On the border of Frogtown and Rondo, a once-abandoned theater on University Avenue is now home to 825 Arts, a nonprofit community arts space that’s turning creativity into collective power. 825 Arts invites the community to witness this affirmation in real time, through its upcoming Speak Out and Lead Youth Arts Fest.
After more than a decade of grassroots organizing, the organization opened its doors in August 2024, launching a new chapter of arts programming focused on intergenerational connection, youth leadership, and cultural access.
“We are a community-centered and run arts organization,” said Executive Director Tyler Olsen-Highness. “We’re about creating space and opportunities for the people that we serve in our neighborhoods to have access to the same kind of culture and opportunities that a lot of other neighborhoods have.”
825 Arts’ programming is wide-reaching, with opportunities for every generation to learn and express themselves. From Double Dutch nights to “Fun Fridays” for theater games and storytelling, the center is alive with activity throughout the week. A standout among its offerings is the Minecraft Memory Project, where elders from the historic Rondo neighborhood work with high school students to digitally rebuild local landmarks erased by urban renewal.
The organization also hosts community-centered conversations through creative formats. A recent mental health event invited Black men and boys to speak about their emotional well-being while receiving free haircuts on stage — an intentional space of vulnerability and visibility designed for all ages.
“We do a lot of intergenerational programming,” said Olsen-Highness. “Any opportunity to connect generations and make a space where they can enjoy each other’s company — we work hard to make those moments.”
The clearest example of 825 Arts’ youth-first approach is its annual Speak Out and Lead (SOAL) Festival. In its fourth year and first time at the new space, the festival is completely led by young people between the ages of 13 and 21. Every part of the event — from booking talent and organizing volunteers to designing flyers and coordinating workshops — is carried out by a nine-member youth leadership team.
“This is a youth-led festival,” Olsen-Highness said. “All of the organizers are young people. I’m just an advisor. They’re the ones who are recruiting performers, managing volunteers, designing posters — really leading the charge.”
Myrachelle Riley, 18, joined the SOAL team in 2023 and has played a key role in organizing the festival since. “We invite a whole bunch of youth to come in and perform or lead workshops, and we pay them to do that,” she said. “Especially the vendors — they get to sell their art and get it out there. I’m an artist myself, so meeting all the other artists is probably my favorite part.”
She previously served as a performer manager and now oversees volunteer coordination. “I’ve learned a lot of leadership from SOAL,” Riley said. “I realized in group projects I’m more talkative and ready to make a plan. I’ve also gotten better at things like e-mailing people professionally and speaking in front of a crowd.”
The goal is to give young people real-world responsibilities and outcomes, not just advisory titles with no decision-making power.
“Young people learn much better when they’re actually doing something with real stakes,” said Olsen-Highness. “We didn’t want them to just be youth advisors with no purpose. We told them, “Let’s make a festival, and you’re going to lead it.”
That model has paid off. Recent additions to the festival — including a drop-in talent show — were generated entirely by youth team members. Participants were paid stipends to perform, creating a low-barrier, high-impact platform for new artists to be seen and celebrated.
Beyond SOAL, 825 Arts positions itself as a creative commons — a place where all forms of artistry are embraced. “We’re called 825 Arts because we believe there are 825 different ways to be an artist,” said Olsen-Highness. “That includes everything from murals and theater to braiding hair and cooking meals. It’s all welcome here.”
The center doesn’t operate with standard business hours but is activated through scheduled programming, special events, and a growing artist membership network. For $10 a month, members gain access to community spaces, project support, and the opportunity to pitch original ideas for monthly events. Selected proposals receive a $500 stipend and staff support to bring their visions to life.
The facility features a flexible black-box theater, a large community room, and a meeting space, all designed to accommodate different forms of creative expression.
For those seeking community and celebration, monthly events like “Cake Day” offer a welcoming space to commemorate personal wins — from birthdays and job offers to simply making it through a tough week.
825 Arts remains committed to accessibility, and the staff — composed of five core team members and part-time project assistants — continues to shape the space with community input and youth leadership at the forefront.
The 4th annual Speak Out and Lead Youth Arts Fest will be held April 26, 12 to 5 pm. To learn more or view the organization’s event calendar, visit 825arts.org.
Kiara Williams welcomes reader responses to kwilliams@spokesman-recorder.com.