Come join us for a scary movie night this Halloween! We will be playing the original Frankenstein (1931). Movie not rated; parent discretion is advised. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.  Friday, October 30th, 6:00-8:00 pm. Admission $2. Sponsored by...
Back by popular demand! Open Mic is back at the Cultural Center. On the second Thursday of most months the main gallery will transform into a venue for local musicians and spoken-word artist to present their latest or favorite performance work. Please call the Center...
Halloween Party Saturday October 24 Join us at the Cultural Center on Saturday, October 24 from 3-5 pm for crafts and games for young children toddler/Pre-KÂ through 3rd grade. Wear your costume if you’d like! Parents or older siblings are asked to accompany all...
Free Artist Residency Opportunity The New York Mills Arts Retreat is currently accepting applications for January – June 2016 artist residencies. The Arts Retreat program offers self-funded 2-6 week solo residencies for selected artists in ALL disciplines. A...
Renowned Dance & Theater group to have residency in New York Mills September 25- October 1, 2015 Stuart Pimsler Dance & Theater (SPDT) is an internationally-recognized performance company founded by Stuart Pimsler in 1979 and co-directed with Suzanne Costello...
Birding Hike September 19; Sue Leaf Presentation October 22 A Little Big Year bird sighting field trip will take place at Old Wadena County Park on September 19 at 8:00 a.m. The walk will be led by Dick Oehlenschlager of the Science Museum of Minnesota. Dick is the...
The 11th annual Whiskey Creek Film Festival screens the best award-winning current cinema all week from Friday, September 11 through Thursday, September 17 at Wadena’s Cozy Theatre. Tickets to the Festival are available at the Cozy box office, An Open Book and...
Classes for ages 3 – 1st grade on Wednesdays in upstairs dance studio Beginning October 7, 2015, Just for Kix classes will be held in the Cultural Center’s upstairs dance/yoga studio! Instructor Heidi Swenson will be leading Tiny Kix for dancers ages 3-5...
Elisa Korentayer offers follow up to meditation introduction In Developing a Meditation Practice, Elisa Korentayer will give participants the tools to practice meditation and the support of a community to get started. The term meditation refers to a broad...
Join Elisa Korentayer for an Introduction to Meditation Meditation is an ancient practice that exists in some form in almost every faith tradition. It has as many definitions as ways of practicing it, but everyone agrees that it benefits health and well-being....
Finnish folk music direct from Finland The Cultural Center is pleased to host Finnish folk group Kardemimmit on Tuesday, September 15th at 7:30 p.m., during the group’s USA tour. Kardemimmit is a Finnish folk music group formed by four young women: Maija Pokela,...
Even though current visiting artist Jhon Sanchez has been writing since he was a child, as an adult, the process of discovering the English language has helped him to develop his creativity. He came from Colombia in 1998, seeking asylum because the practice of his...
Abstract Art Show in Main Floor Gallery Visit our main floor gallery from September 2nd to October 17th for a sixteen piece exhibition by Minneapolis artist Richard Simonsen. Ranging from medium to large wall handing pieces, Simonsen’s work captures the...
2nd Annual Little Big Year kicks off Mon, Aug 31, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center The first Annual Little Big Year came to an end on July 31, 2015, and the finale event was held on August 13 at the Center. The grand prize was awarded to Ben Martin who...
Consider becoming a Picture Person for the 2015-2016 school year Like art? Like kids? Becoming an Art Adventure Picture Person is the perfect way for you to share your passion for art with youth, expanding their knowledge and critical thinking skills. Art Adventure is...
Did you know that your online shopping can benefit the Cultural Center? AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact...
Workshops underway for 7th annual Puppet Pageant Workshops for the Puppet Pageant kicked off last week and continue this week, all leading up to the final performance on Friday, August 21st, 2015 at 7:00pm (immediately following the New York Mills Civic & Commerce...
Come to a Garage Sale behind the Cultural Center, under the Sugar Creek Woodworking awnings, this Friday and Saturday, August 21 & 22, 2015. Hours will be 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:00 a.m. until noon on Saturday, with $1 a bag from 11:00 a.m. until...
Main floor gallery exhibit July 22nd – August 29th, 2015 The Cookie Garden is a children’s book written by Linda Henry and illustrated by Dawn Rossbach, and the gallery show featured at the Cultural Center July 22 – August 29 is a wonderful exhibit...
Join us Monday, August 24 from 1-3pm OR 6-8pm in creating woodland trolls! Many folktales from Scandinavia have trolls and other mythical beings. They often take on the traits of their woodland surroundings. A simple walk through the woods will provide you with almost...
Enjoy the gallery and come meet exhibiting artist Ellen Jean Diederich whose original watercolor and acrylic paintings are on display in the second floor gallery. The works come from Diederich’s book Samson’s Gift, available in our gift store for...
On Saturday, August 1st from 4:30-5:30 PM, Author/Illustrator Ellen Diederich, Writer Linda Henry, and Illustrator Dawn Rossbach will conduct a panel on the navigation of the publishing process. Currently, Original artwork from Ellen’s book ‘Samson’s...
