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Learn how one arts nonprofit is making art more accessible in Warroad.

By Chris Garner, Communications Specialist

Warroad RiverPlace Director Emeritus John Davis

Warroad RiverPlace is a space the people of the Warroad region can call their own.

From conception to construction, to the development of classes and events, this arts and culture nonprofit organization off the bank of Warroad River is just as much a part of the community as the people it serves.

“My philosophy in smaller communities is that the audience is everyone,” said John Davis, director emeritus at Warroad RiverPlace.

For John, that has been a matter of getting communities to see how art fits into everyone’s life - from hockey fans to fishermen, from famers to corporate and plant employees in the area.

“Sometimes if you just use broader language to talk about the arts in rural communities, it can make a difference in people's perceptions of what it is that you're trying to accomplish,” said John. “In a small town it's a matter of flipping the framework to see how art and culture are relevant to everyone’s life.”

The truth of the matter is that arts and culture can mean different things to different people. For John, the success of Warroad RiverPlace meant getting to know the Warroad community and learning how the space could best serve them.

“Often in large urban areas, there's the mindset that only a small percentage of local folks have to attend events for them to be successful, and in a town of close to 2,000 people you don't have that luxury,” John said.

Vision for Arts & Culture in Warroad

From his experience developing arts organizations and projects in Lanesboro and New York Mills, John has learned that when a city invests in an arts and cultural project, they often see economic gains such as job creation and outside attraction from visitors and tourists. They also see the narrative change around what a small city can be and what it has to offer.

To make Warroad RiverPlace possible, they received over 300 community gifts, including lead gift from Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation donor advised fundholders Frank (deceased) and Margaret Marvin.

“When you can show the value of programming through simple economics, especially with civic government in small towns involved in supporting creativity, that can have ripple effects in the community,” said John. One of the ways Warroad RiverPlace has made itself welcoming and relevant to the whole community is through its accessibility.

Unlike any other art center and theater in the country, the space was purposely designed to be accessible by foot, boat, bike, plane, snowmobile, ice skates or cross-country skiing. The space also is custom designed to accommodate individuals who may have other needs, including a performance hall with soundproof glass specifically engineered. Other features include a 320-seat performance space, green rooms to support theatrical performances and events, and a dedicated space for arts, ceramics, and multi-use media art.

When Warroad RiverPlace opened in October 2024, over 1,100 people attended its “grand welcoming," which is remarkable for a town of 2,000.

“It shows when you make art and culture relevant in people's lives, they'll get excited,” John said.

“ When you can show the value of programming through simple economics, especially with civic government in small towns involved in supporting creativity, that can have ripple effects in the community.”

John Davis, Warroad RiverPlace Director Emeritus

The Value of Arts & Culture in Everyone’s Life

Now future generations have the opportunity to see the beauty Warroad has to offer. In addition to theatre and music performances, the center offers a variety of free classes as well as culturally inclusive programs and events. These range from exhibits to painting, beginner drawing, wool cleaning and dinner theater.

“One of my favorite stories is about an art exhibit on grain elevators,” John said. “We had local artists commissioned to do paintings and drawings of grain elevators. And it was probably halfway through the art opening a farmer walked in and started looking at one grain elevator. I said, ‘hey, thanks so much for coming in here. What can I tell you about this piece?’ And he pulled out his wallet with a photograph of a grain elevator, and it was the grain elevator that his grandfather built.”

Those are the moments John loves. For him, it’s all about changing narratives and transforming the way communities see themselves, because art can be found all around us.

The Foundation's Impact in Action

Warroad RiverPlace is a grantee of Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation fundholders.

We and our donors care deeply about investing in the arts. From 2019-2024, the Foundation and our fundholders together granted more than $100 million to arts, culture and humanities organizations.

See Our Arts Impact

As communications specialist, Chris Garner supports the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation’s work by highlighting it to the community through words, photo, video and other media. Chris has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Alabama State University and a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University.

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