Sooo Exciting!

Anyone who knows us knows that we geek out over old buildings, and that bringing 3749 Chcago back to its original form as the Nokomis Theater as much as possible has been part of our plan since day one, so imagine our delight when we stopped by the building to see how the renovations were going yesterday and discovered this!

It might be a little difficult to tell from the photograph, but what you are looking at is the original movie theater tile on the floor that will eventually be in our front entry way. It will be the first thing you see when you walk through the front doors, and the tiles spell out the word NOKOMIS!

We had a few more amazing finds -- it appears that a lot of the original subway tile is still in the building, and the ceiling is about a foot and half higher than we thought it was which is fantastic news!





Again, it may be a little bit tough to tell from the picture, but the ceiling has been removed in about 3/4 of the studio area. And check out those I-beams! This building isn't going anywhere!






Here's Montana taking some measurements of the windows -- we'll have some more exciting news about those to follow soon!

Twice the Gift Holiday Bonanza

Thursday, December 17th, from 4 to 8 p.m., is a great opportunity to check out Twice the Gift, and holiday boutique selling unique gifts to support local nonprofits, including CAFAC. Our friends at Twice the Gift have put together a great event, with hors d'oeuvres, wine tasting, and the opportunity to meet and mingle with representatives from the organizations involved. Oh, and of course, it'll be a perfect night to take in the Holidazzle, with temperature forecasted to be a balmy 25 degrees tomorrow! Twice the Gift's website also offers you the opportunity to purchase ShareCards from the convenience of your computer.

CAFAC in the news

Here's a great article from the Spokesman-Recorder about the resurgence of development activity at 38th and Chicago, including CAFAC. This intersection is unique in that it's the convergence of four neighborhoods - it really is the heart of a diverse community. The cooperation that's happening amongst the four neighborhood organizations, the business association, and the intersection's business owners is bringing about some needed positive action, and we're glad to be a part of it.

Breakin' out the Bubbly!

WHOO HOO!!

The closing finally took place! Artspace officially bought the building at 3749 Chicago today, and we signed the lease yesterday so it's officially our home!

Hooray! Whoop whoop! Yee-hah! (can you tell we're a little excited?)

Hi Everyone,

We just learned that Twice the Gift--a cooperative retail organization featuring products manufactured by and benefiting Twin Cities non-profit organizations--is going to be featured on WCCO tonight!

Please watch for Darcy Pohland's segment on channel 4 at 5 p.m. and keep an eye open for those CAFAC ornaments designed by our SPEAK project kids!

Give to the Max Day - November 17!

Minnesota nonprofits and the individuals who want to support them will find the donation process easier and more convenient with the launch of GiveMN.org this November. GiveMN, the first-of-its-kind online giving portal, will provide donors with information about organizations that match their philanthropic goals, and will allow users to easily keep track of their donations in a single online location.

There are a number of really cool things about this new initiative. First off, thanks to its generous supporters, GiveMN is covering the transaction fees for donations processed through the site, so 100% of your donation goes to your cause. Transaction fees are normally close to 5%, so this makes a huge difference.

Second is the upcoming Give to the Max Day, next Tuesday, November 17. All donations received that day are eligible for a matching contribution from GiveMN's partners. This gives you the potential to double your donations to CAFAC simply by logging on and making a contribution in any amount!

Please mark your calendars for November 17 and make a contribution to CAFAC. Your support is critical to us as we work to renovate our building, equip our shop, and open our doors, and GiveMN makes it easy to help us out!

Sparks about to fly!

Help us celebrate the official start of the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center at the hottest ticket in town. Break some ground before snacking on fiery fare courtesy of Azia Restaurant and sipping blazing bevies. Take in the searing sounds and atmosphere of DJ Sheelz & Hasselhoff and Glamorama-guru Christopher K. And delight in sizzling live performances. All from inside our new digs in the former historic Nokomis Theater building at 38^th and Chicago. This will be your one and only opportunity to see what 3749 Chicago Avenue looks like before restoration begins, so please come, explore, and help us heat up this marvelous mass before the construction dust starts flying!

Help Us Catch Fire -Friday, October 30th

Groundbreaking Ceremony: 3:30 p.m.
FireTazMaticOrama--A Fiery Fundraiser: 5:00 p.m.
Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center
3749 Chicago Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55407

Please R.S.V.P. to Maren Christenson at 612 701 5030 or fireartscenter@gmail.com