Mission:
To strengthen people and communities in Minnesota by engaging them in creating art.

Background:
Community Programs in the Arts (COMPAS) is Minnesota's most widely used resource for artist residencies and community building through the arts. The organization began as Poets in the Schools in 1968, was incorporated as COMPAS in 1974, and merged with United Arts in 1998. COMPAS engages approximately 400,000 people in the arts in about one hundred towns each year.

Outstanding Web Features:
COMPAS's colorful, navigable home page directs visitors to information about its Writers & Artists in the Schools program, Global Arts cultural diversity initiative, ArtsWork youth employment program, United Arts school and community initiative, and grant programs and guidelines. The Web site also features newsletters, links to arts-related resources, and recent achievements of participating COMPAS artists.