Arts & Culture

SONGS OF FREEDOM to Mark the 50th Anniversary of the MARCH ON WASHINGTON, ROCKIN’ IN RHYTHM and BOPSTREET will be devoting the entire four hours to Songs of Freedom with The Staple Singers, The Golden Gate Quartet, Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, Mahalia Jackson, The Dixie Hummingbirds, Pete Seeger, James Carr, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Oscar Brown Jr and many, many more…

Tune into MinneCulture on Wednesday, April 24, at 7:30pm to hear a captivating audio documentary by Susan Gray. Second Chances: The Story of Fergus Falls State Hospital explores the history of a Minnesota landmark, and why a place on the National Register of Historic Places may not save it from demolition.

In the late 19th century, insane asylums were built across the country in response to a national outcry over the treatment of the mentally ill. More than 75 asylums were designed using Dr. Thomas Kirkbride’s Moral Treatment Plan, which claimed that mental ailments could be alleviated with beautiful architecture and serene landscaping. The former State Hospital in Fergus Falls is one of the few remaining intact Kirbride hospitals in the country. Re-named the Regional Treatment Center in 1985, the building is destined for the wrecking ball if a developer is not soon found. KFAI producer Susan Gray spoke with preservation supporters to learn about the building’s historical significance to Fergus Falls, and the treatment of people with mental illness.

If you’re looking for a place to get out of the summer heat, there are plenty of art spaces around town where you can find some inspiration to take the place of perspiration.KFAI’s Sagirah Shahid has a report on a multi-artist exhibit in Minneapolis entitled “Resonating Bodies.”