CENTER FOR HMONG ARTS & TALENT

In 2001, CHAT held the 1st Hmong Arts Festival to celebrate the artistic soul of the community. Since then, the annual event has expanded into the Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival with goals to:
? Support Hmong artists and help them advance in their art career by increasing visibility and appreciation for their artwork;
? Nurture the artistic soul of the Hmong community by offering them the opportunity to witness, validate, and honor the work of Hmong artists;
? Encourage the community to participate in art activities;
? Create a fun, safe, free and inspiring environment for families to enjoy and appreciate the arts;
? Offer the broader public a convenient way to view and appreciate the artwork of Hmong artists;
? Establish an arts tradition that did not exist before.

The festival has proven to be an excellent venue for Hmong artists to gain exposure while community members are enriched by the artistic experience. We plan to continue the festival and make it a Hmong art tradition for generations to come.

Youth Leadership Group (YLG) is specifically for youth ages 15–19. YLG uses theater as a vehicle to foster leadership skills, encourage civic engagement and heighten expectations for success after high school. The program is an intense year-long program for youth who have extremely high potential but little opportunity to reach that potential. The group meets regularly to discuss critical issues affecting the Hmong community; select, plan and organize a theatrical campaign to address the issue; and presents the campaign at a local theatre and tours to Universities, conferences, organizational events and libraries. Through the process of creating and implementing the campaign, youth develop skills in consensus and team-building, leadership and follow-through, as well as marketing, producing and community-building.

Annual Fresh Traditions Fashion Show: Despite the 70,000 Hmong living in the Twin Cities -in 2007, Fresh Traditions was the first fashion show featuring all Hmong designers. Fresh Traditions designers have complete creative control over their designs for the show -with one challenge. Each designer is required to make one full outfit using a combination of the same 5 Hmong fabrics used in traditional Hmong clothing.