Artists in Action – Your COMPAS News Round-Up

October has always been known for a variety of things; changing leaves, costume parties, haunted hayrides, and an endless supply of pumpkin flavored food and beverages. Here at COMPAS, it also means ribbon cuttings, performance tours, and an endless supply of creativity! 

A Tour de Force

This month we had two duos making their way across Minnesota. First, Leo and Kathy Lara wrapped up their Latin American Folk Music performance tour, in which they worked with families in Iron Mountain, Minnesota as part of Arts Tour Minnesota, supported by the Minnesota State Arts Board. 

Also this month, Steve Sklar & Johnna Morrow traveled all across Northern Minnesota showcasing their Musical Trees from Down Under performance. These performances explored the ancient Australian Aboriginal instrument, the didgeridoo, and its role in cultural contexts. The didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by the indigenous people of northern Australia, potentially from 1,500 years ago and is still in widespread use today both in Australia and around the world. This simple but complex tube, the product of a symbiotic relationship between the earth, trees, termites, and humans has a broad range of uses, including artistic, spiritual, storytelling, healing and fun! 

Learn more about this amazing duo in their interview with North Shore Community Radio!

"Blue Ribbon" Winners 

We are thrilled to hear that St. Anthony Park Elementary and Gordon Bailey Elementary were both named one of the best schools in the nation by the U.S. Department of Education. We are so proud to work with you! See the rundown in this article via Pioneer Press. 

A mural through the seasons...

After months and months of hard work by ArtsWork youth, COMPAS Teaching Artists Mica Lee Anders, Sharra Frank, Armando Gutièrrez, Katrina Knutson, assistant artist Asfia Rizwy and COMPAS’ Arts Innovation Director Betsy Mowry Voss, the Trout Brook Nature Sanctuary underpass mural is complete! COMPAS held a ribbon cutting ceremony last week to celebrate the accomplishment that took a widespread, supportive community to complete. Through this project, more than 40 youth apprentices learned valuable job skills as they worked to build a brighter future for themselves and a better community for us all. This project was an innovative collaboration between nonprofits, government entities, and private businesses who came together to give youth the opportunity to learn, connect, and grow through the arts.

Want to see video and more pictures of this phenomenal project?

Check out our latest blog for all the details!

Looking ahead...

Come listen to some of the best student writers in Minnesota at the Celebration & Reading of COMPAS' 38th Anthology, This Bursting Sound Within. Each composition in the 38th edition was created by a Minnesota student during a Creative Classroom residency with a COMPAS writer, songwriter or spoken word artist.