COMPAS Teaching Artists are the hidden secret behind some of the most impactful summer programs in the Twin Cities.
Every year, organizations like the Science Museum of Minnesota, the Minnesota Boyschoir, and the Hennepin County Library rely on COMPAS to bring creativity, connection, and discovery to their summer offerings. These skilled professionals deliver more than just arts education—they create transformative experiences that help participants grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
COMPAS’s involvement was fueled by a chance reconnection. In the fall of 2023, veteran COMPAS spoken word artist and Principal Teaching Artist Frank Sentwali walked into the Jimmy Lee Recreation Center, eager to deepen COMPAS’ connections with Saint Paul’s youth.
Jacqui Thompson’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. As a recent guest on our Creativity on Tap podcast, she shared a story that reaches beyond the traditional definitions of success. It’s a tale of grit, reinvention, and a relentless drive to create. Her story highlights how creativity can be a force for transformation and connection, shaping both personal journeys and collective communities. From her groundbreaking work with music icon Prince to carving out a space in the world of mezcal, Jacqui has forged a path uniquely her own—and, in doing so, has made space for others to follow, inspiring new acts of creativity along the way
Black Youth Healing Arts Center (BYHAC) Program Director Jan Mandel found life in the theater and healing in the art. The long-time high school theater teacher, who for years was the cultivator of the St. Paul Central High School Black Box and Central Touring Theater (CTT), has spent a lifetime offering youth “theater art” as a way to heal—heal trauma, heal pain, heal wounds, heal scars, and heal any fear of expressing joy publicly. Often, the youth Jan guides choose to heal with a mixture of gut-wrenching experiences, youthful pragmatism, and laugh-out-loud wit—all delivered authentically and expressed through poetry, song, intense dramatic monologue, or skit.
Nancy Lyons didn’t take the typical path to becoming a CEO. In fact, as she shared with host Frank Sentwali in a recent episode of our Creativity on Tap podcast, the boardrooms and conference calls she navigates today are a world away from her early years spent immersed in the theater.
Lily Tomlin’s witty one-liner might make you chuckle, but it also reveals something deeper: libraries may not be known for glamour, but they’re bursting with creativity and community spirit. That spirit was on full display recently at the St. Peter Public Library when COMPAS Teaching Artist Shakun Maheshwari led a workshop on henna painting, transforming the library into a vibrant cultural hub.
Art has a unique way of bringing people together.
Whether it’s drawing a sunset, writing poetry, or making music, creative activities can unite communities, families, and people of all ages. At Countryside Elementary School in Edina, one student’s newfound haiku skills sparked an unexpected connection with her bus driver, leading to a delightful exchange of poetry.
Sometimes, a single moment of creativity can leave a mark on a child’s life that resonates for decades, echoing in ways no one could have imagined. One such story of enduring impact begins with a simple email that COMPAS Teaching Artist Charlie Maguire recently received. The message was from Dr. Caitlin Raasch, who remembered Charlie’s [...]
