Move the Crowd

Move the Crowd 2020 is canceled. 

Dear JXTA community,

In light of the events of the past few days, weeks, and months, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our annual Move the Crowd fundraiser. When the global pandemic landed in Minnesota in March, we pivoted to planning our first-ever virtual event on July 31, confident in our ability to nimbly adapt to any circumstances. Now, in the wake of George Floyd's death (and since then the violent theft of at least half a dozen Black lives around the country), we feel it is necessary to step back for a moment.

We are navigating a wholly familiar, but no less debilitating, heartbreak, both collectively and individually. We are buoyed by the outpouring of love from our communities, but we cannot deny how heavy this period has been. We are inspired by the influx of support and attention to worthy causes and Black lives but are angered that it took more death and this long for such activation. We don't want to lose momentum but also understand that there is a long road to justice ahead of us; we cannot afford to burn out. 

To that end, though Move the Crowd is canceled, we will continue to fundraise and work towards that just and equitable future that we, and the young people in our communities, are already envisioning. We're two years into a four-year, $14 million capital campaign to rebuild and expand our campus to ensure access to arts education and professional experience for young people for many years to come. We need to raise $2 million from individuals this summer. Right now, we are asking our community to be bolder and to commit deeply. If you haven't supported JXTA yet, do it now. If you've supported JXTA already, consider a sustaining gift or a multiyear commitment. There is much work for us all. To learn more, click on the Capital Campaign page on our website.

In place of an online event or auction, we will be putting a few one-of-a-kind artworks and limited-edition merchandise on our online shop. All items are designed and produced in-house by JXTA youth apprentices. Stay tuned for more details.

These are just a few ways to invest in the creative futures of young people on the Northside. Black, POCI, and other youth are already building the abundant and just future they envision. Help us make that vision a reality. 

-       Roger Cummings, Co-Founder and Chief Cultural Producer