Simply put, we use the arts to teach social and communication skills. We work with people of all abilities and of all ages. In each of our classes we go over our Guidelines for Good Graces:

1. Raise your hand (if you’ve got something to say, just raise your hand)
2. Respect (treat everyone, including yourself, with kindness)
3. Risk (try new things, challenge yourself)

It’s this third guideline that has really worked its way into my heart, soul, and body over the past year and a half. I’ve always considered myself a risk taker. For example, I moved across the country just because I liked the arts community here in the Twin Cities and ended up running a small theatre company for five years. While that came with some challenges, it was eerily familiar in that I had made big moves before and working in theatre was what I did.

With each passing class (and each discussion of risk), I began to question myself. What risks can I take that aren’t familiar? How can I challenge myself in a new way? I started off small. Never a runner before in my life, I decided to take a risk and run a 5k. I talked with a friend about helping me get started, signed up for a race, and then trained for four months. On April 30 of last year, I completed the Get in Gear 5k and am proud to report that I ran the entire time!

So, why am I telling you all of this? I couldn’t do this amazingly fulfilling work without my friends at Upstream Arts. I couldn’t have run my first 5k without the support of my friends along the way. I’ve been inspired to take on a new risk, but I need your help.

On Sunday, August 12, 2012, I’m participating in my first triathlon! I will swim 500 yards, bike 15.5 miles, and run 5k, all to raise money for Upstream Arts. My goal is to raise $3750. That’s $1250 per segment of swimming, biking, and running. To put that dollar amount into perspective, this would cover over half the costs for one 12-week residency.

I’m launching this fundraiser on February 12, exactly 6 months to the day of the race at Lake Nokomis. I’ve got 6 months to train, and you’ve got 6 months to help me. Think you can spare $5? Awesome! Or $5 a month from now until August? Awesome! Maybe you want to pony up for $100 for one segment of the race? Or $100 for each segment? Awesome! You can donate easily via this website, send in a check with “tri” in the memo line (to Upstream Arts, 3501 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407), or hand me cash money and I’ll make sure it makes its way into the office. Any amount you choose to give will be much appreciated and will help share our unique programming with more people. I’ll acknowledge you as a supporter unless you tell me you’d rather it be an anonymous gift. You’ve got between now and August 12 to make a financial contribution for Swim. Bike. Run. Try., but you’re welcome to continue your support at any amount at any time after the event as well!

I’ve also created a website with more information on this endeavor: http://www.swimbikeruntry.weebly.com

Working with Upstream Arts has changed my life.
Embracing my inner athlete has changed my life.

Please consider supporting me as I take a risk and Swim. Bike. Run. Try. to raise money for Upstream Arts so that more youth and adults with disabilities may try new things in our classes and in their lives.

-Teaching Artist (and Triathalon Trainee) Jess Finney

Visit her fundraising page for more information and to show your support

Jess Finney is starting training for her August triathalon, an event she’s using to fundraise for Upstream Arts (more information to come)!

Charles Fraser will be appearing in Park Square Theatre’s production of The Diary of Anne Frank February 27 – May 18.

Julie Kurtz is in Bolivia working with the Artist’s Collective Colectivo Katari and Casa de Colores.

Charles Fraser is the production designer for Saint Louis Park High School‘s production of “Almost, Maine,” performing January 13, 14, and 15. He is also leading St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists‘ improvisation troop, performing at Gremlin Theatre on January 19.

Norah Long will be performing in a public 30th Anniversary concert episode of Pipedreams for American Public Media, on Sunday January 29, to be held at St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi; their IV manual, 108 rank Casavant organ will be featured, along with choral works and Norah as vocal soloist. For those of you who don’t know what a rank or manual is, that’s over 7300 pipes, folks!!  Norah also has another recurring appearance as Juliette Gordon Low for the Girl Scouts organization, as part of their Centennial celebrations.

Sara Richardson is in rehearsals for Flesh and the Desert by Carson Kreitzer and directed by Ben McGovern for the Workhaus Collective.  The show will open in mid-January.

For more information about all of our Teaching Artists, check out the Our Artists page of our website.

After several weeks with our Upstream Arts staff, students become comfortable and free themselves up to participate and make bigger choices as the sessions go on. This is a great asset to the communities we serve as routine and structure creates enough predictability to make anxious participants calm. We also learn where some people struggle and are apprehensive to participate.

About half way through our fall session, I started teaching in classes that I wasn’t regularly in week to week. What I noticed was that a new teaching artist coming into a class whose participants have gotten comfortable, awakens a sense of renewal, of starting fresh. Students become alert as they learn how to work with a new presence in the room. The comments I have consistently been receiving are generally about students who were reluctant to participate, stepping up and taking a risk and surprising all of the regular staff. Now, I’d like to think it’s because of my brilliant teaching that I was able to get them to do what they’ve never done before. But I’ve also seen it in the classes I’ve regularly been teaching each week. A fresh new teaching artist comes into the room and transforms the energy of the group. It is a good reminder that we all need to press that reset button sometimes, see the people with whom you’re working with fresh new eyes, and drop assumptions about their participation. Expect them do what you’ve grown to accept they won’t do. The success we’ve been able to celebrate in class is worth it!

Post by Lindsey Cacich, Upstream Arts Teaching Artist

Charles Fraser will be playing the role of Bob in Actors Theater of Minnesota’s production of Bob’s Holiday Office Party at Camp Bar in downtown Saint Paul, December 9 – 31.  Click here for more information or to purchase tickets.

