Center for Hmong Arts & Talent

CHAT programs operate with two arms:

1) Youth Arts Program introduces, teaches and engages Hmong youth in art activities that foster creative expression and leadership skills, and nurtures healthy self-development.

• Art Saves Us (ASU) provides free art classes and transportation to Hmong youth, ages 8 – 19, as a productive, engaging alternative for out-of-school activities. ASU offers artistic instruction within a safe and comfortable atmosphere where youth develop a sense of identity, community and discipline through creative self-expression. ASU sessions last for 12 weeks and each class culminates with a public Showcase where youth perform and/or present their artwork to family, friends and community.

• Youth Leadership Group (YLG) is specifically for youth ages 15 – 19. YLG uses theater arts as a vehicle to foster leadership skills, encourage civic engagement and heightens expectations for success after high school.  The program is an intense year-long program for youth who have extremely high potential but little opportunity to reach that potential.  The group meets regularly to discuss critical issues affecting the Hmong community; select, plan and organize a theatrical campaign to address the issue; and presents the campaign at a local theatre and tours to Universities, Conferences, organizational events and libraries. Through the process of creating and implementing the campaign, youth develop skills in consensus and team-building, leadership and follow-through, as well as marketing, producing and community-building.

2) Navigate: Artist Services offers development and advancement opportunities for adult Hmong American artists and simultaneously builds audiences to support the work.

• Annual Fresh Traditions Fashion Show: Despite the 70,000 Hmong living in the Twin Cities -in 2007- Fresh Traditions was the first fashion show featuring all Hmong designers. Fresh Traditions designers have complete creative control over their designs for the show — with one challenge. Each designer was required to make one full outfit using a combination of the same 5 Hmong fabrics used in traditional Hmong clothing.

• DabNeeg Dawning Theatre: Old Stories in a New Light

Special Projects/Events:

Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival:  CHAT has been celebrating the artistic soul of the Hmong community since 2001.  The Festival is held in August at the Western Sculpture Park in St. Paul and has grown to showcase nearly 100 Hmong artists and attracts a diverse audience of an estimated 3,000 people each year.