Manchester Craftsmans Guild Event 5/23/11
MCG Youth & Arts and is a center for arts and learning that is supported through collaboration with the Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) and with support from various grants, foundations and individual donations. Students may participate in programs including, but not limited to, courses in ceramics, photography, design and digital arts; career and college exposure activities; and exhibits by internationally renowned artists who also conduct workshops with MCG students. Additionally, MCG Youth & Arts hosts a number of educational opportunities for principals, teachers and the community, and offers public access to its two galleries at no cost. All of MCG Youth & Arts' programs are implemented by professional working artists, and maintain an 8 to 1 student to teacher ratio in order to provide students the attention they need to succeed.
The program on which Manchester Craftsmen's Guild was founded 40 years ago, MCG Youth & Arts after school courses offer high school students of any background the opportunity to refine their art skills in a safe and productive after school environment. ATP courses prepare teens for successful futures by providing nurturing relationships with MCG Teaching Artists who not only empower students to produce and reflect on artwork but who also become mentors to the students. All ATP courses are developed to encourage learning through skill refinement, critical thinking, experiential learning opportunities as well as other activities focused on higher education and career connections. Each trimester, MCG offers 16 unique courses Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, we offer Open Studio, which any enrolled student can work in the studio of their choice.
At MCG Youth & Arts we feel that exhibiting students' artwork is a critical element to their learning and growth. Featuring students' works in exhibitions that are open to the public helps students learn professionalism and develop a greater sense of ownership and pride in their work while also exposing the community to the talents of local youth. The annual Pittsburgh Public Schools High School All-City Visual Arts Showcase, which accepts work made by any PPS high-school student, is an important milestone for many PPS high school artists.
$111,000 in awards—including scholarships, gift certificates, and cash prizes—were secured by MCG Youth & Arts and granted to notable student-artists through the 2011 All-City Arts Showcase.
For more information, visit www.mcgyouthandarts.org.
