Bloomington Center for the Arts

Community Survey

The City of Bloomington has commissioned Webb Mgmt. to provide a facility-wide assessment of Bloomington Center for the Arts (BCA) in 2025. Through this project, all aspects of BCA’s operations and business model will be analyzed, strengths, challenges and opportunities will be assessed, and actions to ensure future marketplace viability will be recommended via a strategic plan. As part of the process, we need your input to help us better understand current public usage and interest in the BCA, as well as considerations for future usage.

Please visit Let’s Talk Bloomington by July 14 to complete a short survey on your experiences with the Center for the Arts and your hopes for the future of the facility.

Bloomington Center for the Arts (BCA) occupies the north end of the Bloomington Civic Plaza campus, which also includes the City’s police headquarters, service counters, and office stations for City staff. Constructed and opened in 2003, the BCA serves a diverse group of constituents and events.

It is home to seven independently-operated, non-profit resident arts organization tenants
It houses several civic engagement programs
It hosts large-scale city and community annual festivals
It serves as an extension of Civic Plaza for City departmental use
It operates community arts education programs
It offers a diverse array of spaces rentable for City and private functions
It has two art galleries featuring local visual artists and exhibitions
It hosts over 150 live events and performances annually

Open the tabs below for more information about BCA amenities and offerings.

Hours

Monday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Thursday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday: 12 - 6 p.m.

2024 BCA closures and schedule changes:

Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day*
Monday, January 15 - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Monday, February 19 - Presidents' Day
Monday, May 27 - Memorial Day
Wednesday, June 19 - Juneteenth
Thursday, July 4 - Independence Day*
Monday, Sept. 2 - Labor Day
Friday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day
Thursday, Nov. 28 - Thanksgiving
Friday. Nov. 29 - Day After Thanksgiving
Wednesday, Dec. 25 - Christmas*

* Closing at 4:30 p.m. the day before

Rental Information

RENT SPACE AT BCA

The Center for the Arts includes two theaters, two galleries, dance studio and rehearsal spaces, art classrooms and offices for the facility's seven resident arts organizations. Indoor and outdoor spaces are available for rentals. Click the blue button above to visit the online rental page.

Visit the Rentals and Reservations page for additional details.

NOTE: As of summer 2024, BCA is no longer accepting rental party reservations. Outdoor park shelters are available to rent for parties from April 15 through October 15 annually. Bloomington Ice Garden and the new Community Health and Wellness Center will be available for party rental upon completion of their current renovation and construction projects.

Fees and Forms

2024 Performance, Arts and Council Space Rental Fees
Performance, Arts and Council Space Rental Form
2024 Conference Room Rental Fees
Conference Room Rental Form
Outdoor Space Rental Form
- Spaces include East Lawn, Amphitheater and BCA Patio.

Learn more about the multi-use Black Box Theater space at Bloomington Center for the Arts.

Did You Know? The Black Box Theater

Galleries

Artistry presents exhibitions in the Inez Greenburg Gallery and the Atrium Gallery at the north end of Bloomington Civic Plaza. Explore current and future programming on the Artistry website.

The Inez Greenberg Gallery typically features group shows, and site-specific art installations. The Atrium Gallery hosts smaller exhibits, often by a solo artist.

Accessibility: Bloomington Center for the Arts is accessible for individuals with disabilities.

Pets: No animals are allowed (excepting service animals for people with disabilities).

Smoking: Bloomington Center for the Arts is a nonsmoking facility. Smoking on the grounds is permitted only in designated areas.

Art Center mural: During the summer of 2007, mural artist Erik Pearson painted a 2,500-square-foot mural that wraps around the northeast corner of the Center for the Arts building's exterior.

VIDEOS AND MEDIA

Learn more about the galleries at Bloomington Center for the Arts in the video below. And then view the various individual exhibit features in the Gallery Exhibits Playlist on the City of Bloomington YouTube Channel.

