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PRESS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Primary Contact: Sara Smith
Communications Manager 825 Arts
[email protected]
Secondary Contact: Tyler Olsen-Highness
Executive Director for 825 Arts
[email protected]
Victoria no more: Introducing 825 Arts!
Doors to Open in August for new home for performance, exhibitions and classes.
At 825 University Avenue, things are always changing, and that’s true for the organization that lives there too! This June, the organization formerly known as the Victoria Theater Arts Center (VTAC) announced a name change, and is now rebranded as 825 Arts.
“We’re all about building community power in the Frogtown and Rondo neighborhoods of Saint Paul,” says 825’s Executive Director Tyler Olsen-Highness. “The arts are a critical piece of any community’s health. They provide space for celebration of our cultures, healing from our collective trauma, and a chance for us to connect with each other and work towards our collective liberation. Our new name embraces that work and the richness of our community. “
The change comes after long deliberation, many community feedback sessions, and months of work to design the new brand. A heavy influence in the change was the original name’s ties to Queen Victoria, whose legacy 825’s board and staff felt was not something to embody. As Olsen-Highness put it; “Simply put, we don’t need our beautiful new home for art and community named after an old dead white person who stole the land, culture, and wealth of the world and exploited millions of people.”
Instead, 825’s Communications Manager Sara Smith says, “Our new name embodies both our commitment to the neighborhood and all the kinds of art we want to offer as an organization.” In 2009, the community joined together to save the historic building at 825 University Avenue from being turned into a parking lot. This work was largely championed by the Frogtown Neighborhood Association (FNA), which saw this historical building (originally built in 1915 as a silent movie theater) as a cherished community asset. Through FNA’s commitment and stewardship, the building was saved from demolition, and started on its path towards revitalization.
Now 825 Arts is set to open this summer, with a grand opening planned to coincide with the Frogtown Arts Festival on August 25th at the finished building. Visitors will be able to enjoy workshops, buy art and food from community vendors, and explore the artistic home for Frogtown and Rondo that has been so many years in the making.
While waiting for the final finishes on the building, 825 Arts is spending the summer out in the community, setting the stage for success once the building opens. Dozens of yearly community events include Minecraft competitions, Art-B-Qs, and double dutch contests, where community members can participate in the arts however they choose.
“It’s important to know that we’re still the same organization people know and love, just flying under a fresh banner”, says Smith. “Same board, same staff, same awesome community– just under a name that celebrates that community.”
You can find 825 Arts on social media at @825arts on Instagram, 825 Arts on Facebook, and at their website, 825arts.org. You can also visit the building in person at 825 University Ave W, St Paul MN 55104. You can learn more about the rationale and process behind the name change at tinyurl.com/why825
Primary Contact: Sara Smith
Communications Manager 825 Arts
[email protected]
Secondary Contact: Tyler Olsen-Highness
Executive Director for 825 Arts
[email protected]
Victoria no more: Introducing 825 Arts!
Doors to Open in August for new home for performance, exhibitions and classes.
At 825 University Avenue, things are always changing, and that’s true for the organization that lives there too! This June, the organization formerly known as the Victoria Theater Arts Center (VTAC) announced a name change, and is now rebranded as 825 Arts.
“We’re all about building community power in the Frogtown and Rondo neighborhoods of Saint Paul,” says 825’s Executive Director Tyler Olsen-Highness. “The arts are a critical piece of any community’s health. They provide space for celebration of our cultures, healing from our collective trauma, and a chance for us to connect with each other and work towards our collective liberation. Our new name embraces that work and the richness of our community. “
The change comes after long deliberation, many community feedback sessions, and months of work to design the new brand. A heavy influence in the change was the original name’s ties to Queen Victoria, whose legacy 825’s board and staff felt was not something to embody. As Olsen-Highness put it; “Simply put, we don’t need our beautiful new home for art and community named after an old dead white person who stole the land, culture, and wealth of the world and exploited millions of people.”
Instead, 825’s Communications Manager Sara Smith says, “Our new name embodies both our commitment to the neighborhood and all the kinds of art we want to offer as an organization.” In 2009, the community joined together to save the historic building at 825 University Avenue from being turned into a parking lot. This work was largely championed by the Frogtown Neighborhood Association (FNA), which saw this historical building (originally built in 1915 as a silent movie theater) as a cherished community asset. Through FNA’s commitment and stewardship, the building was saved from demolition, and started on its path towards revitalization.
Now 825 Arts is set to open this summer, with a grand opening planned to coincide with the Frogtown Arts Festival on August 25th at the finished building. Visitors will be able to enjoy workshops, buy art and food from community vendors, and explore the artistic home for Frogtown and Rondo that has been so many years in the making.
While waiting for the final finishes on the building, 825 Arts is spending the summer out in the community, setting the stage for success once the building opens. Dozens of yearly community events include Minecraft competitions, Art-B-Qs, and double dutch contests, where community members can participate in the arts however they choose.
“It’s important to know that we’re still the same organization people know and love, just flying under a fresh banner”, says Smith. “Same board, same staff, same awesome community– just under a name that celebrates that community.”
You can find 825 Arts on social media at @825arts on Instagram, 825 Arts on Facebook, and at their website, 825arts.org. You can also visit the building in person at 825 University Ave W, St Paul MN 55104. You can learn more about the rationale and process behind the name change at tinyurl.com/why825