Hennepin Pride at The Hennepin
May 27 - July 3, 2023
Jack Link’s Legend Lounge
This exciting exhibit spans two gallery spaces at the Dudley Riggs Theatre and The Hennepin and features more than forty portraits of prominent LGBTQIA+ community members and important historical images of LGBTQIA+ history along Hennepin Avenue.
About the exhibit at The Hennepin
The Hennepin Theatre District along Hennepin Avenue has historically existed as a fluid, ever-changing representation of the arts through theater, dance, galleries, nightlife and entertainment. Since the Theatre District’s foundation, the LGBTQIA+ community has been woven through the fabric of the district’s identity in its every aspect. From challenging gender norms during the vaudeville era, defining places of urban respite in the mid-century and championing civil liberties in the 1970s and 1980s, to celebrating diversity through the enormous economic engine and presence of the annual Twin Cities Pride Parade and Festival, the LGBTQIA+ community has been and continues to be an essential, intrinsic part of the Theatre District’s dynamic, magnetic culture.
The LGBTQIA+ community is widely represented by those who live, work and play in the Hennepin Theatre District. We see members in philanthropic foundations, as business leaders, entertainers, historians and the extraordinary, everyday people whose experiences and stories create the unique vibrancy of Hennepin Avenue. The network of support is so widespread, it would be nearly impossible to acknowledge every person, place or organization that has contributed or remains active in the LGBTQIA+ community and the arts along Hennepin Avenue. We do hope you enjoy this exhibit that highlights past and present leaders who represent a wide variety of identities and titles.
Please also visit our additional LGBTQIA+ displays down the street in the Dudley Riggs Theatre at 824 Hennepin Avenue.
We thank the Minneapolis Foundation for sponsoring the Hennepin Pride exhibit. Their generous contribution directly supports a connected community and Minnesota’s cultural and economic vitality.