The 23rd Annual Great American Think-Off was held on Saturday, June 13th, 2015 at the James Mann Center for the Performing Arts in New York Mills. Â The first round featured David Lapakko and David Eckel both arguing for the side of “Technology Frees Us”....
7th Annual Puppet Pageant Please join us for the 2015 Puppet Pageant, once again under the creative direction of Anne Sawyer-Aitch.  This year’s original play will weave folklore from the Finnish national epic poem, the Kalevala, and the cultural heritage of the...
About 85 years ago, probably when your great-grandparents were growing up, Minnesota was hit hard by something we now call the Great Depression. Many people could not find jobs to support their families. To create jobs, then-President Franklin Roosevelt created the...
August is right around the corner so enjoy the dog days of summer outdoors creating crafts! The final Art in YOUR Park events of 2015 will be taking place August 3-7 in New York Mills and Wadena. The activities will focus on turning trash to treasure as we take...
The Cultural Center is proud to host the works of Ellen Jean Diederich in our newly refreshed second floor gallery. The exhibition runs from July 8 until August 8, 2015. Ellen Jean Diederich’s Neo-Impressionistic acrylic and watercolor paintings fill the pages of...
Main floor gallery exhibit July 8-18, 2015 Stop in to the Cultural Center’s main floor gallery from July 8 through July 18 to enjoy the works of some Minnesota natives.  Items on display will include hand painted fish and frog decoys, and fish and wildlife paintings...
Join us this Friday, July 10th, 2015 for the 2nd annual Fish House Festival, which is being held in conjunction with the New York Mills Summer Celebration and Lund Mania fishing tournament. There are many fun activities planned for the festival and we are excited to...
Are your kids always reaching for your phone or camera to take a picture? Â Come explore and learn basic digital photography skills with local photographer Sarah Wilhelmi of Impressions by Sarah on Monday, July 20th from 4:30-6:15 p.m. This class is for kids entering...
Join us in the parks this summer for FREE art activities for kids Each month will feature a different theme of activities and art projects that kids can take home at the end of the day. Come and have fun being creative while enjoying the great outdoors. Stop in or...
Join artist, former art teacher, and Cultural Center volunteer Pam Robinson this summer in Making History with Crafts.  There will be four workshops offered on select Mondays during June, July and August, with each workshop to be offered twice, from 1-3pm and 6-8pm on...
Learn to play the guitar this summer Local music instructor Rebecca Imsande will teach guitar lessons on Wednesdays beginning June 24 and running for six weeks. Half-hour lessons for ages 9-adult are just $10 per lesson, and 15-minute lessons for ages 5-8 are just $5...
Donate to the Center on-line securely through Network for Good Want a really easy, secure way to donate online? Click on the logo below. Our legal name is “New York Mills Arts Retreat.”  This provides the option of one-time or recurring donation, as well...
Call now to register for Kids Yoga Stretch, bend, balance and grow with certified yoga instructor Mel Lepper! We are pleased to offer Kids Yoga Classes as part of our Summer Programming. Kids of any age are welcome with a parent or caregiver. There will be one 4-week...
America’s Greatest Thinker named for 2015 The Cultural Center in New York Mills is pleased to announce that David Lapakko of Richfield, MN, asserting that Technology Frees Us, was voted America’s Greatest Thinker on Saturday, June 13th by a crowd of 300 at the New...
America’s Greatest Thinker named for 2015 The Cultural Center in New York Mills is pleased to announce that David Lapakko of Richfield, MN, asserting that Technology Frees Us, was voted America’s Greatest Thinker on Saturday, June 13th by a crowd of 300 at the New...
Reception Saturday, May 30th, 2015, 7-9pm Please join us for an Artists’ Reception on Saturday, May 30th from 7-9pm at the Cultural Center for what is always one of the most fun receptions of the year with many regional artists attending to connect and view...
On May 14th, we hosted our annual Garden Party fundraiser at the Cultural Center. Â We were overwhelmed with the generosity of donors and bidders, and are thrilled to report that you, our community of supporters, invested more than $7,300 to bring high-quality arts...
In the Gallery: Four Points of Light
Window to the World Finland 2026: Workshops & Experiences
Clayton Ryan Duo Concert 4/30/26
Crepe Paper Flower Workshop 5/2/26
Morning with Megan Spring Series 2026
Art for Lunch Winter/Spring 2026
LoterÃa Night 5/9/26
Celebrating Cultures 2026
Berry Basket Weaving Workshop 5/23/26
NYMRCC Teen Art Club
Capital Campaign Kick-Off Open House 4/17/26
Zach Thomas Concert 4/18/26
Join the Debate: 2026 Great American Think-Off Question Announced
Jordan Messerole Concert 3/14/26
Aaron Simmons Concert 3/27/26
In the Gallery: Conversations with Nature
Hygge Market 2026
Morning with Megan: Victorian Puzzle Purse Workshop
2026 MSHSL High School Art Show
In the Gallery: TACTILE: Fiber Art + Interaction
2026 Great American Think-Off Weekend
2025 Great American Think-Off Honorable Mentions
Many Truths Prevail in 2025 Great American Think-Off
Meet the Finalists: 2025 Great American Think-Off
Join the Debate on Truth: 2025 Great American Think-Off Question Announced
2024 Great American Think-Off Results