Celebrating 2025 Regional Arts & Artists

Friends and neighbors 'meet & greet' Root River Current featured artists and organizers

By John Gaddo, October 21, 2025

kids gathered at table with art supplies

Nothing says ‘creativity’ better than kids, a paint palette with brushes, and a desire to be expressive – and at their core, isn’t that what all artists have in common? In November, Root River Current celebrated regional arts and artists – like these participants in a summer youth program at DreamAcres, near Wykoff. (Photo by David Phillips)

SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA—2025 has been another incredible year for Root River Current‘s coverage of the arts and artists in the greater Root River Valley area – over two dozen artists or organizations have been featured already this year.

Root River Current friends and readers joined the board and staff as we recognized many of these community members during our 2025 Celebrating Arts & Artists reception on November 15.

Individual artists and arts organizations featured in stories published this year, plus poets, essayists and photographers who have contributed their original works, attended the event. Some shared examples of their works, others their background and contact information – but all were gathered to celebrate the creative community that exists in this corner of southeast Minnesota.

Of special note was a program that featured live music, original poetry and storytelling by singer/songwriter Tim Little, poet Julie Little, and storyteller Sandy Webb.

Root River Current’s Celebrating Arts & Artists reception was held in the Scale Room at Sylvan Brewing in Lanesboro — we thank them for hosting and thank everyone who made the event a great success!

Check out the Celebrating Arts & Artists photo gallery here.

Root River Current’s coverage of the arts is made possible, in part, by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.

Contributor

John Gaddo

John Gaddo is co-publisher of Root River Current. His professional career has included stints as a public media manager, journalist and audio producer.