ArtsWork Closes in Style

Final Event Features Art Sale and Performance

St. Paul, MN—COMPAS’ ArtsWork—now in its 6^th year of employing youth as Apprentice Artists for 6 weeks in the summer—will conclude with celebratory events Friday, July 28^th at St. Paul Travers (385 Washington Street, Jackson Room) in Saint Paul.  Thirty-five youth, ages 14 to 21, created art under the tutelage of professional artists, while developing job skills that will prepare them for future employment.

During the 6-week session:
·       Sharra Frank’s group learned the fundamentals of mosaics and created a large-scale mosaic installation, which will be on permanent display at Neighborhood House.
·       Apprentice artists in Kirk Sklar’s jewelry group learned about the fundamentals of design, fabrication, and casting and enameling of original jewelry.
·       Soli Hughes’ group played, improvised, and composed music, and performed for the public.
·       The ArtsWork Store, featuring art by the apprentices, was open for business.

 

 The schedule of public events is:

·      6:00 – 8:30 p.m. Sale of art created by ArtsWork apprentices, including mosaics, jewelry, paintings and drawings
·      6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Performance by the ArtsWork music group

 ArtsWork has the following goals:

·      Provide meaningful employment for young people.
·      Provide mentoring by professional artists.
·      Raise public visibility of downtown Saint Paul and build community outreach.
·      Create an environment that reflects and honors the diversity of the community.

COMPAS is partnering with the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists (site for music), City of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation (Ecolab Plaza site for jewelry and mosaics), Neighborhood House (mosaic installation site), Saint Paul Connections (school credit for apprentices who complete the program), and Youth Job Corps of the City of Saint Paul (recruiting and paying salaries of the apprentices from low-income families.)

Support for ArtsWork has been provided by Comcast, Creative Integration and Design, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Ecolab, St. Paul Travelers, Bremer Financial, Target Foundation and Opus Foundation.

COMPAS strengthens individuals and communities in Minnesota by engaging them in creating art. Formed in 1974, COMPAS is Minnesota’s most widely-used resource for artist residencies and community-building through the arts, each year engaging over 400,000 people in more than 100 Minnesota communities. For over 3 decades COMPAS has demonstrated artistic leadership through its arts education programs. In 1998, COMPAS merged with United Arts. 

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