Applications accepted through April 30, 2021

Introduction

The Minneapolis Parks Foundation is seeking qualifications from consultants to help it develop and implement new models for story-telling at the Water Works Park on the central Riverfront in downtown Minneapolis.

Project Context

In its first summer of operation, the Water Works site in the Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Zone offers a unique space for activities and storytelling that represent the depth of history layered at this site.  The design and construction of Water Works has uncovered many stories and it is important that these stories are brought to the forefront of the visitor experience.  Along with strengthening connections to adjacent and future elements such as the renaturalized riverbank, the Stone Arch Bridge trail extension, the Lock and Dam, the historic gatehouse, as well as elements lost to time such as Spirit Island and flora and Fauna once common to the area.

Water Works was designed to be a place of stories, with unrealized potential for amplifying stories of the region’s original inhabitants, the Dakota Nation and other Native Americans.  Special attention is developed in this inaugural year to develop tools and engage storytellers in many forms and develop an interpretive model that meet the Historic Districts aspirations to build and broaden our audience. As a partner to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, which owns, operates and programs the park, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation wants to generate content and story-telling models to help MPRB activate the space as intended.

Services

Consult will:

• Work with Minneapolis Parks Foundation to help develop content and strategies to enhance programming on the site
• Organize and implement interpretive activities, 2-3 holistic stories of the site, innovative models for story-telling
• Coordinate with Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, National Park Service, Mississippi Park Connection, Friends of the Falls and other arts and cultural organizations
• Help to identify and enlist artists and story tellers to contribute content and story-telling models to the site.

Timeline

The consultant will start work in May of 2021 and must complete the work by November of 2021

Experience

• Personal connection to the Native American stories being uncovered and shared
• Demonstrated experience in developing interpretive programs
• Ability to effectively engage a diverse audience
• Demonstrated experience working with multi-organizational processes
• Experience developing or delivering park or educational programs

RFP Response

Please provide the following electronically to: 
Paul Bauknight, Project Implementation Director, Minneapolis Parks Foundation
pbauknight@mplsparksfoundation.org

• A current resume
• (3) projects that you have completed that show your experience working with interpretive stories and programming
• A conceptual description of how you would approach this project.
• (3) References

Budget

The budget for this role is $7,000-$9,000 with additional funds for printing, materials, and artist stipends.