April Vacation Week Programs Announced

Worcester, MA -- The Worcester Center for Crafts, located at 25 Sagamore Road is offering parents an opportunity to enroll their children in fun craft programs during the April School Vacation week, April 17-20. Workshops for ages 6-9 and 10-13 are two and a half hours long in the morning from 9:30-Noon and in the afternoon from 12:30-3pm. A free supervised lunch is offered for those who bring their own brown-bag lunch.

Additionally, older youth can chose to attend all-day workshops (9:30-3). For teens (14-17) the Center is offering "Found Object Fun" on Wednesday, "Photo Enamel Transfer " on Thursday, and a "Stained Glass Workshop" on Friday. In addition, a "Whittling Workshop" is being offered for 10-17 year olds on Tuesday.

(Found object clock made by instructor Pam Farren who will be teaching Wednesday's "Found Object Fun" featured at left; students will be making jewelry and other smaller objects, time permitting.)

Some of the workshops include "Clay Castles," "Mosaics," "My Own Tote," "Royal Crowns," "Off the Page," "Carve It!," "Shiny," "Let's Move it!," and "Resplendent Pendants." These workshops will introduce students to a variety of media including ceramics, metals, fabrics, wood, and to many techniques.

A particularly exciting technique for teens to discover is working with Photo transfers on enameled metals. Students will bring a photo or image they like and will learn how to turn it into a black/white decal and apply the decal to artistically enameled metal.

Registration can be done online at www.worcester.edu/Youth-Craft-and-Creativity-Classes/ or by phone at 508-753-88183, x 301 (Mon-Fri, 10-5). Short workshops are $30 each and include all materials and use of equipment. All day workshops are $65 per day. Register for 4 workshops and save 10%.

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About the Worcester Center for Crafts:

The Worcester Center for Crafts (WCC) is one of the oldest non-profit institutions for craft study in the United States. Founded in 1856 as the Worcester Employment Society to help immigrant women produce and sell hand-crafted wares to support their families, the Center evolved over the past 155 years into New England's leading center for craft education, exhibition and entrepreneurship. In 2004, the organization expanded and opened the New Street Glass Studio - an off-campus, 8,000 square foot, state-of-the-art, multi-studio glass facility. The WCC offers the only comprehensive glass studio program in New England available to the public.  Through an affiliation begun in 2009, the WCC is home to the Worcester State University visual arts studios and partners in community outreach.

The Craft Center's mission is "to sustain craft as a vital part of our community" by providing high-quality craft education and training, by supporting craft artists in their professions, and through advocacy and public education initiatives including adult education classes and workshops, exhibitions showcasing the work of established and emerging artists, artist residencies, lectures, family events, studio rentals, Gallery Store, its Youth Craft + Creativity program and major events. The WCC is a member of the Worcester Cultural Coalition and receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.