Virtual Arts and Education Activities
Learning Resources for Families and Students
Even when we can’t gather to be creative in-person, COMPAS hopes to continue providing access to creativity through remote and virtual activities. Below is a reservoir of third-party learning and arts resources for families and parents. New material will be added periodically.
Want regular arts activities in your inbox? Sign up for our COMPAS Home Studio weekly newsletter below!
+ Week of March 22nd
- 12 Virtual Museum Tours: Run wild through the hallways of the J. Paul Getty Museum or traverse the British Museum’s timeline of human history - can you find the African Rock Art and then create your own scene?
- Ann Arbor Film Festival Live Stream: Starts Thursday, March 24th at 4pm EDT and runs through Sunday, March 29th. Watch films and programming according to the festival schedule.
- Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Free Concert Library: Free high-quality videos and audio recordings of SPCO performances, along with helpful and educational information about musicians and composers.
+ Week of March 29th
- Draw Every Day With JJK: Join children's author and illustrator JJK for daily doodle sessions and drawing exercises.
- National Theatre at Home: London's premier theater is streaming performances for free every Thursday. Videos will be available for a week at a time.
- Poetry Writing Prompts from Joyce Sidman: COMPAS Teaching Artist Joyce Sidman shares a number of poetry writing prompts on her website.
- Montreux Jazz Festival Free Video Concerts: Watch 50 historic concerts from the shores of Lake Geneva, Switzerland, including iconic musicians like Nina Simone and Marvin Gaye.
- The Story Library: A virtual library of video and audio stories, along with resources for aspiring storytellers to practice their craft.
+ Week of April 5th
- Creative Movement with MN Joe: Join our first Zoom workshop and learn the basics of breaking with B-Boy extraordinaire MN Joe!
- BONUS: List of Virtual Dance Classes in a variety of styles and formats!
- BONUS: List of Virtual Dance Classes in a variety of styles and formats!
- Portable Poetry Session-a-Day from COMPAS Teaching Artist Zoë Bird. Get a new dose of inspiration each day to read and write poetry!
- Saint Paul Public Library Virtual Storytime: Librarians from Saint Paul Public Library read stories and lead literacy activities on Facebook Live every morning at 10:30am. Plus, keep an eye out for some COMPAS-partner content in the near future!
- Levar Burton Reads: Join actor, director, and Reading Rainbow star Levar Burton for weekly live story readings for children, young adults, and adults!
+ Week of April 12th
- Remote Activities from Minnesota Museums: A list of remote arts and educational activities from Minnesota institutions like the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Wesiman Art Museum, and the Walker Art Center.
- California Poets in Schools Remote Lessons: 30 poetry lesson plans to get you through National Poetry Month.
- Stay @ Home, Play @ Home: Music education resources and virtual music lessons from Music Impact Network!
+ Week of April 19th
- Public Art Saint Paul People's Chalk 2020: Participate in the 2020 Sidewalk Poetry competition by chalking your original poems on sidewalks around St. Paul!
- Pandemic Poetry Hang: Join COMPAS Teaching Artist Becca Barniskis for a daily livestream to write and chat about poetry.
- Seattle Symphony Watch and Listen: Watch professional concerts and family-specific programming to learn about different musical instruments!
- Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems: Daily drawing exercises with children's author and illustrator Mo Willems!
+ Week of April 26th
- Alvin Ailey All Access: Watch performances, participate in live conversations, and take classes from the renowned dancers of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
- Poets.org Materials for Teachers: Writing exercises and lesson plans for teachers and educators - and anyone who wants to write!
- Watch: Shakespeare's Globe: Free Youtube premieres of classic Shakespeare works from the historic Globe Theatre.
- Twin Cities Remote Activities Weekend of May 1st: Fun, free events and activities from Tinw Cities-based arts organizations
+ Week of May 3rd
- Saint Paul Public Library Virtual Workshops: Join COMPAS Teaching Artists for virtual workshops and performances on SPPL's website!
- MN Orhcestra At Home: Minnesota Orchestra's online portal for music education and professional performances.
- The Current Virtual Gig List: Daily livestreamed concerts from your favorite musicians around the world.
- Schubert Club Virtual Concerts: Online programming from Schubert Club including concerts and listening circles for deeper dives into specific pieces of music, composers, and styles.
+ Week of May 10th
- Wordplay at the Loft: The Loft Literary Center's entire Wordplay Festival goes virtual! Check out readings and discussions from your favorite Minnesota authors.
- Center for Puppetry Arts @ Home: Free virtual puppet shows, workshops, and more from the Center for Puppetry Arts.
- Art-A-Whirl Online: Visit open studios, watch live music, and participate in arts demos in the first ever virtual Art-A-Whirl from the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association.
- NYC Ballet Digital Spring Season: Experience one of the foremost dance companies in the world with a series of virtual performances.
+ Week of May 17th
- Theater Mu: Virtual Mu: Check out a calendar of upcoming virtual performances, table reads, and discussions from the St. Paul-based Theater Mu.
- The Kennedy Center at Home: The world-renowned Kennedy Center posts daily digital content including concerts, comedy shows, and short video lessons.
- Blick's Young at Art Challenge: How are you and your family staying creative at home? Share your story and enter to win a $250 gift card from arts supplier Blick!