get to keep their mats and needles after class. A wide variety of wool colors and curly locks will be provided so that students can make a custom designed gnome to take home. Additional materials are available for purchase. Pre-registration is required.

The Crossing Arts Alliance (TCAA) is a 501C (3) non-profit arts organization founded in 2000 with assistance from the Blandin Community Investment Partnership. This mission of the organization is to act as a gateway to the arts through access, education, and experiences. TCAA provides workshops and exhibits from artists around the globe with more than 17 events a year; objects of beauty created by our local artists and made available to our community through our Gift Shop and Gallery with more than 500 pieces available for purchase; wonder and excitement for our children as they are inspired to create their own artistic visions with more than 112 classes and over 450 kids attending annually.