Spy Hop was born from a simple but powerful belief: young people, given the right tools and mentorship, tell stories that matter. Our co-founders began mentoring youth in video production as part of a tutoring program in the late 90’s. They started with this revolutionary idea: what if we handed them cameras and let them tell their own stories? They started with 12 students documenting the turn of the century, then ended with 12 students and a finished documentary film that aired on HBO.

In 1999, they spun off the film program into its own nonprofit. Spy Hop was officially born.

Why are we called Spy Hop? The term “Spy Hop” comes from whales and dolphins, where they raise their eyes above the waterline, spin slowly, take in their surroundings, and decide where to go next. We exist to help young people do exactly that: rise up, tune in, and make sense of the world.
Over the next two decades, Spy Hop grew from a scrappy idea into a cornerstone of the Salt Lake arts community, launching programs in film, audio, music, and design.

In 2020, after years of fundraising, planning, and navigating everything from contaminated soil to a global pandemic, Spy Hop moved into the Kahlert Youth Media Arts Center in the Central 9th District. It’s a permanent home, built for the work and the community we serve. After over 25 years, the mission is the same: help young people find their voice and share it with the world.