Overview

Rondo Community Land Trust (RCLT) used their 2025 Commercial Corridor Program funds to create the Rondo African American Arts District through a series of corridor-wide activities designed to foster cultural celebration, support economic development, and promote small business engagement. For 2026, RCLT is using Commercial Corridor Program funds to further build on this initiative, promoting corridor activation through marketing, art, and cultural activations.

What the funding supports

Rondo Exchange graphic with a ribbon-cutting motif and two illustrated panels depicting a seedling being planted and a flower in bloom above Rondo neighborhood storefronts.

Marketing

Marketing funds back social media promotion of the corridor and bring photographers and videographers to events.

Learn more about Marketing
Attendees gather in lawn chairs under shade trees at the Selby Avenue Jazz Festival, with vendor tents lining the street behind them.

Events

Program funds support the Selby Arts and Culture, Selby Jazz Fest, Small Business Saturday, Event Outreach and the Rondo Exchange.

Learn more about Events
Selby Avenue Micro-Grant Program graphic with Rondo Community Land Trust and Saint Paul Commercial Corridors logos.

Business Support

Business Support funds let the Rondo Community Land Trust award microgrants to local businesses for storefront improvements, pop-up events and other placemaking work.

Learn more about Business Support
An artist paints an orange section of a wood-framed mural panel outdoors at a community event.

Public Art

Public art funds cover artist stipends and mural installation along the corridor.

Learn more about Public Art

Events

Ribbon cutting at the grand opening of the Rondo Exchange, with a balloon arch framing the building's corner entrance.

Rondo Exchange Activation

The Rondo Exchange is a community space created to support emerging businesses while honoring the legacy of the historic Rondo neighborhood. The Rondo Community Land Trust hosted an activation event at Golden Thyme Cafe featuring a ribbon cutting. Commercial Corridor Program funds helped pay for the event.

Shop Local on Selby Ave Small Business Saturday graphic, November 29–December 6.

Small Business Saturday

Small Business Saturday kicked off a weeklong celebration of Selby Avenue aimed at increasing foot traffic and local spending. A community celebration at Golden Thyme Cafe featured food and a prize raffle. Commercial Corridor Program funds helped pay for decorations, signage, and materials to activate the Rondo Exchange.

Crowd watches a jazz band perform on the outdoor stage at the Selby Avenue Jazz Festival.

Selby Jazz Fest

Selby Jazz Fest is an annual three-day long music festival held on Selby Avenue featuring music, food trucks, and art. Commercial Corridor Program funds were used for the rental of a power generator for the main music stage.

Flyer for Selby Arts and Culture Day, 736 Selby and Grotto, celebrating the grand opening of the Rondo African-American Arts District.

Selby Arts & Culture Day

Selby Art & Culture Day was an event hosted by the Rondo Community Land Trust to launch the new Rondo African-American Arts District. The event featured local artists and community organizations, a mural park, and the unveiling of a new mural on Mississippi Market. 

Four Rondo Community Land Trust staff members pose together at an outreach tent.

Event Outreach

Commercial Corridor funding helped provide outreach and event support staff — including outreach ambassadors, activation staff, and volunteer coordinators — to assist with business engagement, sub-grant administration, and event logistics such as setup and breakdown, ensuring that corridor plans were executed equitably and effectively.

Business Support - Selby Microgrant

The Selby Avenue Business Microgrant is a program designed to help businesses improve their storefronts, host community-facing activations, and strengthen their presence along the corridor. Recipients include In Black Ink, 2 Scoops Ice Cream, Golden Thyme Restaurant Bar, BLovely Production & LeMae Photography, Mind the Crown, Golden Thyme Cafe, and KP Inspires.

Marketing

Save-the-date graphic for the Creative Currency: The Rondo Exchange grand opening, March 21, 2026.

Social Media Campaign

The Rondo Community Land Trust used Commercial Corridor Program funds to perform social media campaigns to promote events, sub-grants and other corridor activities.

A videographer films an interview in front of a Rondo neighborhood mural.

Photographers and Videographers

Commercial Corridor Program funds paid for contracted photographers and videographers to document corridor events, participating businesses, and program outcomes for promotion, grant reporting, and community storytelling.

Cover of the 2026 "Passport to Rondo" guide from the Rondo Community Land Trust, a guide to Selby Avenue shopping and dining.

Rondo Passport Guidebook

The Rondo Passport is a promotional coupon book and directory highlighting more than 15 businesses along the Selby Avenue Corridor. The guidebook will serve as a corridor-wide marketing and economic development tool. Commercial Corridor funds helped to cover designer stipends and marketing and copywriting support.

Public Art

Commercial Corridor funds allowed for the hiring of three local artists for the production of three vinyl murals at Selby and Lexington, Selby and Victoria, Selby and Dale.