tilsner.net

About the Tilsner
Introducing the Tilsner

The Tilsner Artists' Cooperative is a residential artspace located in a renovated warehouse in the heart of St. Paul's historic Lowertown district, skirted by the Farmer's Market, the Mississippi River, and downtown St. Paul.

The Tilsner is one of many renovation projects undertaken to create residential/work space for artists by Artspace Projects Inc.,.

Built in 1895, the Tilsner was what Artspace describes as, "one of Saint Paul's most striking examples of Victorian Romanesque architecture" -- a red brick 19th-century warehouse, long abandoned as business space an advanced state of decay.

Above: Looking up from the basement of the restored seven level atrium in the Tilsner.

"The Tilsner had no windows, no roof, and two large holes that had been punched through every floor by a prospective developer who had then abandoned the project. When Artspace representatives first walked through the building," the story goes, "they found the upper two floors were too decayed to bear human weight....'just a big pigeon barn.'"

Artspace's successful renovation of the next door Northern Warehouse led to the City of Saint Paul asking the organisation to renovating the Tilsner.

In a $6.5 million overhaul, the building was transformed and opened for residents in 1993. Today, the Tislner offers 66 studio units of living and work space to artists from all disciplines and artforms, and their families.

Above: The windows in Tilsner studio units are designed to let in a lot of light.

Each affordable live/work unit at the Tilsner offers high ceilings, pine floors, exposed brick walls, wood beams, large windows, and modern kitchens and baths. Building amenities include two seven-story atriums that fill the interior with light, a gallery, meeting rooms, a workshop, a children's playroom, and a laundry room on every level.

The Tilsner's 66 apartments range from efficiencies to three-bedroom units, none smaller than 950 feet and some as large as 2,200 square feet. In all, the building has 139,360 square feet.

Residents may participate in the Tilsner Artists' Cooperative through one or more of a variety of committees which facilitate community life.

Involvement is mandated only at a manageable, occasional level, respecting members need for the maximum time for work, family, and artistic pursuits, although the possibility for deeper community involvement is always a volunteer possibility for keen organisers and those whose specialised skills will benefit planning and maintenance committees.

Click here for the photo tour!

Twice annually, the massive Saint Paul Art Crawl takes place, which sees several hundred Downtown and Lowertown St. Paul artist's studios and galleries open to the public for the sale and exhibit of an amazing variety of high quality homegrown art.

Tilsner artists are keen participants, with an increasingly higher percentage of studios opening up for the weekends of both the Spring and the Fall Art Crawls.

But don't just save your interest for twice a year! Local artists seek your support all year round, which is one of the key reasons why the Tilsner Artists' Cooperative is developing this website, in order to give you a glimpse into our community 365 days a year!

See something you like? Get in touch with the artists via the contact information on their pages. Art is a part of life.