Tim Spitzack
Editor
The downtown art community suffered another blow with the announcement of the closing of Creators Space, which for the past five years has been a refuge of creativity, learning and socialization. It hosted its last event during the Fall Art Crawl and is holding classes through the end of October. After that, the space will go dark. The coffeehouse closed following the Crawl.
Creators Space was the dream of Melissa Dessart, who one day in December 2016 was pondering heavy issues weighing on her mind: her husband’s brush with death, the realities of motherhood, the impact of working 19 years for a large corporation, violence, and the growing divide of our country. “I just need to create space in my head to think,” she said to herself, and with that her dream was born.
Now that dream is taking a different turn. In late September, she issued the following statement: “Our efforts with the city and the philanthropy community to seek investment into our community space and our nonprofit organization have not provided the support needed to keep Creators Space open. We appreciate all your help and support over the last few weeks, but unfortunately it is now time to put our efforts towards the closing…. Needless to say, we’re all deeply saddened by this loss, but the spirit of the vision will live on through all those who have participated in creating the magic of Creators Space. We plan to keep our community connected as we plan for the next phase of our mission to inspire the creative spirit that lives in all of us. More info to come as to how to stay connected to our future efforts. You will hear from us again soon!”
Dessart, husband Kevin Dessart and countless others have poured blood, sweat and tears into the space since its opening in April 2018. The Dessarts also invested a sizeable sum to transform a former indoor parking facility into a 34,000-square-foot center that housed a coffeeshop and several spaces to create, display and sell art, and attend classes in pottery, painting, photography, writing, yoga and more. They tried building their business using a membership model, which started at $106 a month and eventually grew to 160 members. At the end, they served more than 150 artists and over 30 healing arts entrepreneurs, at-risk youth organizations, and local nonprofits. On any given week, they’d host more than 50 classes and 20 meetings.
Last year, when it became apparent that the membership model wasn’t sustainable, Dessart decided to create a nonprofit and began trying to drum up financial support from the City of St. Paul and various philanthropic groups to keep Creators Space open. When those efforts proved unsuccessful, she knew it was time to close the doors for good at 218 7th St. E. However, the nonprofit remains.
“Over the last nine months we’ve been transitioning to a nonprofit,” she said in a recent interview. “We worked with a consultant to build a solid foundation, a solid board and a 5-year strategic plan.”
The nonprofit, Creators Movement, was officially formed in January and is operated by Dessart and three board members: Adel El Huni, founder and Chief Enabling Officer at Katalyze and head of strategic partnerships and alliances at INclusion ACTION; Christopher Gunlock, operations manager of Creators Space and founder of Open Mind Integration; and Steve Heckler, founder of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival. The board will take a few months to regroup and at the start of the year begin its journey of refining its charter, and vision and mission statements. Its work will likely revolve around providing arts programming that businesses and organizations can use to spark creativity and promote healing and a sense of community.
“The model we created [for Creators Space], I don’t regret it,” said Dessart. “It’s what we needed to get started. We evolved into a hub for community, where people found healing and support and inspiration in their lives.”
You can track their progress and sign up for their newsletter at creatorsspace.com.
The fate of the building is yet unknown. In 2019, the Dessarts sold it to an investor
who supported the mission of Creators Space.
Dessart and her family are going through another difficult time as well. Her father, Johnny Michael Loy, 78, passed away October 18. He was instrumental in helping them renovate the building and over the years became a fixture at Creators Space.
“My dad was an amazing oil painter,” she said, tearing up at the thought of losing him and Creators Space at the same time. “People would call him ‘Old Master’ because he painted realism, telling stories with light. He was the adopted father of many of the members.”
As Dessart faces the challenges ahead, she will lean on the community she found at Creators Space and continue following her dream, wherever that may lead her.
“This is my calling and my life’s work – to explore the power of creativity and healing,” she said. “I feel so blessed to have had that time [with Creators Space]. We found a way to build community. I want to continue to provide pathways.”
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