As someone who used to live in the upper Midwest and whose Museum was devoted
to regional art, I found that the geographic make-up of the AAM regions
largely helped to define "region" although as you know already that there is
a world of difference between St. Paul and Bemidji. Large population centers,
such as the twin cities, Chicago, Kansas City and beyond, offer artistic
enclaves and modern technology provides instananeous communication with other
major art centers nationwide.  But artists who choose to live in a region and
who produce their art there still exhibit much of the diversity reflective of
our culture.  Art centers, such as the Walker and Des Moines, offer high
visibility for contemporary artists, and museums such as your's help through
exhibition and collection programs.  I now live in the South and define the
southeast region as Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky,
Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana.  Two edge states - Florida and
West Virginia - round out the southeast region.  And while all have specific
aspects of the art of their primary cultures, there does appear to be
somewhat of a regional flavor.