Artspace Immersion (original) (raw)

Lucas Koski

Vice President

Lucas Koski is the Vice President of Consulting at Artspace, having previously worked in both Artspace’s Asset Management and Property Development departments. He is a former resident of Artspace’s Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative in Saint Paul, and as an Asset Manager was the liaison for several projects across Artspace’s portfolio including Galveston’s National Hotel Artist Lofts, El Paso’s Roderick Lofts and Santa Cruz’s Tannery Campus.

In his role with Property Development, Lucas led the adaptive reuse development of the 130 year old Feed and Grain in Loveland, marshalled a 51 unit new construction project in Colorado Springs, and has guided the Windgate Arts Campus in Little Rock, among other initiatives.

A proud graduate of Carleton College, Lucas has woven together a career that combines artistic and professional pursuits, including creative event production, dynamic installations, and functional art—often using cuisine as a metaphor. A multidisciplinary artist who balances big picture concepts with detailed minutiae, Lucas explores mise en place with produce and protein, programs in pseudo-public places, and loves the business side of art.

As a board member of the Creative Enterprise Zone, Lucas helped the organization establish earned revenue streams through the creation of a real estate department that helps place creative businesses in Saint Paul; he also helped guide the creation of Creative Enterprise Zone’s mural festival, Chroma-Zone (a first of its kind in Minnesota).

Lucas fervently believes that the answer to the challenges of tomorrow will be met by the meticulous planning and creative leadership of today. He has been a Jerome, Wilder, Knight, ArtPlace America and McKnight Foundation grantee, an Elsewhere resident, an Art Shanty-er, a member of Intermedia Arts' Creative Community Leadership Institute, a member of Saint Paul’s 2040 Visioning Project, A James P. Shannon Institute member, And a fellow of the Young Cultural Innovators Forum of the Salzburg Global Seminar. As a creative Lucas once held a chef residency at the castle where The Sound of Music was filmed and also created photovoltaic sculptures mimicking rain cycles for the Bakken Museum in Minneapolis.

When he is not at Artspace, you may often find Lucas in his workshop, at the market, with his kid, listening to some jams, or thinking about noodles.