The Minneapolis College of Art and Design is doing great work in developing models for thriving communities of practice and care.
A community of practice and care is about more than just collaboration—it’s about building connections, sharing knowledge, and supporting one another to grow and succeed. It’s a model that thrives on shared values, collective learning, and genuine care, making it a powerful tool for addressing challenges in creative and climate-focused entrepreneurship.
For artists and creative entrepreneurs, the path can often feel isolating. Limited funding, the need to juggle multiple roles, and a lack of opportunities to connect with peers can make progress difficult. A community of practice and care is a model that offers a space where artists can come together, exchange ideas, and build something bigger than themselves. Projects become spaces for collaboration, where emerging talents can find mentorship, experiment with new ideas, and access the resources they need to take their work to the next level. Importantly, it’s also about creating an environment where people feel valued and supported—not just for what they create, but for who they are.
In climate entrepreneurship, this kind of approach is equally important. The challenges of addressing environmental issues are complex and require innovative, interdisciplinary solutions. A community of practice and care fosters the collaboration and resilience needed to tackle these problems head-on. By bringing together diverse perspectives—whether from science, technology, policy, or the arts—it creates fertile ground for groundbreaking ideas and sustainable action.
At its core, this model isn’t just about solving problems. It’s about creating opportunities, building capacity, and ensuring that emerging artists, entrepreneurs, and communities have the tools and support to thrive. It’s a reminder that real change happens when people come together—not just to work, but to care for and lift each other up.
This year, we’re focusing on the idea of a community of practice and care as a key part of revitalizing and rebuilding our community programs. By approaching this work as a network, we want to create spaces where collaboration, learning, and genuine support are at the heart of everything we do. It’s about more than just restarting programs—it’s about reshaping them in ways that truly empower people, foster creativity, and provide the tools and connections needed to make a lasting difference.
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