Above: The 2018 Art Shanty Projects transformed frozen Lake Harriet into a giant playground for adults and children Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, in Minneapolis, MN. Photo by DAVID JOLES • david.joles@startribune.com

The creative art shanties won’t be returning to a frozen lake near you this winter, but they're still planning their next icy moves.

Art Shanty Projects, which was unable to secure a $85,000 funding grant needed to make this winter’s project happen, will host two community meetings this month to discuss moving forward. The meetings will include short presentations by Board co-chairs and discussion groups, and occur on Tues., Oct. 23 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Red Stag Supperclub (509 1st Ave NE, Mpls) and Sun., Oct. 28 from 3-4:30 p.m. at Can Can Wonderland (755 Prior Ave. N., St. Paul).

Art Shanty Projects hopes to return to Lake Harriet in 2020. In previous years, the project had appeared at different spots around Minnesota, including Medicine Lake and White Bear Lake. Last year’s art-filled winter celebration attracted some 40,000 people to the 21 artist-created ice-fishing houses, double the event’s previous record, and triple the attendance in 2017.

The organization wants to move away from a grant-funded model and toward a membership program, making it less dependent on unpredictable grants.