As luck would have it, during my trip to Fargo, North Dakota, the town was gearing up to host their annual Fargo-Moorhead Visual Artists Studio Crawl. The participating studios open themselves to the public and guests get to tour their studios, browse their artwork, show off their latest techniques and foster the cooperatives that seem to dot the streets of downtown Fargo more than I would have ever expected!

You could browse a catalog of works ahead of time, or plan your route from studio to studio using their map. Visiting studios such as Gallery 4, the Dakota Arts Building and the Rourke Art Museum & Gallery offered guests the chance to meet many of the artists themselves.

The Rourke Art Museum not only a museum, but also a gallery of works and special exhibitions. They rent space in their studios by the hour and encourage artists to get involved with the many community projects and co-ops available in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

Art isn’t limited to the galleries and studios, either. There is art to be found all over the place as you walk around town. But the fact that the community hosts a Studio Crawl shows me just how integral art is to the Fargo-Moorhead communities. I learned, too, that the colleges in the area have strong Arts programs. Guess what, Fargo? It shows!

Has a certain city’s art scene ever surprised you?