St. Paul, MN—ArtsWork, COMPAS’ “earn to learn” through arts apprentice program, is honored to receive a National Endowment for the Arts grant to assist in the program’s expansion to Saint Paul neighborhoods and Minneapolis.
Talented youth and professional artists are participating in the seventh year of COMPAS’ ArtsWork from June 18 to July 27. This summer 72 youth, ages 14 to 21, will work with 7 artists for 6 weeks in downtown Saint Paul, and for the first time, at McDonough and El Rio Vista Recreation Centers and the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. The apprentices and artists were selected by an application and interview process. COMPAS will employ economically disadvantaged youth using the services of the Saint Paul Youth Job Corps under contract with the City of Saint Paul and the City of Minneapolis Younger Youth STEP-UP Program.
Soli Hughes’ group is playing, improvising, and composing music; recording; and performing on Ecolab Plaza in downtown Saint Paul. Tobechi Tobechukwu is teaching youth the basics of digital and documentary photography. They will document their lives and create a group photo essay. Apprentices working with Sharra Frank are learning basic and advanced skills needed to create mosaics. Participants will produce individual works, and a large-scale mosaic sculpture for permanent display at the new SteppingStone Theatre facility. Denise Tennen is teaching the basics of ceramic art and the principles of design. The final product will be a wall-mounted ceramic relief to display in the lobby of the Goodwill Easter Seals building. Lisa Himmelstrup’s group will learn basic clay techniques, create individual projects, and make a clay tile bench for McDonough Recreation Center. Under the direction of Patricia Brown, apprentices will express themselves through traditional dance and drumming from Africa, the Caribbean, America, and African Diaspora. Using the art of video storytelling, Sai Thao will help youth explore life and diversity within the community of the Midtown Global Market.
COMPAS is also working with Saint Paul Connections (school credit for apprentices who complete the program), Landmark Center (site for activities and performances), St. Paul Parks and Recreation (Ecolab Plaza site for tents and performances), VSA arts Minnesota (assistance for youth with disabilities during interview process), Saint Paul Central Library (orientation), and Travelers (final event).
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.
Throughout the six-week program, ArtsWork will transform Saint Paul and Minneapolis into artists’ studios with Apprentice Artists working 25 hours a week. The public will be able to view apprentices at work, buy finished art works at the ArtsWork Store, and enjoy performances on Ecolab Plaza and at the Midtown Global Market.
Corporate, foundation, and government support is from Creative Integration & Design, Bush Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, Ecolab, Travelers, Otto Bremer Foundation, Target Foundation, and Saint Paul Cultural STAR.
COMPAS strengthens people 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 300,000 people in the arts in more than 100 Minnesota communities. For more than three decades COMPAS has demonstrated artistic leadership through its arts education programs.
