mission

Dark Muse Performing Arts uplifts BIPOC & Queer artists and promotes healing through creative expression.

vision

We envision a just future rooted in culture & community where we share resources, knowledge, stories and we’re all celebrated for being authentically, unapologetically who we are and free from oppressive systems.

values

• a human-first culture of care + rest

• equal access to opportunity

• accountability + transparency

our story

Dark Muse Performing Arts is a grassroots community arts organization founded by Vanessa Brooke Agnes when the Twin Cities were burning following the murder of George Floyd. During the uprising, Vanessa gathered donations from her friends and family to purchase food for local families, supplies and aid for protestors. Called to further action, she organized a protest performance to honor the life of George Floyd and express/heal in community. The Uprising Vol. I drew over 300 attendees to a Minneapolis parking lot to bear witness, chant and engage in our first radical care experience. We collected donations to funnel back into local Black-owned businesses.

In the Fall of 2020, we created a 90-minute cyber cabaret called Phoenix Project that aired live on YouTube and raised additional funds for our Twin Cities community. For Black History Month in February 2021, we partnered with the Guthrie Theater and SPNN to produce The Uprising Vol. II: Black HERstory, highlighting the brilliance, contributions and resilience of Black women. We’ve since held a board retreat, community dreaming session, and our most recent endeavor, Drag Tea. This high tea party meets drag show will soon be a recurring series featuring local talent.

Our current focus as an organization is to sustainably build a solid foundation of capacity by securing funding for our programming and growing our board membership with driven volunteers. As we celebrate our 4th birthday this year, it is only the beginning for us.