Regional Arts

An older woman with short white hair stands in a cozy, well-used workshop or kitchen space, speaking with her hands slightly raised as if explaining something. She wears a light gray quilted jacket over a blue top. Behind her, shelves are filled with containers, tools and supplies, giving the space a creative, hands-on feel. Soft light comes from a window on the right.

Essay | Handmade Crafts Shape Artists and Build Community

Discover how Southeastern Minnesota artisans use ceramics, woodworking, and fiber art to shape their lives and communities in the “Made by Hand” exhibition.

A bearded man wearing a dark baseball cap and a brown button-up shirt stands at a worktable in an art studio. He carefully rolls a large sheet of white paper over a round cross section of a large tree trunk. The workspace is filled with colorful artwork, including a bright poster of a baseball player on the wall behind him. The lighting is warm, and the table shows paint marks and signs of frequent creative use.

Essay | How Craft Builds Connections from the Past Into the Future

Southeastern Minnesota artisans share how craft connects them to family traditions, personal history and creative purpose ahead of Winona’s Made by Hand exhibition.

Essay | The Root River Anthology: Five Years Later

Regional writer and performing artist Catherine Glynn reflects on the process of producing a radio play during Covid-19 in this 2025 essay.

sunshine streams through the clouds with an American flag on the left

Youth and Creativity: Watching Talent Grow

Root River Current’s 2025 review of youth arts stories.

A musician wearing glasses and a plaid shirt plays an acoustic guitar on stage inside a warm, wood-paneled venue. He faces an audience of older adults seated at small tables, listening closely under soft string lights.

Celebrating Creativity!

A photo gallery of Root River Current’s recent celebration of regional arts and artists featured in stories published in 2025.

Celebrating Regional Arts & Artists – Again!

Check out Root River Current’s 2025 review of Regional Arts & Artists included in this year’s reporting on arts and culture in Southeast Minnesota.

woman and man on stage during theater production

Profile | John B. Nicol: Lanesboro’s “Jack of Arts”

Meet Lanesboro artist John B. Nicol whose career blends theater, photography and history into his special role in rural Minnesota. Steve Harris has this profile.

An older woman with gray hair and glasses sits under a large tree on a sunny day, playing a nyckel harpa—a wooden instrument resembling a violin with keys and strings. She wears a blue T-shirt with a colorful abstract print and a Star of David necklace. The scene feels peaceful, with soft sunlight on green grass.

Houston Arts Resource Council Celebrates 27 Years of Creativity

Now in its 27th year, the Houston Arts Resource Council (HARC) remains the heart of Houston, Minnesota’s creative community. Rose Korabek reports on their work supporting local artists by sponsoring the Parade of Owls, Meadowfest and the Houston Arts Festival.

Profile | Printmaking with Heart: Kelly Ristau’s Artistic Journey

Delia Bell profiles Minnesota artist Kelly Ristau, whose bold printmaking explores intimacy, identity and healing through art rooted in rural life and community.

kids gathered at table with art supplies

Celebrating 2025 Regional Arts & Artists

Root River Current celebrated its featured 2025 “Regional Arts & Artists” in November.

three actors on state with deep blue curtains in background

In Rural Minnesota, this Resident Ensemble Model Thrives

Robert Hubbard takes us behind the scenes at Lanesboro’s Commonweal Theatre to reveal the secrets of its success as a professional theatre for nearly 40 years!