NEWS RELEASE

The Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC) are piloting an exciting new summer program, the Summer Art Workshop series, to increase access to art education during the summer months. The program places MassArt faculty and student ambassadors in public libraries so that children and teens can experience the benefits of art creation, learn about the creative process, connect with MassArt faculty and students, and explore art as a possible career path.

 “We’re excited to work with MassArt on this series. Public libraries connect people to resources that improve their lives and increased arts education opportunities are shown to improve academic outcomes by reducing stress, increasing focus, supporting social-emotional skills, and bolstering academic achievement. Our hope is for the summer workshop series to become a pathway opportunity to the Arts and to the free resources at public libraries for kids and teens, especially in underserved communities, “said MBLC Director Maureen Amyot.

“As a public college, making an art and design education accessible to all across the Commonwealth and beyond is at the heart of our mission,” said MassArt President Mary K. Grant, “and we are so grateful to the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for partnering with us to make this workshop series possible. We’re excited to see how this program may spark a new interest in art and design and enrich the lives of our youth in these communities this summer.”

The Summer Art Workshop series will be hosted at the following public libraries: Medford, Salisbury, and Woburn. Students of all artistic abilities are welcome, with no prior foundation in the Arts required. Each session includes comprehensive arts instruction in a particular subject area and free program supplies and materials.

The following workshops are being offered:

MassArt Sustainable Fashion Workshop (Medford)
At this fun and interactive workshop participants learn about sustainable fashion and ways to get involved to be a voice for positive change. MassArt Fashion Design Chair and Professor Jennifer Varekamp will share some exciting sustainable fashion ideas and lead participants in an interactive and creative project where each participant can contribute their own creative ideas and learn how to make an impact toward a more sustainable future.

MassArt Aluminum Pour (Woburn)
Under the guidance of MassArt Fine Arts 3D faculty Marjee-Anne Levine and current MassArt students, participants carve their own design into a “scratch block” (a pre-formed mold made of resin-bonded sand) and watch as the design is cast in metal. Aluminum will be melted on site and poured into the scratch blocks created by each participant. Within minutes the metal will solidify and be cooled and finished by the MassArt team. Each participant will walk away with their own custom cast aluminum art.

MassArt Comic Arts Workshop (Salisbury)
The workshop provides an opportunity to deconstruct the comic creation process in an engaging and accessible way that applies to a wide range of skill sets. It introduces the storytelling structure and starts with a simple activity where students sketch different shapes on their pages. MassArt Comic Arts instructor LJ Baptiste will demonstrate how these shapes can be fleshed out into full characters. Participants will learn techniques they can utilize to understand a character they're creating and develop their own 4 panel comic strip featuring one of their original characters.

The Summer Art Workshop series is sponsored by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Massachusetts College of Art and Design with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. 

About MassArt

Massachusetts College of Art and Design (MassArt) is a public, independent institution that prepares artists, designers, and educators to shape communities, economies, and cultures for the common good. Since 1873, MassArt has built a legacy of leadership as the first freestanding public college of art and design in the country, and the nation’s first art school to grant a degree. MassArt offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate degrees in art, design, and art education, taught by world-class faculty.