Meet The Team

Lucas Koski is the Vice President of Consulting at Artspace, having previously worked in both Artspace’s Asset Management and Property Development departments. He is a former resident of Artspace’s Tilsner Artists’ Cooperative in Saint Paul, and as an Asset Manager was the liaison for several projects across Artspace’s portfolio including Galveston’s National Hotel Artist Lofts, El Paso’s Roderick Lofts and Santa Cruz’s Tannery Campus.

In his role with Property Development, Lucas led the adaptive reuse development of the 130 year old Feed and Grain in Loveland, marshalled a 51 unit new construction project in Colorado Springs, and has guided the Windgate Arts Campus in Little Rock, among other initiatives.

A proud graduate of Carleton College, Lucas has woven together a career that combines artistic and professional pursuits, including creative event production, dynamic installations, and functional art—often using cuisine as a metaphor. A multidisciplinary artist who balances big picture concepts with detailed minutiae, Lucas explores mise en place with produce and protein, programs in pseudo-public places, and loves the business side of art.

 As a board member of the Creative Enterprise Zone, Lucas helped the organization establish earned revenue streams through the creation of a real estate department that helps place creative businesses in Saint Paul; he also helped guide the creation of Creative Enterprise Zone’s mural festival, Chroma-Zone (a first of its kind in Minnesota).

Lucas fervently believes that the answer to the challenges of tomorrow will be met by the meticulous planning and creative leadership of today. He has been a Jerome, Wilder, Knight, ArtPlace America and McKnight Foundation grantee, an Elsewhere resident, an Art Shanty-er, a member of Intermedia Arts' Creative Community Leadership Institute, a member of Saint Paul’s 2040 Visioning Project, A James P. Shannon Institute member, And a fellow of the Young Cultural Innovators Forum of the Salzburg Global Seminar. As a creative Lucas once held a chef residency at the castle where The Sound of Music was filmed and also created photovoltaic sculptures mimicking rain cycles for the Bakken Museum in Minneapolis.

When he is not at Artspace, you may often find Lucas in his workshop, at the market, with his kid, listening to some jams, or thinking about noodles.

Kelli Miles is a Project Manager in the Consulting Department at Artspace, where she helps communities across the country explore and advance creative space and arts facility development opportunities. Since joining Artspace in 2022, Kelli has worked on a wide range of consulting engagements—including feasibility studies, creative space action plans, and Sustainable Facilities Analyses—that help municipalities, developers, foundations, and arts organizations refine project concepts and evaluate sites, funding pathways, and partnership strategies for projects ranging from cultural facilities to affordable live/work housing for artists.

In her role, Kelli coordinates and co-leads consulting scopes from early inquiry through final deliverables, synthesizing market research, stakeholder engagement, and financial modeling into implementation strategies and development roadmaps that guide communities toward viable projects. 

Before joining Artspace, Kelli worked at the multidisciplinary design firm Cuningham, where she supported proposal development and pursuit strategy for major education-sector projects. She also served as Managing Director of ARENA DANCES, where she helped guide the organization through the acquisition of its permanent home, The Arena, while overseeing operations, fundraising, and programming for the longstanding contemporary dance company and school.

A passionate artist herself, Kelli is also a Minneapolis-based professional dancer, working mostly within the jazz and contemporary dance vernaculars. Throughout her career she has spent time dancing in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Nashville, and Israel. Kelli holds a BFA in Dance with a minor in Leadership from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.

When she’s not working, Kelli enjoys being a tourist in her own city—exploring local restaurants, live music, and neighborhood happenings. She’s also an avid (amateur!) chef, board game enthusiast, and frequent traveler who is always planning her next adventure.