Mission Statement
The Nemeth Art Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization and gallery space located in rural northern Minnesota. Open in the summer months, the NAC exhibits contemporary art from emerging and recognized artists and is particularly focused on forging relationships between local and non-local artists through thoughtful curatorial programming. As a strong advocate of creative placemaking in a rural area, the Nemeth is committed to giving the community a public social space for exploring varied perspectives through visual arts, music, literary performance, and youth arts education.
Organization History
The NAC began in 1977 as the North Country Museum of the Arts. It was founded by members of the Park Rapids community to house and show the recently-obtained Gabor and Edith Nemeth study collection. The collection, which consists of over 60 paintings made by students and apprentices of old masters dating back to the 16th century, was acquired by collective local fundraising. Upon its inception, the museum moved into the newly-vacated Hubbard County Courthouse (built in 1889 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places), and exhibitions are presented in the former courtroom and administration offices.
In 2011, the museum renamed itself the Nemeth Art Center in tribute to its foundational collection. The decision was accompanied by a renewed mission to show contemporary art from both near and far – making connections between rural and urban people, creators, and spaces – and to honor the diversity, creativity, and tenacity of this small rural community.
In 2017 the NAC celebrated its 40th anniversary with an exhibition curated by Matthew Schum titled MYSYSYPYN, which brought together a salon-style hanging of the permanent collection with contemporary Minnesota artists. MYSYSYPYN contextualized the balance between our past and present, and the desire for regional and distant perspectives. It also provided a foundation for working with other guest curators such as Tim Peterson, Christopher Atkins, and David Peterson.
The Nemeth has partnered with the Minneapolis Institute of Art to host their traveling MAEP (Minnesota Artists Exhibition Program), as well as with the Minneapolis College of Art and Design to provide the Youth Art Prize – an annual scholarship given to local student artists. A winter residency exchange between for MCAD MFA students is also in its burgeoning stage.