The O'Shaughnessy

Become part of The O'Shaughnessy's next chapter !

"Every show has been extraordinary.”
- 2024-2025 Subscriber

 Your support drives The O'Shaughnessy. 

The more we listen to you, the more we learn about the important and unique space The O'Shaughnessy fills. Here's what we've learned The O'Shaughnessy does best! 

1. Vibrant, inclusive artistry that celebrates many voices, perspectives, and identities. ( "World-class acts!" "Such a great variety and all performances were unique and excellent. We look forward to our The O’Shaughnessy concerts  - they are just a sweet dose of culture, entertainment and pleasure that are so easy and so “feel good.”.) 

2. Excellence at an accessible price point to ensure everyone has an opportunity to enjoy exceptional artists from across the country. ("You are offering something that is really unique in the area. It is a diverse offering of female-centric (but not exclusive) performances in a very approachable environment that is a veritable bargain. Who else is doing that?") 

3. Coming to The O'Shaughnessy feels like coming home. Staff are friendly, welcoming, and excited to get to know you! ("[The best part of this season was] the consistent high quality; the inclusive, diverse, welcoming philosophy exhibited by staff, the institution, the "entertainment" and speakers; the location and accessibility.") 

Your support helps The O'Shaughnessy keep bringing high-quality artists to Saint Paul at affordable prices -- and bring our community together to experience shows together.  Thank you for joining us this Give to the Max Day! 

CHARTING A NEW COURSE: WHY YOUR GIFT IS IMPACTFUL THIS GIVE TO THE MAX DAY
a letter from The O'Shaughnessy Executive Director, Irene Green

The O'Shaughnessy is at a time of rebirth and renewal in its lifecycle. So many patrons, artists, and community members come through our doors and have an "O'Shaughnessy Story": of seeing their child perform on our stage, attending The Nutcracker together as a family holiday tradition, or seeing a favorite band when it toured through town. The O'Shaughnessy has long been a supporter and collaborator with our local professional dance community, and before that, was home to the Minnesota Orchestra. We honor those stories, and this legacy, as we look to what the next 50 years at The O'Shaughnessy will hold.

Today, The O'Shaughnessy is a place where St. Kate's students and the general public come together to explore what it means to embody St. Kate's mission of educating women to lead and influence. The O'Shaughnessy is guided by St. Catherine University's core values of social justice, reflection, community, integrity, and academic excellence. It is a joy to lead an arts organization embedded within this academic community -- it allows us to infuse art with collective impact.

 St. Kate's science faculty lent their expertise to uplift The Moth Project last season -- teaching young and old alike about the amazing insects with whom we share this planet. The year before that, English faculty supported student-generated poetry -- including student-led workshops in area senior homes to gain the perspectives of our elders on our changing climate. This community poetry was interspersed with music onstage from both local and national musicians. And, many area nonprofits that are committed to sustainability and climate justice gained new volunteers through the tabling they did in our lobby at this event. The expertise on our campus allows us to enhance our compelling arts experiences with multidisciplinary viewpoints that really do point to action -- actions that can make our community and by extension, our world -- a better and more beautiful place.

The O'Shaughnessy is a meeting place for our students' education and our community's engagement. With a renewed commitment to serving the people of Highland Park, we are honored to imagine what comes next and are dedicated to making The O’Shaughnessy truly indispensable to our region: a place for families to enjoy high quality arts experiences with their children, a place to hear voices that have been marginalized, and a place for storytelling to marry science, civic engagement, and history in new, exciting, and impactful ways.

I can’t wait to share space with you, for experiences that uplift us all.
 
-Irene Green

Executive Director, The O’Shaughnessy