Young Artists Initiative

Young Artists Initiative (YAI) is a program of First Lutheran Church that offers its signature high quality arts programming for the young people on Saint Paul’s East Side and across the Twin Cities.

YAI believes that the arts should be accessible to all young people regardless of their race, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, ability or economic status. An important component of a YAI experience is the support we provide to young artists, helping them build confidence for productions and for life outside the walls of the theater. We help young people make connections between areas of knowledge, build cross-cultural connections, create new artists and build audiences among groups that might not otherwise be able to participate in theater or enjoy it as a member of the audience.

YAI grew out of the desire of two Saint Paul arts educators to provide a creative opportunity to those whose economic situation typically prevents them from accessing such expressive endeavors. That first year YAI offered two day-long Saturday workshops and a summer theater production; we have since grown into an organization that offers year-round programming, including week-long arts workshops, a number of collaborative non-school-day arts camps, and four fully realized theatrical productions, including a new teen production. YAI brings a strong connection to the greater community of professionals who work in youth development, as their efforts intersect with or mirror our own. YAI administrative staff donates their time to ensure that as many financial resources are directed to young people as possible, and YAI staff members assist with the duties necessary to ensure the highest quality experiences for the young artists in our charge.