Virtual Family Day: Foot in the Door
Every second Sunday of the month, Mia hosts a free monthly event for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring virtual hands-on art activities, music, dance performances, artist demonstrations, and more — all inspired by Mia’s incredible collection.
Family Day Major Sponsor: 
Installation views of “Foot in the Door 4”, MAEP Galleries; galleries 264-265
Virtual Family Day: Foot in the Door
Celebrate community love and joy during this Family Day, inspired by “Foot in the Door,” an open exhibition for Minnesota artists of all ages held once every 10 years. Hear thoughts on the all-virtual exhibition from Chappal, a talking slipper from the Indian subcontinent, and be inspired to make your own “foot” wear. Try collaborative art projects, like co-creating a creative power grid and playing the Exquisite Corpse, a surrealist drawing game. Take advice on how to reach new heights, love fiercely, and wear fabulous outfits with a video made by Chicks on Sticks stilting around Mia.
Free Family Day Artist Totes
The materials in the kit complement the Virtual Family Day program’s activities but are not essential to enjoying the activities. Click here to learn more about the materials in this month’s tote.
Interactive Activities
There’s a Chappal in the Door!
Hello Hello! Guess who’s back? Chappal is back! That’s right, the talking slipper from the Indian subcontinent! So what is the big deal about this new virtual exhibit ‘Foot in the Door’ happening at Mia? Chappal takes a virtual walk through the exhibit and here is what she has to say: “Anyone can be an artist!”
Pssst! Watch her speak to get inspired and create your own “foot” wear. Yup! Click the photo below or click here to download the template to make your own Chappal!
Roshan Ganu is a storyteller and a visual-experimental artist who uses different mediums to tell stories about our everyday lives. Check out the website www.roshanganu.com to learn more about the artist or follow her on her Instagram @blingalingthoughts
Virtual Exhibit: Foot in the Door
Click the photo above or click here to explore the virtual exhibit “Foot in the Door”.
Since 1980, “Foot in the Door” has been an open exhibition for Minnesotan artists of all ages to present their work at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The exhibition occurs once every 10 years, and by now, generations of artists have participated in it. The sole curatorial criteria? All submissions must measure at or under 12 inches in height, width, and depth—literally inviting artists to place “a foot” in the museum’s galleries.
Explore the talent, diversity, and enthusiasm of our state’s visual artists viewing the virtual exhibit here. You can try searching for specific keywords like “kid art” in the search bar to find submissions by kids!
Play Exquisite Corpse (with a twist!)
Despite its somewhat scary name, Exquisite Corpse is a fun and collaborative drawing game inspired by Surrealism, an artistic and philosophical movement interested in dreams and fantasies that challenge reality. Tap into your wildest imaginations to co-create fantastical and surprising creatures together. But the fun twist to the vintage game is to make sure your creatures wear a mask! Click here for downloadable instructions.
You can play this game with just a piece of paper and a pencil (or any other drawing utensil). You’ll need at least one other person to play but you can include as many people as you want in the game.
Make a Creativity Power Grid!
Your creativity and imagination is powerful! Show off your individual and collective creative power making a Creativity Power Grid together with those in your household! You’ll need to pick up a Family Day Artist Tote to get the supplies necessary to try this activity.
This is an open-ended activity with no specific instructions but to have fun channeling your creative power together! Use the materials provided in the Family Day Artist Tote to sculpt, draw, and weave in your creativity on the grid.
UPlifting Advice from Chicks on Sticks
What advice can Chicks on Sticks give you as 2020 winds down? Walk tall, love fiercely, and wear a fabulous outfit! In this short video, the all women’s stilting group Chicks on Sticks spreads their wings to embrace community love, and joy. Chicks on Sticks is a beloved South Minneapolis group that has been uplifting the Twin Cities community at festivals, parades, and art venues for more than two decades.