Dan Woychick has been at the heart of connecting design, art, and parks for years. From launching LoveMPLSParks to creating the Posters for Parks Show, he has combined creativity with community impact. In celebration of the 10th Annual Posters for Parks Show on October 11, we sat down with Dan to hear about his journey, the role of design in parks, and advice for aspiring creatives.
Dan, how do you usually describe what you do to someone who’s just hearing about LoveMPLSParks for the first time?
It usually starts with the origin story. Around 2010, I was serving on the East Harriet Neighborhood Board as the parks liaison and realized we weren’t always getting the updates or information we needed. So I started the Lake District Council — a quarterly gathering of nearby neighborhoods where commissioners, park board staff, and community members could connect. It became a great way to share information, provide feedback, and stay in touch with park leadership.
Through those meetings, I learned more about the challenges facing the park system, including a significant maintenance backlog. I started thinking, there has to be a way to generate new revenue and show people how much care goes into these spaces.
That idea eventually became LoveMPLSParks — a project to raise awareness and funding for our parks through design. It began with creating messaging and merchandise that celebrated local parks, and later grew into opportunities for local artists through the Posters for Parks Show, which has become a creative way to support the park system while celebrating the community’s love for these shared spaces.
Did you always want to work in art or graphic design? What has that journey been like?
I was always a nerdy kid who liked to draw. Growing up in Mankato, I was a big sports fan. I’d go to Vikings training camp to get autographs and follow all the highs and lows of Minnesota football. I became fascinated with team logos and uniforms, so I started creating my own teams, designing their logos, and making up games to play with them. Basically, I was doing a lot of designer things before I was getting paid!
When it came time for college, design felt like a practical way to apply the things I already loved, so that’s the path I took. I still have some of those early designs, and it’s fun to look back on them now.
What first inspired you to combine parks and design into the Posters for Parks Show?
At first, all the designs in the LoveMPLSParks and Posters for Parks store were mine. But after attending my friend Charles Youel’s ArtCrank shows, I thought we could do something similar — a one-day show to celebrate parks. I loved how those events rallied people around a shared cause, and I realized there was potential to do the same for parks. I wanted to tap into that same creative energy by bringing local artists together to celebrate our park system and inspire support.
We held the first show in 2016, and this fall on October 11, we’re celebrating ten years. Ten years is a pretty good run. What started as a simple idea to showcase parks and lift up local artists has grown into a full community of park advocates.
In your experience, how can art and design help people feel more connected to the places and causes around them?
Most art is connected to the person who creates it, and their surroundings shape what they make. Throughout history, artists have captured the world around them, as a reflection of what inspired them. That connection to place still holds true today. Artists tend to gravitate toward environments that spark creativity, and proximity to others doing the same often amplifies that energy. For me, spending time in parks has given me a real appreciation for what a rich resource they are. The more you interact with a place in different ways, the more you notice its beauty and value, especially as a space open to everyone. And I think the same thing happens when you experience art. You’re connecting to someone else’s perspective, and in a way, connecting more deeply to the world around you.
When you’re not working, what are some of your favorite things to do?
There’s a through line in everything I do: starting with nothing and making something. Whether that’s cooking, gardening, or drawing, that’s usually the key trait. Exercise and traveling is also big for me and my wife. No matter the weather, I typically start the morning with a walk with my dog, Murphy, it’s sort of like taking the measure of the day and the easiest way to feel super present with where you’re at.
Do you have a favorite park?
It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I’ve always loved the quiet, wooded areas near Cedar Lake in the Chain of Lakes. It is kind of hidden and it feels so different from any other part of the park.
When you’re starting a new project, is there something that helps you get in the zone?
I keep a notebook for scribbling lyrics, ideas, and project concepts. In the early conceptual stages, I often use juxtapositions of unrelated things. At MCAD, I learned a word association game to shut off your inner editor. For example, if the prompt is “chalk,” you write everything that comes to mind, and if you get stuck, you keep writing that word until something else comes to you. It’s a great way to generate ideas and build creative momentum. Even for visual projects, I often start with words.
What is one piece of advice you’d offer to aspiring creatives?
Keep at it. Whatever you enjoy or think you might enjoy, whether it is playing guitar, cooking, or drawing, just keep doing it. Self-criticism and doubt are common, especially among creative people, but don’t let that stop you. More people are naturally creative than actually spend time making things. It is innate in us to want to express ourselves, and there is value in that, even if it is just for yourself. That is how you build anything. Just keep going!
Dan Woychick is a Minneapolis-based designer and founder of LoveMPLSParks. Through creative projects like the Posters for Parks Show, he combines art, design, and community engagement to support and celebrate local parks. Please join us on Saturday, October 11 at Minnehaha Park Pavilion from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m. for the 10th Annual Posters for Parks Show.
More information on Posters for Parks and free registration available here!