Falls Community Arts Exchange: Otter Cove Mayoral Elections with Nicole Rojas-Oltmanns

When Jenny Endris, Lead Playworker at Otter Cove Children’s museum in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, heard that she would be spending a month working with a resident artist, she didn’t know what to expect. “I was made aware that we had an art resident coming, which I found quite mysterious and exciting,” she shared. “There are new surprises unfolding every day, and we just show up ready for an adventure.“

And an adventure certainly unfolded when Nicole Rojas-Oltmanns—along with her family—arrived in Fergus Falls in October 2024 to participate in the Falls Community Arts Exchange, a partnership-based art residency stewarded by Springboard for the Arts. Equipped with a downtown apartment, a stipend, a supplies budget, and a creative spirit, Rojas-Oltmanns jumped into The Cove.

As a former English teacher and educator, much of Rojas-Oltmanns’s work as an artist is teaching-based. After an initial brainstorming meeting with Otter Cove staff, Rojas-Oltmanns honed in on two key subjects for her residency: civics and supporting caregivers. She dove right into the civics-minded project and organized an election for the Mayor of Otter Cove.

The Cove had held similar elections in previous years, but Rojas-Oltmanns elevated the process to a whole new level. There were seven critter candidates, each with their own platforms, such as Sally Swan for “Free Speech,” Otto Otter for “Protect Our Lakes and Rivers,” and Stella Squeakers for “Lifelong Learning.” “It was really expanded from what we had done previously,” noted Endris, “and had kids thinking about the reasons why they were voting for one or the other. And I could hear them discussing and deliberating over it.”

Kids made signs, flyers, posters, pamphlets, and other creations in support of their favorite critter. Rojas-Oltmanns designed a hand-crafted voting box, brought in real voting booths, and created interactive “Kid Citizen” pamphlets for the young voters. Parents, grandparents, and caregivers all got involved, and division and partisan politics were checked at the door. “We didn’t even talk about Democrat or Republican,” Endris explained. “We just talked about; these are the critters and these are their causes, these are their goals for The Cove.”

When election day arrived, the kids chose Otto the Otter as their Mayor. “It was such a close run!” Rojas-Oltmanns shared. Endris was amazed at how “far-reaching” Rojas-Oltmanns’s project was. “These are the things that make an impression on kids, that they remember,” she said. “I have no doubt that some of these kids, the first time that they’re 18 and get to go to the ballot box, they’re probably going to remember back to their first voting experience at Otter Cove.”

In the midst of an exciting election season, Rojas-Oltmanns also found the time to focus on her other objective: supporting caregivers. She attended local ECFE classes, talked to parents, and collected a survey. “People were really open about what they felt like they needed more of and what they wished they had known when their kid was younger,” she said. Based on these interactions, Rojas-Oltmanns created informative posters that are displayed on the walls of Otter Cove. Each poster is equipped with a QR code leading to a website Rojas-Oltmanns built, filled with helpful resources regarding child development.

During her four weeks in Fergus Falls, Rojas-Oltmanns also tapped into local businesses, connecting with the Precious Plastics Lab, the Fergus Falls Public Library, the recycling center, Victor Lundeens, and more. “There were lots of places around town that ended up being really helpful in our process,” she said.

As her project wrapped up, Rojas-Oltmanns and her family found it hard to leave. “We expected to like Fergus Falls, but we really did fall in love with it. We really became very connected to it over the course of a month, and I wasn’t expecting that.”

“We expected to like Fergus Falls, but we really did fall in love with it. We really became very connected to it over the course of a month, and I wasn’t expecting that.”

The staff at Otter Cove had a similar feeling. “We have this responsibility to these families and to these kids,” said Endris. “Because we have the fertile soil to sow a seed, and I was just so blessed, really, to share that opportunity with Nicole, because I could feel the respect and the value that was placed on that opportunity. I can’t wait to do it again.”

All photography by Brittanni Smith.

The Falls Community Arts Exchange invites artists to experience and engage with the vibrant arts community in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and connect with Springboard’s work and advocacy in rural creative community development. Learn more about the program.