school and community programs
Explore our opportunities to bring glass into your classroom, afterschool program, or community. We provide all the supplies, tools, and expert teaching artists to engage students of all ages in hands-on glass art making. Programs connect students to glass and relevant topics such as science, art, or history while focusing on 21st century skills prevalent in glass artistry: critical thinking, creativity, flexibility, collaboration, empathy, and creating community. Programs are designed to be flexible and appropriate for student K – 12 and adaptable for all abilities.
we offer various programs
Create various fusing, mosaic, and enameling projects or a large-scale collaborative mosaic in this multi-week in-depth glass making experience. Expert teaching artists will guide students through every project. Students learn about science and glass properties, how to safely cut glass, and the basics of design. Students gain experience with glass art making processes like mosaic making, fusing and stacking, using frit and stringers, and experiment with techniques used in glass sculpting all guided by expert teaching artists.
Choose from one of our current themes:
- Glass Garden
- Glass Dinner Party
- Craft and Class
- Pattern, Shape, and Color
- Outer Space Glass Adventure
- Jewelry Making
- Collaborative Mosaics
Learn about this centuries old art form and create individual mosaics, with a twist!
Expert teaching artists will guide participants through the process from design to production. Everyone will learn the basics of mosaic technique, including safely handling glass, layout, and design. Projects may include a selection of various shaped wooden tiles. Participants will have the option to turn their creation into a magnet. Small groups may request picture frame or stepping stone projects for an additional fee.
Due to the timing of single visits, projects will not be grouted.
Cost
- 0-50 projects $300
- 51-100 projects $450
- 101-200 projects $850
The above pricing is for events with a maximum of two hours. Pricing will increase for events longer than two hours.
Design and create a colorful glass tile, ornament, or suncatcher.
Expert teaching artists will guide participants through the process of working with colored glass, stringers (small rods of glass), and frit (small granules of glass) to design a unique work of art. Learn about glass properties and the science of glass while working with cold glass that needs to be melted, fused, and fired in the kiln. All artwork will need to return to the Pittsburgh Glass Center to be kiln-fired. Items can be picked up from PGC five days after the activity date.
Cost: $35/person (minimum of 10 people)
Pittsburgh Glass Center’s Light Lab is a mobile neon and plasma demonstration station that can be brought to your location. The program shines a light on the artistic and scientific application of electrified gasses.
Glass is an amorphous material. It’s always on the move.
Hot Wheels, our compact traveling glass studio is complete with all of the state-of-the-art equipment needed to conduct glassblowing demonstrations almost anywhere. It allows artists to pop-up and twist and twirl molten magma making fiery works of art.
Glass artists demonstrate how beads, marbles, and small glass sculptures are made using a tabletop torch.