Middle School (6–8)

Everyone can tell a joke. Within a joke is contained a microcosm of art, culture, and human experience and, when done right, a joke causes an involuntary shared human experience: laughter. My focus as a teaching artist is on comedy writing, joke telling, improvisation, physical comedy and how to apply the theater arts to communicate [...]

Considered a Master Folk Artist (Minnesota State Arts Board), Laura MacKenzie has learned from many tradition-bearers on both sides of the Atlantic. Of Scottish heritage (through Rankins and MacKenzies), her people came to the United States by way of Nova Scotia and Northern Ireland. In Saint Paul, Minnesota, Laura learned to play traditional music at [...]

Kyle Tran Myhre (aka Guante) is a poet and teaching artist based in Minneapolis. He’s performed at the United Nations, contributed to a Grammy-winning album, been a member of two National Poetry Slam championship teams, and visited countless schools, conferences, and festivals, using spoken word and storytelling as doorways into dialogue and community-building. His most [...]

Kevin is an award-winning author and storyteller, using stories to entertain, educate and inspire children and adults for more than a decade. Based in Rochester, Minnesota, Kevin has traveled the Midwest performing at schools, libraries, preschools and community events. Energetic and dynamic, Kevin’s stories grab his audiences and leave them wanting to hear and learn [...]

Not currently booking in person programs. Kelley Meister works as a teaching artist with COMPAS, and at the Science Museum of Minnesota. Kelley teaches stop-motion animation, documentary and narrative filmmaking, digital photography, computer game design, creative circuitry, photographic printmaking, and other technology-infused arts. Kelley’s teaching philosophy is rooted in inquiry, exploration, and process. Merging new [...]

Katrina Knutson was born in South Minneapolis and raised on working class ethics, progressive politics, street art and hip-hop. Since then, she has lived everywhere from Mexico City to Toronto, studying art and looking for inspiration under bridges, on the streets, and in galleries across North America. But no matter how far she travels, Minneapolis [...]

Kashimana Ahua believes each new day brings a new song from within if we take the moments to write it. She believes that everyone should write songs and after she teaches she envisions leaving a strong community of songwriters ready to share their stories through songwriting. Participants learn to use observation, listening, improvisation, collaborative writing [...]