Building a Midwest Cultural Capital

Abstract

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul faced an urban crisis similar to that of many American cities, as a growing ring of suburbs attracted residents and businesses out of the cities and increasingly deprived their urban centers of vitality and wealth. In addition to employing traditional urban renewal programs, a coalition of Twin City cultural, business, and political leaders turned to the arts, and in particular a brand new, high-profile theater institution, as a way to reinvigorate the local economy, craft a distinct identity as a “creative” urban center, and contribute to the development of the Upper Midwest region. This article focuses on these leaders’ underlying assumptions regarding the purpose and operation of the arts, particularly their expectations for professionalism and businesslike management, and the effect of this approach on the cultural landscape that resulted.