ArtsYES

ArtsYES: Out-of-School-Time Programs

While many youth living on the East Side of St. Paul get a taste for the arts through a brief program at a school assembly or demonstration in a classroom, there are few opportunities for them to thoroughly engage in high-quality arts experiences outside the regular school day. East Side Arts Council’s ArtsYES (Arts for Youth on the East Side) program brings high quality, professional arts experiences to East Side children with free after-school and summer courses in the arts.

Youth who are engaged in structured, quality programs during times of the day when high-risk activities take place often gain an improved academic outlook, resulting in better performance in school. Summer proves to be an especially challenging time to meet this need for our youth, when a few hours after school grow to entire days previously filled with regular, structured activities. Combining resources and expertise with our partners, ArtsYES works to fill this void for children of all learning styles, grade levels, and abilities in schools, recreation centers and open spaces across the East Side.

There are three components to ArtsYES:
•    Afterschool Arts: providing skill-building art classes to more than 600 K-9th graders annually
•    Artmobile: offering drop-in art classes to more than 600 children and families each summer;
•    EastSide KidVenture: engaging St. Paul Public School students grades K-12 in arts activities on releases days during the school year and hosting 10 weeks of arts-focused summer camps.

East Side St. Paul organizations interested in arts programming partnership with ESAC should contact the Program Coordinator at 651-774-5422 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Current partnerships include: The City of Saint Paul; Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Centers; Saint Paul Public Schools; 21st Century Community Learners: Bruce F. Vento Elementary, Battle Creek Middle School, Hazel Park Middle School Academy, Monroe Arts Plus Community School, Farnsworth Aerospace Junior High School, Dayton's Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary, Highwood Hills Elementary, Phalen Lake Elementary; and the east side Salvation Army.