See what we’ll be offering this spring in:

• Digital
• Ceramics
• Design
• Photography

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild will hold two enrollment sessions for our Spring 2012 after-school courses (ATP) on March 14 and 15 from 3:00–5:30 p.m. You’ll be introduced to MCG Youth & Arts, its teachers and the facilities. You must attend one of these sessions to be eligible for admission. Click here for more info.

By attending you’ll have the chance to see the works of art created by MCG’s dedicated afterschool students and to meet the staff that work with and inspire them daily. Refreshments will be served and our four art making studios will host demonstrations, activities, and artist talks. This is an excellent opportunity for you to celebrate your child’s accomplishments with us during the afterschool hours this fall.

Please RSVP by Monday, February 27 to help us plan for the evening by contacting Rose Mary East at rmeast@mcg-btc.org or 412-322-1773 Ext. 302. We hope to see you at MCG!

• Digital
• Ceramics
• Design
• Photography

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild will hold two enrollment sessions for our Spring 2012 after-school courses (ATP) on March 14 and 15 from 3:00–5:30 p.m. You’ll be introduced to MCG Youth & Arts, its teachers and the facilities. You must attend one of these sessions to be eligible for admission. Click here for more info.

We are pleased to announce the MCG Invitational, which continues the tradition of serving Pittsburgh Public School students and widens the scope of our annual exhibition by expanding the opportunity to students attending Pittsburgh’s charter schools, as well as schools in West Mifflin, Wilkinsburg, Duquesne, Homestead and McKeesport. By providing this opportunity, the MCG Invitational will highlight talent, reward achievement, and encourage hope among those who might otherwise be overlooked.

The MCG Invitational seeks to recognize excellence and extol achievement demonstrated by youth in urban and economically disadvantaged communities. By heralding these values, this exhibition will reward meritorious students with cash awards, prizes and post-secondary education scholarships.

Save the date: Awards Reception, May 10, 2012 at MCG.

Artwork submissions accepted March 1 – 31, 2012.
• Click here for  portfolio submission guidelines.
• Teachers only, click here for individual submission guidelines.

On October 11-12, 2011, four artists from Jingdezhen, China’s world-famous porcelain capital, came to Pittsburgh to demonstrate for the students at Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild.

Our new commercial was created by Art Institute of Pittsburgh work-study volunteer, Anthony Moreci.

Justin is not only a teaching artist at MCG Youth & Arts, but the teaching artist coordinator. He’s a graduate of Carlow University and was a presenter at the 2010 NAEA conference.

Ben Pyles, a former student says that Justin is never short of new and awesome ideas for the classroom. “He makes sure that every single one of his students is not just learning new techniques and art making processes, but that they’re having the time of their life doing it.”

Congratulations, Justin!

Agenda – Tentative
Food will be served throughout the reception, beginning at 5:30 in the dining hall.

5:45 – Gallery Talks in the Kerr Gallery & North Lobby

6:15 – Awards Presentation, Music Performances and Fashion Show

7:30 – Bus leaves for downtown

A film about Bill Strickland and his work at MCG by Dana Goren.

Thanks to the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild after-school arts program, Yan Yang has made friends with whom she feels comfortable practicing English.

“Because class is so fast, I can’t talk to a lot of people,” said Yang, 20, an Allderdice High School student whose family immigrated about three years ago. “Here I can be with friends and improve my English.”

Knowing that many other current and former students have benefited from Pittsburgh Public Schools’ 30-year partnership with the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, school board members last month questioned a proposed $45,000 cut to the district’s annual contract with the North Side nonprofit.

Board member Thomas Sumpter said the planned reduction is “inconsistent” with the district’s plans to improve and expand arts education.

“Why would we cut this program when our overall budget for the district wasn’t reduced?” Sumpter said. “I think we need to look at the programs on a program-by-program basis and look at the ones that aren’t working.”

Read the entire article from the Tribune-Review