Arts Learning

Weaving: The first session took place at Franklin Library in Minneapolis in February-March, and the second session took place at Skyline Tower in St Paul in August-September. We chose these locations as gathering places for members of the Twin Cities' Somali community, where people might stumble upon the classes and choose to check them out. This approach was successful, but we would like to continue to deepen our engagement of Somali youth specifically. In the future, we will offer classes that are separate for Somali youth and non-Somalis, because feedback indicated that Somali youth felt more ownership of spaces that were specifically for them. We would also like to continue to improve in regards to student retention, so they can gain deeper understanding of the craft. In the future, we will likely shorten each class session and also target activities to spaces that cater to more specific demographics, to increase a collective accountability for finishing the class. Finally, Cultural Interpreter/Education Coordinator Amina’s role in the class was also part of the program’s mission, as Amina is herself a young Somali-American adult interested in studying her own culture, and the class offered her a unique opportunity to engage deeply with elder women teachers and study a traditional art form. Dance: This program engaged a phenomenal group of Somali-American teens and young adults. These participants exceeded our expectations for their commitment, and established a model for future youth programming at the Museum. Participants made significant sacrifices to participate in the Dance Troupe, including one student who ended a romantic relationship in favor of focusing on dance study. In addition, the participants created a space for themselves to call the Somali Museum home. Several Dance participants now come to the Somali Museum most days after school, as a space to do their homework immersed in their culture. Other participants have testified that participation in the Dance Troupe has kept them away from trouble and bad influences. One more story-- Although it is not covered in this grant, it also bears mentioning that this year the Dance Troupe was invited to perform in Grand Forks, North Dakota as part of the African Arts Arena annual showcase, as well as in Washington, DC at a gala event of the organization Islamic Relief USA. It was a great honor for these youth to represent their community through their art. Poetry: Although we advertised the class as for those who already speak, read, and write Somali, several participants attended hoping to actually increase their knowledge of Somali language. This is an important demographic for us to offer resources to, but unfortunately limited the ability of this program to offer high-quality arts programming for participants who came seeking poetry study. We will work to be extremely clear in marketing in the future about the ability levels required to attend programs. Sixteen young adults performed as the Somali Museum Dance Troupe, the Twin Cities’ premier Somali folk dance ensemble. Weaving classes offered 112 participants a transformative experience in which their knowledge of Somali culture was deepened through immersive study with teaching artists.