Get Involved

We need friends who believe in what we do.

Not board members. Not donors. Not volunteers checking boxes. Friends.

We're building something different in Minnesota—a visionary nonprofit that stays true to its mission even when large institutions are all around us. And we can't do it alone. We're learning together. Growing together. Creating together.

If you care about arts access, creative confidence, and community—if you believe what we're building matters—then you belong here.

What We're Building

A visionary nonprofit in a landscape of large institutions

We're proving that you don't have to choose between staying true to your mission and building something sustainable. You can be lean, local, and visionary all at once.

In Minnesota, we have big arts institutions. Excellent ones. But they're often far from rural communities. They're expensive. They serve a certain demographic. There are whole areas—whole groups of people—where arts access is a luxury, not a right.

Heijeu Arts exists to change that. We go to where people are. We serve communities underserved in the arts. We build creative confidence alongside artistic skill. We believe everyone is creative, and creative confidence can change a person's life trajectory.

But building this takes more than good intention. It takes a community of people who believe in the vision and are willing to help make it real. It takes learning together. Being honest together. Building something that works because it's rooted in real relationships and shared values.

“We're trying to prove that small, nimble, community-rooted arts organizations can thrive by being exactly who we are."”

— Heidi Jeub, Executive Director

What we believe

Everyone is Creative

Not just people with "talent." Every person has the capacity to make, express, and create.

Creative Confidence Changes Lives

When someone discovers they're creative, they start seeing themselves differently. Everything shifts.

Art is a Right, Not a Luxury

Arts access should not depend on zip code or income. It should be available to everyone, everywhere.

Community is Everything

We don't create art for communities. We create art with them. Community is the point.

Small Can Be Visionary

You don't need to be big to have impact. You need to be clear, committed, and connected.

Authenticity Over Scale

We'd rather serve 2,100 people with deep impact than 20,000 with shallow reach.

How to be part of this:

  • Experience what we create. Participate in Tiny School, Dream Out Loud, Tiny-R School programming, or public art projects. Be a student. See what happens when you give yourself permission to make something.

  • Attend our celebrations, ribbon cuttings, public art dedications, and community gatherings. Bring your friends. Be part of the community that celebrates creative work.

  • You have skills. We need them. Graphic design, marketing, accounting, fundraising, grant writing, social media, project management, photography, videography, website development—we can always use help.

  • You know people who care about the same things we do. Introduce us. Tell them about Heijeu Arts. Share our programs with someone who needs them. Amplify our voice in your networks.

  • Help us set up events, facilitate workshops, manage social media, edit videos, design materials, support installations, or brainstorm strategy. One-time or ongoing.

  • If you have resources and want to help us thrive, we accept contributions. One-time gifts, monthly giving, sponsorships, or major gifts. Every amount matters.

  • Join conversations about strategy, direction, and big questions. We're learning together. Your perspective matters. Your experience matters. Your ideas matter.

  • Be an advocate in your communities. Believe out loud that arts access matters. Question institutions about equity. Push for more. Be the voice for underserved communities.

We're Learning Together

What We're Discovering About Building a Visionary Nonprofit

Small and strategic beats big and scattered. We're learning that deep impact in a few communities matters more than shallow presence everywhere.

Community relationships are your competitive advantage. Large institutions can't do what we do—be genuinely rooted in communities, responsive to real needs, connected to people.

Clarity of mission is everything. When we're crystal clear about who we serve and why it matters, decisions become easier. Everything aligns.

Fundraising is friendship. The best funding comes from people who believe in the vision and want to help make it real. It's not transactional. It's relational.

Your team is your culture. Teaching artists who are deeply rooted in their communities. People who care about the mission. Quality over quantity always.

Sustainability comes from doing what you do well and staying true to it. Not from chasing every grant or copying what big institutions do.

Community wisdom is better than external expertise. We learn more from listening to the communities we serve than from any consultant.

You can build something beautiful without losing your soul. Professionalism doesn't require selling out. You can be small, community-rooted, and sustainable all at once.

And we're learning this with you. If you're involved—whether you take a class, volunteer, give money, or just believe in the mission—you're part of discovering what's possible when a nonprofit decides to stay true to itself. That's the real work. That's what matters.

Ready to Get Involved?

Let’s start a conversation!