A Message from Our Executive Director
Dear Friend of The Cedar,
Whether you are a performer, a patron, a volunteer, a donor, or a neighbor (or a combination of these!), thank you for being part of The Cedar Cultural Center community. You are important to this place. Our staff and board have been doing some training recently around the concept of belonging: how do we ensure that everyone who intersects with The Cedar feels welcome, safe, and is treated with dignity and respect?
So much of The Cedar’s magic emanates from our commitment to being a human-first organization, dedicated to hosting shows in the special way no one else can. But it’s not always easy to stay centered there with big industry and economic pressures. The local music ecosystem continues to explode with options, creating fierce competition for performers and concertgoers. Across presenting organizations, audiences still have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our promise to pay musicians as generously as possible, coupled with a commitment to access - our average ticket price remains below $25.00 - makes the math of financial sustainability extra tricky.
Despite these environmental headwinds, The Cedar continues to lead with its values and present top shelf music from artists around the world. Artistic excellence and integrity, diversity of programming, support for emerging artists, and community outreach shaped everything we did the past twelve months:
Our free, three-day Global Roots Festival came back in full force, featuring musicians from five different continents.
We welcomed the return of Drones Not Drones, our co-presented annual 28-hour fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders.
We created free community programming on our Plaza in partnership with Summer Cypher, Palmer’s Bar, and Open Streets.
We co-presented incredible music with The Great Northern, Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota State Fair, Public Functionary, Hennepin Theatre Trust, and the Walker Art Center.
We amplified local talent and celebrated new album releases through shows like Champagne Confetti, Dial Tone, and danced (“shake body”) with our quarterly Minneapolis Afrobeats Dance Party.
Our 12th Annual Cedar Commissions showcased six fabulous emerging artists.
Sold-out shows like Ondara, Dar Williams, Arooj Aftab’s Love In Exile, Sona Jobarteh, Iris DeMent, and Andy Shauf represented the wide scope of musical genres you will find on our stage. These internationally-recognized musicians choose to play our historic room because they celebrate the beauty of our global-majority neighborhood and they seek audiences who come to listen.
The Cedar Cultural Center is a nonprofit that belongs to Minnesotans. Its future is dependent upon stakeholders like you to get involved in 2024 - our 35th anniversary! If you haven't already done so, please consider making a year-end donation, signing up to volunteer, or buying tickets for one of the amazing shows on our calendar. We need you, we appreciate you, and we hope to see you (more!) at 416 Cedar in the New Year! #TheWorldsMusic.Here.
With gratitude,
Michelle Woster
