Out of the frozen water of Bdé Umáŋ, also known as Lake Harriet, is a cluster of ice shanties that belong not to ice fishermen but to a vibrant, local arts community known as Art Shanty Projects. For four weekends, Jan. 17 – Feb. 8, the community hosts dozens of artists and performers who take to the ice to engage the public through interactive art and education.
Ice shanties, or better known as ice houses, are portable shelters on sleds commonly used by fishermen to protect themselves from harsh winter weather while on the lake. The Art Shanty Project utilizes the foundation of the shanty while personalizing the shelters with unique artistic liberties.
With 37 artists’ projects for the 2026 season and various scheduled performances, there is a place for everyone. Whether you are interested in how beavers play a vital role in our ecosystem, or you want to build a timber-frame cabin, you can explore what’s below the ice in a submarine or even talk to extraterrestrial aliens.
However, this year’s program is about more than creative play; it is designed as a space for collective healing.
In the wake of two recent fatal shootings by ICE agents in Minneapolis — Renee Good, 37, on Jan. 7, and Alex Pretti, 37, on Jan. 24 — Art Shanty Projects aims to underscore the importance of community and solidarity.
“They [guests] really enjoy coming out here every year; they expect it, and so we as artists continue to spread joy even though our city is under attack by the government,” artist Terry McDaniel said. “Community is what’s going to get us through this. We want joy, and we want love. We don’t want hate, we want to all get along.”
McDaniel’s contribution to that collective joy is “Pollinator Frenzy,” a project she has operated for nearly seven years that teaches guests about the importance of pollinators through movement. Following a scheduled performance, guests are invited to grab some wings and antennas at the pollinator armoire and partake in an all-community dance.
Watching the crowd flow to the lively music, a smile comes easily. Against the stark white expanse of Lake Harriet, the bright, flowing wings and handmade antenna hats offer a vibrant contrast to the quiet winter.
Erin Lavelle, the artistic director for Art Shanty Projects, said this year has felt especially rewarding. Lavelle’s goal is to embrace the original spirit of shanties while providing artists with professional support through a refined production process and year-round planning.
The result gives artists and guests the confidence to connect through art and support one another.
“In the last 10 days or so, it felt like a really grounding place to be. When you’re on a frozen lake, even in the heart of the city, there’s this sense of expansiveness and space that we’re not getting in our neighborhoods,” Lavelle said. “Our mission is to bring people together, and so we feel really strongly that we need to keep doing that.”
First-time shanty artist Trevor Zapiecki echoed this sentiment.
Zapiecki has been a visitor of the Art Shanty Project for a few years now. When the opportunity to run the Free Store Shanty arose, Zapiecki and a close friend took up the opportunity. The centrally located shanty welcomes guests to leave or take warm winter clothing free of charge, or warm up by the fire.
Having witnessed this project’s impact for years, Zapiecki was happy to make his own contribution.
“We all want to be with our own communities outside of here, but there is also some power in this community here,” Zapiecki said. “Being able to offer a space for people to come and just celebrate and yell and curse out the administration and just find some shared community.”
Art Shanty Projects is free and open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. While admission is free, a $10-20 donation is suggested to ensure that the shanties, artists and greater community can continue to find their place on the ice for years to come.
