Arts and Crafts Organizations

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Select a category:

Art museums
Community schools of the arts
Craft centers
Performing arts groups

Arts organizations offer a variety of activities for children and teens interested in the visual, performing, and literary arts. These include music lessons, theater groups, dance instruction, and creative writing. Craft centers and some history museums hold classes and workshops in traditional crafts such as ceramics, woodworking, blacksmithing, metalsmithing, glassblowing, and fiber arts.

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Art museums

Art museums throughout the state offer special programs for children and their families, as well as summer camps focusing on the arts. Some of these activities are free with museum admission, while others charge a fee. Scholarships are often available. Public libraries often have free passes to local museums that you can check out for a day with your library card.

• To find art museum classes in your community:

  Massachusetts Art Museums - Search

  Search by city/town or region by using the drop-down list, then follow the links to the museum's online web site. Look on the menu for "Programs" or "Classes."

Community schools of the arts

These schools are non-profit educational organizations that offer classes and lessons in the arts. Classes are offered year-round, usually after school, on weekends, or during school vacations. Schools focus on instruction in performing arts (dance, theater, music), visual arts (painting, drawing, media arts), literary arts (prose, poetry), or a combination. Community schools of the arts accept all interested students, and offer financial aid to students unable to afford full tuition.

• To locate a non-profit arts school in your community:

  Community Schools of the Arts Member Schools search tool

Craft centers

Craft centers usually offer a wide range of crafts instruction for children and teens, including beginners classes and classes for more advanced students. Classes may include glassblowing, ceramics, metalsmithing and jewelry, fiber arts, woodworking, photography, blacksmithing, quiltmaking, and multi-media. Some history museums also offer classes in traditional crafts.

• Massachusetts craft organizations that offer classes for youth include:

  • Classical Blacksmithing School of Boston
    50 Beharrell Street, Concord, MA 01742
    Phone: 978-369-5424

  • DeCordova Museum School
    51 Sandy Pond Rd, Lincoln, MA 01773
    Phone: 781-259-8355

  • Eliot School - Crafts & Fine Arts
    24 Eliot Street, Jamaica Plain MA 02130
    Phone: 617-524-3313

  • Fuller Craft Museum
    455 Oak Street, Brockton, MA 02301
    Phone: 508-588-6000

  • IS183 Art School of the Berkshires
    13 Willard Hill Road, Stockbridge, MA 01262
    Phone: 413-298-5252

  • Mudflat Studio
    149 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02145
    Phone: 617-628-0589

  • Petersham Craft Center
    Eight North Street, Petersham, MA 01366
    Phone: 978-724-3415

  • Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program
    5 Clary Road Williamsburg, MA 01096
    Phone 413-268-3101

  • Worcester Center for Crafts
    25 Sagamore Road, Worcester, MA 01605
    Phone: 508-753-8183

  Also see:

  • Ceramics Arts Education - Massachusetts
  • Woodworking Schools in Massachusetts
     

• To find a history museum near you: Massachusetts Museums & Sites - Search
  Search by city/town or by region using the drop-down menus, then follow the links for more information.

Performing arts groups

These groups often offer programs for children and teens, including special performances, workshops, classes, and summer camps.

To find a performing arts group in your area:

• ArtsBoston.org Organization Directory
  ArtsBoston has information about the many theatre, music and dance groups in the Greater Boston area. Click on an organization name and look on the organization's web site for youth programs, classes, family concerts, or similar listings.

  ArtsBoston also offers discount tickets for theater, music, and dance online at BoxTix.org and at BosTix Booths at Copley Square and Faneuil Hall in Boston.

• Boston Singers Resource - Youth Directory
  This is a list of Massachusetts organizations that offer singing opportunities for children of all ages and levels.

• Massachusetts Dance - Search
  Massachusetts Music - Search
  Massachusetts Theater - Search
  Search by city/town or by region using the drop-down menu, then follow the links for more information.