How would you explain your organization in 300 words or less?
The Appalachian Center for Craft (ACC) offers several educational art outreach programs including the Focus on Fine Program, Educator Week Workshops and High School Summer Art Intensives. Programs are designed to provide participants with access to professional artists, studios, tools and techniques with opportunities to explore traditional craft techniques in a contemporary context emphasizing fine craft history, craft education and careers, and safety.
The Focus on Fine Craft Workshop Program for High School Students serves 8th-12th grade students. The program takes place in the well-appointed studios on the campus of the Appalachian Center for Craft in Smithville, Tennessee. Up to 80 students can participate each day. Each student selects from one of eight, hands-on workshops. Potential workshops include glass bead making, copper pendant fabrication, blacksmithing, woodturning, book making, Shibori dye techniques, handbuilding in ceramics, and wheel throwing in ceramics. All materials, tools and equipment necessary for the activities are supplied. Students take home completed projects and newfound knowledge of their chosen media.
The High School Summer Art Intensives Program is open to rising 9th-12th grade students Students select two of four possible workshops in various media and attend a three-hour session in the morning and a three-hour session in the afternoon. Students also rotate through four evening sessions in additional media. Potential media offered include ceramics, blacksmithing, fine metals, wood, glass, fibers, painting, digital design.
Educator Week Workshops are open to 8th-12th grade educators. Educators participate in two, three-hour workshops each day throughout the week. Participating educators receive instruction; materials, tools and equipment for the week; sources of materials; instruction sheets and resources; and two kits containing the equipment, materials and tools to lead two workshops (described below) for 10 students in the teacher’s own classrooms. Potential workshops are offered in ceramics, metals, fibers, wood and glass.
How did this program begin?
The mission of the Appalachian Center for Craft is to promote excellence in American craft by teaching both tradition and innovation in professional studio craft, and fostering access to the highest quality craft education, craft artists, craft works and events in a community arts context. We take the mission of serving the community very seriously and in the early days of ACC, the artists wanted a way to reach out to younger people in the area. We started by serving 6th grade students on our campus through a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission. Students rotated through three 20 minute fine craft demonstrations in the morning and three 50 minute hands-on fine craft activities in the afternoon.
What is unique about the community you serve?
Our community is extremely rural! We have participants who travel to our campus from Memphis, Johnson City, Chattanooga, Spencer, Livingston and every possible type of community in between. Traveling is key. So far participants have been willing to travel any distance necessary to participate in these programs.
How are you keeping your program financially sustainable & what strategies do you recommend?
All of these programs are grant funded. We apply for a variety of grants each year from state-funded to private foundations. We are also designing an annual fundraiser at a nearby distillery/restaurant to foster more community support and involvement.
What impact are you seeing & how do you measure success?
We are seeing more and more schools attending each year. We see enrollment in our bachelor of fine arts program as a result of these programs. We see students considering art as a career who did not consider that possibility before attending these programs. We measure success with simple evaluation forms for both teachers and students and by measuring attendance and tracking the number of return “customers,” new “customers” and how long the waiting lists are.
Are there any community programs or organizations that inspire(d) you?
Currently, Beam Camp in New Hampshire is very inspirational.
How has the outbreak of COVID-19 impacted your program, if at all?
COVID-19 has impacted our programs. We have had to cancel all outreach programming from April-July 2020. Our granting agencies have either allowed us to reschedule the program or to utilize the funds for other related workshop programming for high school students.