Discover Bloomington: Civic Plaza Art

Classes and Activities

Artistry Classes

Clay Studio: artistrymn.org/claystudio
Dance Studio: artistrymn.org/dancestudio
Drawing Studio: artistrymn.org/drawingstudio
Glass Studio: artistrymn.org/glassstudio

Adult Open Painting Studio

The objective of this studio class is to have fun, relax, meet new friends, and create together in an unstructured class environment. Open to adults of any level of ability at the Bloomington Center for the Arts.

When: Tuesday, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Where: Drawing Studio, Bloomington Center for the Arts
Who: Adults, ages 18+
- Session requires a minimum of 6 participants. Maximum participants per session is 16.
Cost: $30/session for 6-week classes; $40/session for 8-week classes; $45/session for 9-week classes (see session schedule below)
Register: Register online at blm.mn/webtrac.
- Registration opens 8 weeks before the beginning of each session and remains open until 1 day before or when session is full.

Session Schedule

Session 1: September 19 - October 24, 2023 (6 weeks)
Session 2: November 7 - December 26, 2023 (8 weeks)
Session 3: January 9 - February 27, 2024 (8 weeks)
Session 4: March 5 - April 30, 2024 (9 weeks)
Session 5: May 7 - June 25, 2024 (9 weeks)
Session 6: July 09 - August 13, 2024 (6 weeks)

Creative Minnesota Report - Bloomington

A new study on the size and social, cultural and economic impact of the nonprofit arts and culture sector in the City of Bloomington was released in February 2021, by Creative Minnesota, Minnesota Citizens for the Arts, and the City of Bloomington. The Creative Minnesota study is part of an ongoing series of research reports about the arts and culture sector in Minnesota that is available for free online at CreativeMN.org.

Creative Minnesota quantifies the impact and needs of Minnesota’s artists and creative workers, updates previous studies on the economic impact of our state’s 1903 nonprofit arts and culture organizations, and reviews other research about the arts sector in the state.

Creative MN Bloomington City Report 2021

Volunteer as an Usher

TICKETS & BOX OFFICES

BCA PERFORMANCE SERIES

2025 Spring Summer Performance Series Header Graphic

The Bloomington Center for the Arts Performance Series includes awe-inspiring theater, band, chorale and jazz concerts. Performances are held in the Schneider or Black Box theaters, located in the Bloomington Center for the Arts at the confluence of West 98th Street and West Old Shakopee Road. Free parking is available on site. View performance dates, times and other details below.

You can also download, print and share the 2025 Spring/Summer Performance Series Brochure.

Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs

Artistry

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Sweet Charity
- ~~January 23 - February 26, 2025~~
- ~~Schneider Theater~~
- ~~Tickets~~
Waitress
- ~~April 17 - May 11, 2025~~
- ~~Schneider Theater~~
- ~~Tickets~~
Singin' In The Rain
- July 31 - August 24, 2025
- Schneider Theater
- Tickets
Once On This Island
- October 2 - 26, 2025
- Schneider Theater
- Tickets

For more information about Artistry, visit ArtistryMN.org or call 952-563-8575.

Discover Bloomington: Artistry Theater

Bloomington Chorale

Bloomington Symphony Orchestra

Continental Ballet Company

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Sleeping Beauty
- ~~Saturday, March 15, 2025, 7:30 p.m.~~
- ~~Sunday, March 16, 2025, 3 p.m.~~
- ~~Saturday, March 22, 2025, 7:30 p.m.~~
- ~~Sunday, March 23, 2025, 3 p.m.~~
- ~~Schneider Theater~~
- ~~Tickets~~

For more information about Continental Ballet Company, visit ContinentalBallet.com or call 952-563-8562.

Discover Bloomington: Continental Ballet Company

Medalist Concert Band

NOTEable Singers

What is a resident arts organization?

Resident Arts Organizations are independent, nonprofit groups that hold long-term lease agreements at Bloomington Center for the Arts. These organizations have partnered with the City of Bloomington over several years to provide a wealth of artistic experiences to the greater south-metro community. Bloomington Center for the Arts is owned and operated by the City, with its own staffing and governance independent of Resident organizations.

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