May 1 , 2024, St. Paul – This year’s Main Street Community Mobilization Award was granted to Wabash artist Sue Mundy at the Minnesota Main Streets State Conference in Owatonna.
Celebrating each of the Four Points (Design, Economic Vitality, Organization, Promotion) of the Main Street Approach, Minnesota Main Streets awards a person who has been a catalyst for major change in their district. For her positive effect in Organization, Sue Munday was honored not only for her efforts on Wabasha Main Street’s “Public Places are Sacred Spaces” Mural, but also for her work on many projects and installations in Wabasha’s downtown. With her exceptional community leadership, managing 40+ individual volunteers and more than 750 hours of community volunteerism including the planning, design, painting, and presenting of each mural, Mundy has collaborated with Wabasha’s Main Street Program to steward funding from the Artists on Main Street program, Blandin Foundation, Southeast Minnesota Arts Council, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Wabasha-Kellogg Area Community Foundation, and more than 15 corporate and individual donors. Additionally, there were collaborations on two mural compositions with Wabasha poet Pam Larson, and Minnesota artists Jalayahraven Whitecloud and Inkpa Mani.
Wabasha Mayor Emily Duran shared, “Sue is a Main Street superstar, at one time owning a downtown gallery and studio herself in a building in the Nationally Registered Historic Wabasha Commercial District. Now as an accomplished artist, project collaborator, educator, activist, and volunteer manager, she has led multiple simultaneous major placemaking initiatives which significantly revitalize and transform both public and private spaces within our historic downtown.”
The Main Street approach to Organization involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, community involvement, and resources for the district. The Community Mobilization Award recognizes an event or initiative in which Main Street worked in tandem with public and private district stakeholders to make their downtowns better places.
CONTACT:
Mary Flicek, Wabasha Main Street Director, Wabasha Main Street.
Shannon Laing, Minnesota Main Streets Manager
Rethos
shannon@rethos.org
651.377.8069
About Rethos
Rethos, formerly the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose board, staff, and partners work nationwide together to protect and promote communities shared environment and culture. The Minnesota Main Streets program at Rethos helps cities maximize both their people and built assets for economic vitality. Minnesota Main Streets is a Main Street America™ Coordinating Program and provides local Main Street communities with the training, tools, information, and networking they need to reinvigorate their downtown districts. More at https://www.rethos.org.