Emerging Young Artists award show recap: The future looks bright!
/
If you’re a regular reader of our blog (or the Pioneer Press and MinnPost), you’ll know that earlier this month, we hosted our second annual Emerging Young Artists (EYA) award show and gallery exhibition opening. We’re thrilled to share that the turnout was fantastic, and the evening was filled with laughter, excitement, and inspiration. Below are some of the highlights and a few photos.
First, though, a little about EYA (in case you’re not a regular reader of our blog.) (By the way, YOU SHOULD BE A REGULAR READER OF OUR BLOG! Just sign up here, and we’ll keep you informed about all things COMPAS!)
Anyway!
The Emerging Young Artists - Saint Paul (EYA - Saint Paul) program launched in 2022. COMPAS is now offering EYA annually, so this was the program’s 2nd year. We’re on a roll!
The initiative seeks to recognize, celebrate, and develop the skills of young visual artists in the Saint Paul metro region. It also continues the legacy of the Les Farrington Best 100 Juried Art Show, an annual Saint Paul youth art exhibition administered by the Saint Paul Jaycees from 1957 until 2019. (We LOVE the Jaycees and are so grateful to partner with them!)
EYA - Saint Paul delivers visual arts education where it is needed most. Minnesota has one of the largest gaps in the country when it comes to education outcomes disparities by race and socioeconomic status, and that achievement gap is especially prevalent in Saint Paul. Over 65% of Saint Paul Public School students receive free or reduced-price lunches, and 79% are non-white. (Consider reading this paragraph again. These statistics are devastating.)
2023 Emerging Young Artists Juried Show and Gallery Exhibition
On Thursday, March 9th, emerging artists from Saint Paul (12-18 years old) along with their friends, families, and teachers gathered at Creators Space in downtown Saint Paul for an award show recognizing their artistry and the launch of a gallery exhibition that featured their work.
We will never forget the emotion that filled Creators Space that night. Watching the young artists and their loved ones throughout the evening was a truly moving experience. Some arrived at Creators Space and stepped through the doorway shyly, with slight hesitation, as if they didn’t know what they’d find inside the walls of the creative center. Others boldly crossed the threshold, filled out a nametag, posed for photos in front of the step-and-repeat, and quickly explored the buffet of delicious snacks arrayed just outside the gallery. (As we all know, an evening of artistry must be powered by some carbs and sugar!) Regardless of how they arrived, every EYA participant was clear about one thing: They were there because they are talented artists, and their work was being recognized and celebrated.
After photos and snacks, it was on to the gallery exhibition, and that’s where the evening’s deep emotions became very apparent. The artists moved quickly and purposefully through the gallery in search of their artwork and then proudly showed their creations to their loved ones, who could often be seen wiping away tears as they viewed the art and posed for photos next to it.
Soon, it was time for the award ceremony. Everyone gathered in the coffee house space, and awards were given to twenty of the young artists. The selection process for the awards focused on both the aesthetic skills of the students and on aspects of their professional development. Each artist submitted a statement about their artwork describing their motivations and processes. The statements were used by a jury comprised of COMPAS Teaching Artists in conjunction with a grading rubric to evaluate each artwork based on skill, creativity, execution, knowledge in the medium of choice, and how clearly the piece communicated the artist’s intentions or message. In other words, being selected for the juried show and then winning an award took effort and talent, and it was a significant achievement!
As you can probably tell, we are still very excited about the Emerging Young Artists award show. But don’t just take our word for how wonderful it was. Check out these photos from the evening. They really capture how special emerging young artists are.
The COMPAS team offers its warmest congratulations to all the EYA participants! You are why we do this work, and we are so grateful for you!
