This spring, COMPAS is out in the community, creating space for young voices, building local connections, and inspiring artful expression across Minnesota. We’re excited to share several standout events that reflect this work in action. The best part? You can participate in all of them!
Youth Spoken Word Showcase
First up is the Youth Spoken Word Showcase, happening Thursday, May 29, at the Capri Theater in North Minneapolis. COMPAS has invited young poets (grades 7-12) to take the stage and share their original work in a powerful evening of self-expression and connection. This COMPAS initiative, offered in partnership with the Capri Theater, is led by our Principal Teaching Artist, Frank Sentwali.
We warmly invite you to attend the concert on May 29! It will be FREE and open to the public!
And if you are a young poet, there’s still time to participate in the showcase!
Saint Paul GetDown
Next is the Saint Paul GetDown, a high-energy, youth-centered event that brings youth artistry to life through performance, mentorship, and community connection.
Designed for artists ages 14 to 24, the GetDown is more than a stage. It’s a place where young people build skills, take creative risks, and lead. From beat-making and freestyling to event production and storytelling, participants gain hands-on experience while working alongside professional mentors and peers. This program reflects the heart of COMPAS’s mission: nurturing creativity, confidence, and leadership in young artists by meeting them right where they are: in the community. Learn more about the GetDown in this blog post from last year.
Good news! There will be a series of GetDown performances over the summer, and they are all open to the public and free! The first concert will be on June 21st at Central Village Park in Saint Paul (457 Central Ave. W.) from 1-5pm.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Creative Sparks in Greater Minnesota
Finally, COMPAS is also connecting with communities in Greater Minnesota through music and storytelling. Throughout May, COMPAS Teaching Artist Charlie Maguire is performing at libraries across the Arrowhead region with his concert Going to Bartalina: Songs and Stories of Commercial Sailing on the Great Lakes, a powerful program that brings maritime history to life through music, memory, and lived experience.
Marking the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the 120th anniversary of the Mataafa wreck off Duluth’s Canal Park, Charlie’s performances honor the people and stories behind these iconic events.
The tour is only in its second week, and we are already hearing amazing stories from concertgoers, including one about an audience member (in her 80s!) who missed her ride and hitchhiked 25 miles to the public library so she could be at the concert! As Charlie commented: “Never underestimate the women of the Minnesota Iron Range, my friends!”
To find a Bartalina concert near you, go here. Or follow Arrowhead Library System on Facebook.
Going to Bartalina is presented by the Arrowhead Library System and funded in part by Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Where Creativity Shows Up
At COMPAS, we believe creativity belongs everywhere. It shows up in poems shared from a stage, in songs that carry history, and in the moment a young artist begins to realize their creative potential. These programs are not just events. They are moments that bring people together, spark a connection, and remind us that every voice has value. When a teenager steps up to a microphone, when a community member hears their own story in a song, when someone travels miles just to be part of something meaningful, that is the heart of this work. And that is why we keep showing up, again and again, wherever creativity calls.
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.
Read more stories about our work to put creativity in the hands of millions of Minnesotans here.
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