Press
Canvas Rebel Profile: Gina Zaffarano
November 30, 2023 | Canvas Rebel profiled Ziggy’s Art Bus Founder Gina Zaffarano in their Stories & Insights section. “Every smile, every unique artwork, and every connection forged at Ziggy’s Art Bus serves as a powerful reminder of our mission to provide free, accessible, and joyful art experiences to this underserved population. Ziggy’s is driven by compassion, fueled by the transformative power of art, and our destination is clear: to bring joy to the lives of children facing adversity,” says Gina Zaffarano, founder. Read the entire article on Canvas Rebel.
Ziggy’s Art Bus: An Exciting Update
November 2023 | The art studio on wheels expands its home visit program. “In December 2022, we highlighted how Ziggy’s Art Bus brings guided art experiences to children in hospice or with life-limiting illnesses. Now, the mobile art studio has expanded its reach through a new home visit program for families in the Minnetonka and Mound-Westonka school districts. ‘It’s a challenge to find art activities our child can do and even harder to get there. We love Ziggy’s for making art accessible to all!’ says Minnetonka parent Haley Brunelle, mother of Felix.” Read the entire article in Lake Minnetonka Magazine.
Ziggy’s to visit families in Minnetonka and Mound-Westonka schools
September 13, 2023 | Ziggy’s Art Bus has announced the expansion of their private home visit programs. With a grant from the Excelsior Morning Rotary Club, Ziggy’s is bringing free and accessible art experiences. Read the article in the Sun Sailor here.
Art from the Heart: Ziggy's Art Bus Delivers Art to Those Who Need It Most
June 6, 2032 | In this installment of Meet the Minnesota Makers Change Makers series Michelle Sharp profiles Ziggy's Art Bus's "truly unique mobile art experience" and Ziggy's wonderful team members Tamara Cairns, Vicki Johnson Craig, and Erica Marsden. Read the entire Meet the Minnesota Makers profile.
Awarded Metro Regional Arts Council Grant
May 30, 2023 | Ziggy’s Art Bus is grateful and honored to have been awarded a generous grant from the Metro Regional Arts Council. On May 30, 2023 the MRAC board approved $1,383,358 in funding for the 94 groups or organizations to receive grant awards in Round 2 of the Flexible Support grant program for FY23. Ziggy’s Art Bus was among the Hennepin County recipients.
Exploring Life & Business with Gina Zaffarano of Ziggy’s Art Bus
April 27, 2023 | In this VoyageMinnesota article founder Gina Zaffarano discusses the inspiration for Ziggy’s Art Bus and how the organization offers to children with life-threatening conditions and their families. Read the entire interview in VoyageMinnesota.
AWARDED Excelsior Morning Rotary Club GRANT
March 1, 2023 | Ziggy’s Art Bus is grateful and honored to have been awarded a generous grant from Excelsior Morning Rotary Club to help us bring our free volunteer guided Art Experiences and Art Kit deliveries to the communities served by The Minnetonka and Mound-Westonka School Districts. Thank you!
Joy on Wheels
January / February 2023 | In this White Bear Lake Magazine article, lead volunteer Pat Whelpley and Tobias Walsh’s mom, Shannon, describe how important it is to support children with life-limiting illness, as well as their their families in a safe and inclusive environment. “One of the things that I love about Ziggy’s Art Bus is that everyone has a chance to create something,” Shannon says. “Young or old, disability or not, there are no limitations to make something beautiful.” Read the article in the White Bear Lake Magazine.
Ziggy's Art Bus Brings Art to Everyone
December 2022 / January 2023 | St. Croix Valley Magazine Art has long been used as a form of healing the body, mind and soul. For some Metro children, creativity and restorative care come by way of an art center on wheels. Haley Brunelle has seen just how much art can make a difference through her son, Felix, 5. “Felix was born with a one-of-a-kind chromosome deletion, presenting as several different physical challenges, medical complexity and the need for a 30-plus strong medical and therapy team to follow him on the regular,” says Brunelle. So, when Felix encountered Ziggy’s Art Bus, a bus that serves children with life-limiting illnesses by indulging their creative minds, his creative self took flight. Read the article in the St. Croix Valley Magazine.
Giving Back: Ziggy’s Mother-Daughter Volunteer Duo
December 2022 | Edina Magazine Ziggy’s Art Bus volunteers Lezlie German-Tooley and her daughter Finley are profiled in Edina Magazine’s issue on giving back. “Art is a space where everyone belongs. There’s something for everyone to create. There [are] no rules on how to do art.” — Finley Tooley, Edina resident and Ziggy’s volunteer. Read “Creative Expressions.” The article appears on pages 24–29.
Creative Expressions
December 2022 | Lake Minnetonka Magazine “Writer Hanna McDaniels shares a lovely Giving Back story. Ziggy’s Art Bus brings the healing and restorative values of art to children facing serious health concerns. Founder Gina Zaffarano says, ‘… Art is such an equalizing experience for everyone, regardless if they think they have artistic ability or not, and it is something that takes people out of their heads and into their hearts.’ Learn more about the program, and consider giving of yourself and time as a volunteer.” — Renée Stewart-Hester, Editor. Read “Creative Expressions: Art Bus Promotes Healing for Children with Life-Limiting Illnesses.” The article appears on pages 33–36.
Awarded GIVING WoMN grant
February 17, 2022 | Ziggy’s Art Bus is grateful and honored to have been awarded a generous grant from GIVING WoMN. GIVING WoMN is a grant-making organization dedicated to addressing pressing unmet needs and improving communities in Minnesota. Thank you GIVING WoMN!
Ziggy’s Art Bus Wins Big
September 21, 2021 | Ziggy’s Art Bus was chosen as the nonprofit winner of AARP MN and with MyTalk 107 Radio’s Win Big and Give Back sweepstakes. During the Minnesota State Fair, AARP MN partnered with MyTalk 107 to support and raise funds for a compelling local non-profit that makes a real difference.
This Present Moment: Giving Is a Family Affair
July 31, 2020 | Sue Vannelli is a passionate advocate for a variety of local organizations, supporting her community through a commitment to volunteerism. Using her artistic gifts, Sue guides children with life-limiting and serious illnesses through art experiences as a Lead Volunteer with Ziggy’s Art Bus. Through mentorship, Sue helps budding artists move forward in their artistic journeys. Her family’s philanthropic legacy, started by her parents, has expanded to Sue and her siblings and now is moving on to her own children. Dr. Eric Jolly, president and CEO of the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, interviewed Sue in 2020. Watch their conversation online. Sue discusses her loving commitment to Ziggy’s and Ziggy’s kiddos starting at the 5:38 mark.
a small space, but big things are going on inside
June 18, 2019 | “There’s a mobile art studio cruising around town, bringing sick children and their families a chance to get away from it all. It’s called Ziggy’s Art Bus, and the concept rolled into the Twin Cities metro just a few months ago. It may be a small space, but big things are going on inside.” Watch Fox 9 — Ziggy’s Art Bus brings color to families of sick children.
All Aboard Ziggy’s Art Bus
May 24, 2019 | Facilitating normal, fun experiences is the goal of Ziggy’s Art Bus, and the volunteers are enjoying it just as much as the children they serve. Meet some of Ziggy’s volunteers and learn about our work with the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis via the Southwest Journal.
Inspired
April 12, 2019 | Read how Ziggy’s Art Bus got its start helping Twin Cities children dealing with significant health problems in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.