Julie Kurtz will be performing as part of the Performer Mentor program at Nautilus Music Theater December 5th and 6th.  Click here for more information.

Sara Richardson will be beginning rehearsals for Flesh and the Desert by Carson Kreitzer and directed by Ben McGovern for the Workhaus Collective.  The show will open in mid-January.

For more information about all of our Teaching Artists, check out the Our Artists page of our website.

My voice can be heard
Yes, no I don’t-wait
My fearsome flection facilitates
FREEZE!
The three G’s encourage me.

Open, up, and to the side
Blue polka dot magenta
Surprised-no, scared-hmmmm maybe both
Change
Our interpretation

Move to the current
Upstream makes waves
Now to a count of 8.
Choice collaboration
Words now afloat
Poetry coming to life.

Social suggesting situation adjusting
Multifaceted manner map
Action-now what did you see?
Show us time….the acting explanation
Team trustgetherness.

A poem about Upstream Arts classes by Teaching Artist Ryan Hoag

Official Countdown: Give to the Max in 5 Days – November 16th!

On November 16th, every donation goes further and gives Upstream Arts the chance to earn even more money. Click HERE to learn more about why you should make a donation on Give to the Max Day – November 16th, 2011!

Take a moment to learn more about Upstream Arts by checking out the video above from our 5th birthday event.  It’s a great way to hear our story and see our artists in action.

Jess Finney will be a mentor and director for The Bully, part of the Chicago Avenue Project at Pillsbury House, playing Nov 14 & 15

Charles Fraser is the production designer for Saint Louis Park High School’s production of Little Shop of Horrors, running November 11 – 20.  He will also be appearing in The Diary of Anne Frank from February 27 – April 18, 2012 at Park Square Theatre.

Norah Long will be playing Young Judy in a reprise production of Beyond the Rainbow at the History Theatre from October 8 – November 6, a role for which she was named Best Actress in a Musical in the Twin Cities and, in Florida, was nominated for a Carbonell Award in the same category.

For more information about all of our Teaching Artists, check out the Our Artists page of our website.

I was recently talking to a participant at Brooklyn Park Lifeworks where I co-teach every Wednesday. After class she confessed to me that she is often afraid to speak up or to join the activity in class because she is afraid of saying the “wrong” thing or doing it “wrong.” I replied with the same response many of my improvisation teachers have said, “There really is no wrong choice, just doing it is getting it right.” And she replied, “Oh, well that’s disappointing.” I was blown away! I did not expect that that response and was at a loss for any words to comfort her. Whenever I remind myself that there is no “wrong” way to artistically express myself, I feel a bit free-er. But this information did the exact opposite for this particular participant, it paralyzed her even further.

I was really bothered by the fact that I could not comfort her any further in that moment. The next week at a staff meeting I brought this up to my fellow artists hoping their response could help me. Julie Guidry, Upstream Arts’ Executive Director, hit it on the head, “Well of course she was disappointed, if she can’t get it right, then why do it?” She wanted to succeed in getting it right. A fellow Teaching Artist, Norah Long, was also quite intrigued at the participant’s reaction, “That is really, really interesting. You are right there is no “right” way to create art. But you need to ask the questions, ‘Is it resonating with my audience, and, is this the strongest choice I can make?’” This was a more sophisticated way of relaying what I was trying to say to the frustrated participant.

It got me thinking of how I am often artistically “plugged up” and afraid to create because I might get it “wrong.” I was even tied up in my head about this blog all month, trying to write the “perfect” blog. Which leads to a deeper cause of fear: perfection and shame. “If I can’t create perfectly, then I am not going to create at all.” My annoying ear mite of a critic chants this often in my head. I can imagine that perhaps many of our participants feel the same way. “If I can’t do it right, then I will make a fool of myself.”

When simply the answer is, as Nike says, Just do it. Take the risk, get up and try something: dance, paint write!  Something will come out. You can always fine tune it once it is out, that is part of the artistic process after all. The most important thing is to simply show up and do the work.

I will leave you with one of my favorite proverbs when it comes to teaching, which can extend to the artistic process as well: “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand.”

Post by Sarah Brown, Upstream Arts Teaching Artist

Lindsey Cacich will directing a piece that will be featured as part of this month’s Late Nite Series at  Pillsbury House Theatre. It is written and performed by Jessica Huang. Check it out October 22 at 9pm.

Charles Fraser will be involved in two readings this month.  The first, History Theatre’s Raw Stages’ Nellie, will be on October 16th.  The second, The Playwrights’ Center’s PlayLabs’ The Water Play, on October 20th and 22nd.  He will also be appearing in The Diary of Anne Frank from February 27 – April 18, 2012 at Park Square Theatre.

Matt Guidry will be performing in The Pride with Pillsbury House Theatre Company through October 16th, 2011.

Julie Kurtz is studying Spanish in preparation for her trip to Cochabamba, Bolivia to teach arts classes.

Norah Long will be playing Young Judy in a reprise production of Beyond the Rainbow at the History Theatre from October 8 – November 6, a role for which she was named Best Actress in a Musical in the Twin Cities and, in Florida, was nominated for a Carbonell Award in the same category.  She will also be making an appearance for a Juliette Gordon Low Society/Girl Scouts luncheon on October 15, as Juliette, a role she is taking on regularly this year for events as the Girl Scouts celebrate their 100th Anniversary.

Sara Richardson will be playing the role of Mercy in Mercy Watson to the Rescue at the Children’s Theatre Company through October 23rd.

For more information about all of our Teaching Artists, check out the Our Artists page of our website.