Love Will Conquer: How Prince Shows Up

Love will conquer if you just believe

— Prince, "Mountains," 1986

Image: AngelPrince by Maisha Gilyard, created April 21, 2016

My heart is with Minneapolis.

This past week has brought fresh trauma to a community still carrying the weight of George Floyd's murder and so much violence that has come before and since. As I watch from Australia, my heart breaks for the Minneapolis community—for everyone frightened, angry, distressed, grieving, or simply trying to live their lives in a city that feels under siege.

I thought about postponing upcoming workshops. How can I ask people to think about Prince stories and art when the community is experiencing this? But then I remembered Baltimore.

Rally 4 Peace

Enough is enough, it's time for love— Prince, "Baltimore," 2015

In the wake of Freddie Gray's death in police custody in 2015, as Baltimore reeled from protests and violence, Prince didn't look away. He wrote a song—"Baltimore"—in just days. He announced a "Rally 4 Peace" concert on barely a week's notice. He asked people to wear gray "as a symbolic message of our shared humanity and love for one another."

Thousands came. People described it as "just what Baltimore needed to heal."

From the stage, Prince said: "The system is broken. It's going to take the young people to fix it this time. We need new ideas, new life."

He offered what he had: the gift of his music and his ability to lead and gather people together, in remembrance and in celebration.

How Prince Shows Up Now

We can't know what Prince would do for Minneapolis in this moment. But we know his pattern: show up, create space for healing, invite people in, trust that gathering together matters even—especially—when everything feels broken.

This grassroots museum made from people's stories and art honoring Prince can't stop violence. But it can celebrate the healing power of shared love for Prince and the community that gathers in his name.

In the submissions arriving from around the world, I'm seeing how Prince continues to show up in all the different ways:

Through healing. One contributor created an artwork about how Prince's music helped her heal from PTSD. She's designing it so visitors can take cards home—Prince's gift continuing to give.

Through creative inspiration. An 18-year-old discovered Prince just two years ago and has become a passionate collector, proof that Prince's work keeps finding people who need it across generations.

Through education and community. Purple Playground has spent 8 years teaching Prince's collaborative methods to young musicians, building community through his legacy of mentorship.

Through lived memory. A stage crew member from Prince's legendary Super Bowl performance is sharing her story—a gift of witnessing, of saying "I was there, and it mattered."

Through unexpected discovery. A painting inspired by Lovesexy in 1991, waiting 30+ years to be shared. Stories from Germany, Australia, across the United States—Prince's reach continues to widen.

An Invitation to Gather- Workshops

We're holding our free online storytelling workshops this coming week (January 20 and 25) as planned.

Please join us—even if you just want to listen. Come gather in the Prince energy, share stories or simply be in community. It will be a safe, kind space to feel some Prince-inspired love.

We're extending the submission deadline from January 31 to February 28, 2026 to allow time for people to get their stories and submissions together.

Workshop details:

📅 Tuesday, January 20, 7pm-8:30pm CST

📅 Sunday, January 25, 4pm-5:30pm CST

Free, online, open to all.

Register here

Meet me in another world, space and joy

— Prince, "Girls & Boys," 1986

The museum opens June 7, 2026—Prince's birthday, and ten years since his passing. The space is Roberts Gallery, 2400 Plymouth Ave in North Minneapolis, down the street from Prince's childhood home. The gallery is part of North 2400 art space (formerly Homewood studios) run by renowned MN artist Peyton Russell Scott, who painted Prince's First Ave star gold in an overnight intervention back in 2016.

We hope you'll join us in June in Minneapolis as part of the many celebrations of Prince's legacy (including Paisley Park's Celebration, IC4PS Prince Symposium at the University of Minnesota and much more!) that will be happening around town, gathering locals and people from all over the world.

Whether you can join us in Minneapolis in June or participate through your story and art from wherever you are, be part of it. Your story matters. Your art, music, films, quilts, craft and creative works in all forms matter. Help us honor Prince through the eyes and hearts of his audience.

Today's featured image, AngelPrince by Maisha Gilyard, was created on April 21, 2016—a simple, powerful guardian presence that feels especially needed as Minneapolis navigates this difficult moment. 

To everyone in Minneapolis: we're thinking of you.

There's only mountains and the sea

There's nothing greater

Than you and me.

— Prince, "Mountains," 1986

Workshop registration and submission guidelines

Questions? exhibition@peoplesmuseumforprince.org

Submission deadline extended to February 28, 2026