Minneapolis has officially started its search for a new operator of the Cowles Center.

The Minneapolis Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs is accepting proposals from experienced nonprofits that want to lease, manage, operate, and program the Cowles Center. Applicants must have a track record of multi-disciplinary performing arts production and curation, professional venue management, and community and coalition building, as well as a demonstrated commitment to arts education, accessibility and inclusion.

Since the Cowles Center is centrally located in the theater district, it’s especially crucial that the venue is part of a larger plan for activating and improving the perception of safety downtown, Arts and Cultural Affairs Director Ben Johnson said during an interview with Downtown Voices.

A request for proposals (RFP) went live on the City’s website at the end of September, seven months after the performing arts venue went dark. Applications are due by Jan. 30, 2025.

Artspace owns and operates the Hennepin Center for the Arts building (left) at 528 Hennepin Ave. next to the Cowles Center.

The Cowles Center’s previous operator, Artspace, announced at the beginning of 2024 that it was closing the facility due to financial challenges exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since the City holds a ground lease for 516 Hennepin Ave., which lasts until 2059, it took control of the property at the beginning of April when Artspace terminated its land use lease.

The Cowles Center opened as a hub for dance in 2011, following an extensive renovation, which was made possible by State bond grants that established the City’s ownership interest in the property. Performances take place in the 500-seat Goodale Theater, originally known as the Shubert Theatre, which was moved from Block E to its current location in 1999 to prevent its demolition.

Artspace still owns and operates Hennepin Center for the Arts at 528 Hennepin Ave. next to the Cowles Center. The City hired Artspace’s property management firm to continue monitoring and doing some of the property management for the Cowles Center until a new operator takes over.

“We've been urgently stewarding the space and making sure it will be maintained appropriately while it's closed,” Johnson said. “The good news is that it's in beautiful condition and turn-key and ready to be reopened once we go through the process.”

The Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs took several months to engage with the local dance community and figure out the best path forward for the RFP process. Community engagement will continue throughout the process, which will likely last more than a year, as well.

As the Cowles Center reopens, the City wants to ensure it’s seen as an important venue and platform for Minneapolis-based artists, a world-class center for performing arts in all of their forms, and a focal point of arts education and community gathering, according to Johnson.