COMPAS launches 50th-anniversary celebration with juried art show for visual artists 12-18 years old
/Award show & gallery opening to be held on Thurs., March 7 at 5:00pm at Landmark Center
Press contact: Samantha Massaglia / 612.618.5507 / sam@compas.org
(Saint Paul, MN) – COMPAS, a non-profit education organization that teaches through art, has announced details of the 3rd annual juried student art show, gallery exhibition, and awards ceremony for its Emerging Young Artists - Saint Paul (EYA - Saint Paul) program. The award show and gallery exhibition opening – which are open to the public - will take place on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 5 p.m. at Landmark Center (75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN 55102). The gallery exhibition will run from March 7 – April 28, 2024. EYA recognizes, celebrates, and develops the skills of young visual artists in the Saint Paul metro region and continues the legacy of the Les Farrington Best 100 Juried Art Show, which was previously administered by JCI Saint Paul, also known as the Saint Paul Jaycees.
Students from the East Metro were invited to submit visual artwork for inclusion in the juried show. Eighty-two students submitted 571 total art pieces. Pieces for the show were selected by a panel of local teaching artists, each of whom works with COMPAS to bring creative experiences, including participatory art-making opportunities, to schools. Seventeen awards will be given to the emerging artists at the award show on March 7. The program is sponsored by the Saint Paul Jaycees Charitable Foundation, Saint Paul Cultural STAR program, National Endowment for the Arts, Kathryn Schleich, and Travelers.
“Young artists breathe life into our society, infusing it with fresh perspectives, boundless creativity, and the courage to explore the unknown,” said Dawne Brown White, COMPAS executive director. “We are honored to celebrate the accomplishments of the next generation of Saint Paul’s creators at the Emerging Young Artists award show. Over its fifty-year history, COMPAS has provided creative experiences to over three million Minnesotans of all ages, resulting in the creation of millions of poems, stories, drawings, and songs. During our 50th-anniversary year, we extend a heartfelt invitation to all Minnesotans to join us in celebrating and exploring how creativity shapes and enriches our world.”
"The level of artistic expression by these students is extraordinary! They often share meaningful commentary on our world and personal experiences,” said Lisa Hiebert, trustee with the Saint Paul Jaycees Charitable Foundation. “The Saint Paul Jaycees Foundation is proud to continue to encourage and celebrate our talented young artists through this one-of-a-kind program.”
PARTICIPANTS OF LAST YEAR’S SHOW
This year’s EYA show is also the launch of “Creativity Saves the World,” a year-long initiative by COMPAS to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Throughout the year, COMPAS will host events, facilitate conversations, and share information that explores the transformative power of creativity. COMPAS is also debuting "Creativity on Tap," a podcast that brings together artists, educators, and business leaders to explore creativity's role in their industries and its potential to address today's greatest challenges.
The public and press are warmly invited to attend the awards reception and gallery opening:
Thursday, March 7, 2024
5-8pm
Landmark Center: 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN 55102
EYA - Saint Paul Gallery Exhibition will be open to the public:
March 7- April 28, 2024
Monday – Friday: 8 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday: 12 -5 pm
Landmark Center: 75 5th St. W., Saint Paul, MN 55102
ABOUT EMERGING YOUNG ARTISTS (EYA)
COMPAS EYA (compas.org/emerging-young-artists) launched in 2022 with a pilot offering of the juried gallery show. In the first stage of the program, EYA - Saint Paul has focused on serving Saint Paul by offering opportunities for young visual artists in the Saint Paul metro region. It’s funded in part by the City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR program, which is committed to providing equitable arts experiences for all students in Saint Paul. EYA is the legacy of the Les Farrington Best 100 Juried Art Show, which was previously administered by JCI Saint Paul, also known as Saint Paul Jaycees. From its inception in 1957 until 2019, the Best 100 Juried Art Show was an annual gallery exhibition showcasing the talent of young Saint Paul artists. Although the JCI Saint Paul chapter closed operations in 2020, the Saint Paul Jaycees Charitable Foundation, which was the funder for many of JCI Saint Paul’s larger community events, continues to operate and serves as the legacy sponsor of the new COMPAS program.
It is COMPAS’ vision that future phases of the EYA program will expand the show to include all areas of the Twin Cities, which will create a competitive and enriching experience where students across the metro can show off their creative talents and earn awards and recognition.
About COMPAS
COMPAS (compas.org) is a nonprofit arts education organization with 50 years of experience delivering dynamic and engaging creative experiences in communities across Minnesota. COMPAS connects professional Teaching Artists with students, teachers, older adults, hospital patients, teens, and community members to spark their imaginations and infuse their lives with creativity. Minnesota thrives when all of us have access to creative opportunities, and the arts empower people of all ages to tell their stories and amplify their unique voices.
About the Saint Paul Jaycees Charitable Foundation
For 91 years, JCI Saint Paul (jcistpaul.org) (formerly called the Saint Paul Jaycees) proudly provided leadership development opportunities for young professionals to create positive change in the Saint Paul community. For about 60 years, JCI Saint Paul held the Les Farrington Best 100 Juried Art Exhibition for young artists. The Saint Paul Jaycees Charitable Foundation continues to support various programs, projects, and organizations in the City of Saint Paul, including serving as a founding sponsor of the Emerging Young Artists program.
This activity is supported, in part, by the City of Saint Paul Cultural Sales Tax Revitalization Program and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
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