Join us in Writing the Next Chapter for Open Book

2025 marks 25 years at Open Book. On this landmark anniversary,

we invite our community to join us in securing the next 25 years.

Celebrating Open Book’s 25 Years
Advancing Arts & Culture in Minneapolis

Open Book was founded out of a spirit of innovation, igniting the growth and impact within the hundreds of organizations that share our space.

Spurring Economic Development & Cultural Revitalization Downtown

Today, Open Book serves as a community gathering place dedicated to diverse and dynamic creativity, conversation, and collaboration rooted in the literary and book arts.

As the nation’s leading literary and book arts center, tens of thousands of people come to Open Book every year for our… 

  • Independent Bookstore and Book Arts Shop

  • Coffee shop and Art Gallery

  • Classrooms and Meeting Spaces

  • Artist and Writer Studios

  • Events in our Performance Hall

Your investment will help keep Open Book affordable and welcoming for the next 25 years.

Make your Contribution to our Capital Campaign.

Investing in the Next 25 Years…

Twenty-five years ago, Open Book transformed three 19th century commercial buildings into the historically vibrant cultural center it is today.

Open Book is committed to providing affordable space to our many community partners so they can direct resources to their mission-critical work.

To sustain this model over the 25 years, Open Book seeks to raise $1,700,000 to address significant capital improvements to our 100-year-old building including…

  • New Roof

  • Elevator Modernization

  • Major Brickwork and Tuck-Pointing

  • Updated and Environmentally Friendly Energy Systems 

Contributions to Open Book support not only our three Founding Partner Organizations, but also the nearly 250 organizations and community groups that come together every year in our space.

Some of the groups and organizations that use Open Book spaces…

Open Book’s other Nonprofit Tenants:

  • Weaver’s Guild of Minnesota

  • New Arab American Theater Works

COMMUNITY GROUPS, ORGANIZATIONS,
SCHOOLS and MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS

  • Dakhóta Iápi Okhódakičhiye

  • Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop

  • Nosholo

  • Sisters Need a Place

  • The Aya Collective

  • Black Men Teach

  • Ali Sultan’s Comedy Show

  • Theater LatteDa

  • The Great Northern

  • Center for Energy & Environment (CEE)

  • Land Stewardship Project

  • Eureka Recycling

  • UMN MFA Program in Creative Writing

  • Macalester

  • MN Humanities Center

  • Binger Center for New Americans

  • Bloomington Teachers’ Workshop

  • Center for Faith and Justice

  • Believe in What’s Possible

  • City of Minneapolis

  • Hennepin County: Library, Attorney’s Office, Public Health

  • Hennepin Healthcare

  • Department of Public Transformation

  • Coalition for the Homeless

  • Flourish Placemaking Collective

  • Interdisciplinary Center for the Study of Global Change

  • Jewish Arts Collective

  • Learning Journeys

  • Harisen Daiko (drumming)

  • Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project

  • Queer Space Collective

  • Equality Federation

  • GenderJustice

  • Legal Rights Society

  • The Somali Museum of Minnesota

  • Until We Are All Free

  • Black Collective Foundation of MN

  • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

  • Ten Thousand Things Theater

  • Catholic Charities

  • Southside Back in the Day

  • Springboard for the Arts

  • CommonBond Communities

  • Agate Housing

  • People Serving People

  • Children’s Minnesota

  • Voices for Racial Justice

  • Veterans Telling Stories

  • Adoptees United

  • Animal Humane Society

  • McKnight Foundation

  • Midwest Environmental Justice Network

  • MN Book Publishers Roundtable

  • MN Department of Education

  • Perpich Center for Arts Education

  • Pillsbury United Communities

  • Regenerative Agriculture Foundation

  • Rolling Tide Collective

  • Second Harvest Heartland

  • T.O.N.E. U.P.

  • The Dot Twin Cities

  • The Nature Conservancy

  • The Tretter Collection

  • The Carter Center

  • St Thomas School of Law

  • Augsburg University

  • and many more…

Thank You to Our Generous Supporters!

We are pleased to share that Open Book’s campaign has received over $1,100,000* in commitments thus far!

*Pledges & Donations as of 5/12/2025

Our deep gratitude to McKnight Foundation for their generous support of the Open Book Capital Campaign.

The McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation, advances a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and planet thrive. Established in 1953, the McKnight Foundation is deeply committed to advancing climate solutions in the Midwest; building an equitable and inclusive Minnesota; and supporting the arts and culture in Minnesota, neuroscience, and global food systems.

Elmer & Eleanor Anderson Foundation

Charles Baxter

Carol & Kim Bemis

Judy Borger

Jan Breyer

Ronnie & Roger Brooks

Jay & Page Cowles

Barbara Crosby & John Bryson

Mark Evenson

Shannon Fitzgerald

Nancy Gaschott & Mark Ritchie

Jocey Hale & Glenn Miller

Roger Hale & Nor Hall

Colin Hamilton & Helena Mackenzie

Stefan & Lonnie Helgeson

Libby & Ed Hlavka

Chris & M.E. Kirwan

Peggy Korsmo-Kennon

Jim & Susan Lenfestey

Sheila Glancy Letscher

James B. Linsmayer Foundation

Arleta Little

Daniel Mahai & Chris LaVictoire Mahai

McKnight Foundation

Katherine Murphy

Eric Roberts & Laura Davis

Pamela Safar

The Tankenoff Families Foundation

Vanessa Tennyson

Elysa Voshell

Melinda Ward

Margaret V. B. Wurtele

IN-KIND DONATIONS:

  • Chowgirls Catering

  • Dan Collison

  • FRGMNT Coffee

  • Honey & Rye Bakery

  • PRYES Brewery