The Belger Arts Center is committed to enriching the community through creative expression and exploration. Our education programs are a critical element of this work. Through engaging and innovative workshops, classes and tours, the Belger encourages students of all ages to ignite their passion for making while sharpening important skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving.
For youth age 4-12, the popular Kids (and Kids + 1) Workshop Classes are a great opportunity to explore our ceramics teaching studio. With sixteen potter’s wheels and plenty of work space, students learn to throw and hand-build clay, not just watch an instructor or take a quick turn. Our artist-educators lead the way for students to make their own functional and sculptural work, encouraging creativity through surface decorations and colorful slips and glazes. Students who want to explore ideas at their own pace find that Open Studios is a perfect blend of instruction and unstructured time.
We think nothing dresses up Walnut Street like a yellow bus! The Belger Arts Center offers free educational opportunities to schools across the region. With our lively gallery staff facilitating tours and artist-educators guiding hands-on activities, students are given the freedom to share their own thoughts about viewing and creating art. These experiences spark stimulating dialogue and amazing collaborative works of art.
Off-site programs such as MakeMobile take the ceramic studio experience to groups at schools, community centers, and libraries, who are unable to visit the Belger in person. Our partnership with YMCA’s Challenger program is especially exciting; artist-educators introduce young adults with special needs to the joy of discovering, creating and building in clay.
In addition to our varied youth options, the Belger has an exciting line-up of adult programs. Our monthly Date Night is wildly popular with adults seeking a fun, new experience to share with a spouse, friend or family member. For those seeking a more in-depth ceramics workshop, the Belger offers four- to six-week courses including wheel-throwing, hand-building, jewelry techniques, and surface exploration. Weekend workshops throughout the year also help to elevate the skills of adults looking for a creative boost in a one-time session.
The Belger Arts Center is more than just a gallery or studio experience; it’s an opportunity for people of all ages to learn new ways of thinking and doing. As the poet William Butler Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.”
Summer Art Camps (Age 7 – 12)
This summer, the Belger Arts Center is featuring four one-week sessions of creative fun! With themes like “Creature Feature” and “Clay Olympics,” each session introduces new materials, techniques and challenges to campers age 7-12. With a flexible full- or half-day format, busy families can choose the schedule that works best for them. Need before or after care? Our artists can keep your artists busy for an additional fee. Visit the Summer Camp page of www.craneyardstudios.org for details and enrollment information.
July 11 – 15: Tech Week
July 18 – 22: Creature Feature
July 27 – July 31: Clay Olympics – Winter
August 3 – 7: Clay Olympics – Summer
Summer Studio Experience (Age 13 – 18)
Beginning June 20, teens can experience what it’s like to work in a professional art studio in the Crossroads Arts District! Our new Summer Studio Experience is designed to inspire and coach students who want to take their art to the next level. Whether it’s throwing pots on the wheel, enlarging the scale of a hand-built sculpture, or experimenting with advanced firing techniques, our professional ceramic artists help students achieve their personal goals and get the most out of their studio practice. Each session includes off-site studio and gallery visits and critiques from visiting artists. Visit the Summer Camp page of www.craneyardstudios.org for session dates and enrollment information.
–Brenda Brinkhous-Hatch and Tommy Frank
