About

Housed in the historic Mounds Theatre, the Portage for Youth is a great place where local boys and girls aged 8 to 18 can participate in a variety of arts and theatre programs after school and throughout the summer. Kids residing in east Saint Paul and surrounding communities are invited to take part in many fun activities in the areas of theatre, dance, creative writing, academic support, digital photography, digital video, intermediate arts, and more—all at little or no cost.

Over the past year, the Portage for Youth underwent a strategic planning initiative. In the past, our programs were designed for, and centered on, young Hmong women and girls residing in the neighborhood. Then, in January 2008, the Mounds Theatre / Portage for Youth developed and approved a complete plan to offer theatre and intermedia arts after-school and summer programming to both boys and girls, ages 8 to 18.

This new initiative will give all youth in the community the opportunity to participate in a variety of arts and theatre programs. Our group of committed teachers and experienced leadership will ensure a successful implementation of this new strategic plan, effectively expanding our organization’s capacity to offer arts and cultural programming and performances.