Picture it:
A room vibrating with an energy that’s hard to name. The kind that comes when something important is about to unfold. When talent meets opportunity, and the unknown is just moments from being revealed. The air crackles with anticipation. Not with the roar of a stadium but with the intense hum of creativity at its peak.
If the playoffs are where athletes prove their grit, the COMPAS Emerging Young Artists (EYA) program is where aspiring artists take their shot at something just as game-changing: a chance to be seen, celebrated, and launched into the next chapter of their journeys. No whistles, no scoreboards. Just raw talent, bold expression, and the kind of artistry that stops you in your tracks. Brushes, chisels, cameras, computers, and sketchbooks become instruments of triumph, and a gallery transforms into an arena.
And this year, that arena really came to life!
On March 6th, the COMPAS EYA Award Show and Gallery Exhibition Launch took place at the historic Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul.
Now in its fourth year, EYA is a launchpad for the next generation of Saint Paul’s creative talent. Each year, young artists aged 12 to 18 receive valuable mentorship from COMPAS teaching artists during classroom residencies, gaining visual arts experience beyond the typical classroom curriculum. Then, they have an opportunity to submit their work for inclusion in COMPAS’s juried art show and gallery exhibition.
This year, the numbers spoke for themselves: 135 young artists from Saint Paul’s East Metro submitted an impressive 287 pieces of visual art for consideration. A panel of COMPAS teaching artists carefully reviewed each submission and selected sixty-two pieces for inclusion in the gallery exhibition. Each participant received a gift card in honor of their work. In addition, twenty awards for excellence were presented at the award show, including three special honors from the Saint Paul Jaycees Charitable Foundation. A total of $9,200 was distributed.
For these young artists, this was more than an exhibition. It was their moment, a chance to be heard, a chance to make us see the world through their eyes. They addressed profound topics in their art, including racism, mental health, world affairs, and more, turning personal expression into something powerful and universal.
In addition to the award show and gallery exhibition, the evening included opportunities for everyone to experience the joy of creating art. COMPAS teaching artists. Chiaki O’Brien, seangarrison, and Stefon “Bionik” Taylor were on hand to lead ‘make and take’ art projects. Attendees also enjoyed delicious food from Lulu’s Salsas.
The evening was as delicious as it was unforgettable.
The arts empower young people to process the world, push boundaries, and tell stories that demand to be heard. But don’t take our word for it. See it for yourself.
Watch this video featuring the young artists.
See their faces, hear their voices, and feel their stories. Then, stop by the gallery at Landmark Center and see their work in person. It will be available to view FOR FREE until April 10th.
Once you do, we know you’ll agree with us: This is why the arts matter and why we all have a responsibility to make creativity accessible to children and teens.
The arts don’t just shape young minds. They set them free!
Visit the exhibition at Landmark Center
March 7- April 10, 2025
Monday – Friday: 8 am – 5 pm
Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday: 12 -5 pm
Want to learn more about COMPAS and how we can bring creativity to your school, organization, business, community center, library, and ANYWHERE ELSE? We’ve got you. Reach out here.
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