EDUCATION at the Society for Contemporary Craft

Group Tours

SCC offers a variety of programs for all age groups:
Programs for Youth
Programs for Adults
Taking the Show on the Road
Customized Tour Packages
Scheduling

Programs for Youth

Are your students tired of the same old field trip? Try something fresh and contemporary. At SCC, you may choose from several interactive experiences. These programs are designed for students in Pre-K to High School and meet the Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities.

Scavenger Hunts – Ages 8 and up
In this activity students are encouraged to look closely at the exhibit by searching for the answers to a series of questions. This will help them learn about the how artists choose their materials and what they expect their piece to communicate.

Source Bags – Ages pre-K to 10
Students are given a bag of materials. Each item is a material that was used to create one of the pieces in the exhibit. Students examine the materials and match to the work of art.

Artists Statements – Ages 13 and up
Have your students listen as an artist statement is read. Students sketch what that statement communicates to them. Afterwards, they can see the work that the statement was written for. Students are given cards with five different artist statements. They must match the artist statement to the piece in the gallery that they think best reflects this statement.
As a follow up, students may be asked to develop their own artist statement.

Be the Jury – Ages 14 and up
Have your students every asked “Why is that piece on display? My baby sister could do that” Our program, Be The Jury, helps answer those questions. An SCC staff member will walk your students through the criteria that jurors and curators use when selecting pieces for a show. After this, they can “Be The Jury” and vote on which piece in the SCC exhibit they think best meets these criteria. They may surprise you with their vote!

Drop-in Studio – A variety of projects are available for all age ranges.
Students have the chance to make their own art relating to the current exhibitions. Past projects made included a shaker stick made with bottle caps, a refrigerator magnet from recycled plastic, and an Andinkra symbol textured square. For every new exhibit at SCC, a new drop-in studio activity is available.

These gallery-based activities are available for $6 per person and drop-in studio activity is $2 per person. Chaperones participate free.

Programs for Adults

Have you ever walked into a gallery or museum and wondered how a piece was selected? Our program, Be The Jury, helps answer those questions. An SCC staff member will walk your group through the criteria that jurors and curators use when selecting pieces for a show. After this, you can “Be The Jury” and vote on which piece in the SCC exhibit you think best meets these criteria. You may surprise yourself with your vote.

Gallery Tour. A tour of SCC can provide you with the “inside scoop” on the exhibits. Artists statements and source cases help you discover where artists get their ideas and inspiration.

Gallery Tours and Be The Jury are available for $6 per person.

Taking the Show on the Road

Is the cost of buses preventing your school or group from taking field trips?

A member of SCC’s educational staff can come to you! The program includes highlights of SCC’s past exhibits, what jurors and curators look for when selecting pieces for a show or exhibits, what distinguishes excellence in the field of contemporary craft. The group will also discuss, whether or not craft has to be functional to be defined as craft.

Pieces of SCC’s educational loan collection may also be brought to your facility. The cost for this traveling program is $150. As an add-on, your group can do a hands-on craft making activity for $2 per person.

Customized Tour Packages

A customized tour package may be created. Special add-ons include coffee and pastry platters, wine and cheese platters. These platters specialize in the variety of unique foods available in the Strip District. Full meals may also be arranged.

Engage your group in the creative experience through a custom studio program. Have a private lesson with one of SCC’s many instructors. Private lessons may be arranged in any of the medium listed in The Studio Catalogue. Download the current classes schedule here.

Scheduling

To schedule a group visit call 412-261-7003 x25 or email groupsales@contemporarycraft.org.