North Minneapolis music education nonprofit searching for new space after losing home

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - For more than a decade, a non-profit in north Minneapolis has been making sure residents on the Northside have access to music education. Now, the organization is losing its home at the end of the month.

Holly Suarez has been taking piano lessons at Hopewell Music Cooperative North for the last six months or so. But the program where Suarez is learning to tickle the ivories will soon have to find a new home.

"I mean, it's cold outside. It's not a good time to have to move all these instruments. Makes me kind of sad about that," said Suarez.

For the last few years, the cooperative has operated out of North United Methodist Church at 44th St. and Fremont Avenue North in Minneapolis

But Hopewell leaders say the church was recently sold, and the new owners decided to terminate the cooperative's long-term rental agreement, giving them a notice to vacate by December 31.

"It was a shock. I'm going to be real about it, and it's really unfortunate that someone would do this at this time of the year," said Kiana Mayes, Hopewell Music's community engagement coordinator.

Now instructors at Hopewell Music are packing up their instruments and looking for a new place to practice their craft by the end of the year. They are also trying to raise $150,000 to cover moving and operating expenses during the transition.

"We believe in ourselves and we believe that this is the right move for us and that it's all going to work out," said Mayes.

Suarez says she'll take piano lessons from the nonprofit online temporarily if she has to, if it helps Hopewell's next chapter start off on the right note.

"Just hoping that we can find a place that is welcoming and that definitely is inclusive and is open for all," said Suarez.

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