MANCHESTER, NH – Studio 550 Art Center and small-batch potter CRW Designs are partnering to fully fund a scholarship for a minority or economically-disadvantaged student to attend a school vacation camp or after school art class at Studio 550 at no cost. There is no deadline, but it is available each calendar year until awarded to a suitable applicant.
Only one scholarship will be awarded per family per year. There is only one fully-funded scholarship available. Any student who applies but does not get the “CRW Designs-Studio 550 Full Scholarship” will be considered for a Studio 550 “Clay for Kids” Scholarship. This funds 50 percent of the registration fee for school vacation camps or after school classes. The Studio 550 “Clay for Kids” Scholarship is also available year-round, but has limited availability.
This summer, Studio 550 is offering three more week-long half-day Clay Camps for kids 10+. Campers will learn how to form pottery on the wheel, decorate their work, and will experiment with the different methods of hand sculpting. Finished work will be food safe. Programming for kids ages 6-10 will resume with the afterschool programming in September.
“We were delighted when Catie reached out to us with this idea. With schools closed, we felt it was important to do something to get art to the kids, but were not sure of the best way to go about it. The feeling of urgency was amplified when social and racial issues erupted in the country. This scholarship seemed like a small way to make a difference,” says Monica Leap, Studio 550 Programs Director. “We were excited to create something to endure year after year that gives a young person the chance to experience the joy of creating – a joy that might change their perspective on what they want to do with their life. When you think about it on that scale – maybe it’s not so small of an action after all.” –
TO APPLY
Studio 550 wants to know what art means to you (the applicant). How does it make you feel? What would you get out of having time where you can safely and freely create? Send us a short, written statement (parents can take dictation for young ones who can’t write well yet) OR make a picture or other art form that expresses how much art means to you. The best of both worlds is to send us both! Entries should include the child’s name, age, parent’s names, contact information, and the statement or image of the artwork. Entries can be emailed to info@550arts.com with “Clay for Kids Scholarship for (Child’s Name)” as the subject. Applications may also be dropped off in person.
About Studio 550
Since 2013, Studio 550 Art Center has been bringing people together, beginners and experienced makers alike, with the common joy of creating with clay, glass, paint or pencil. Located in Downtown Manchester, Studio 550 believes that art is for everyone, regardless of age, income, background, or self-perceived limitations. There are 1-day workshops and 10-week classes for kids and adults, a community studio membership program for experienced potters, a new paint-your-own-handmade pottery studio, and a handmade gift shop.
About CRW Designs
CRW Designs is a socially conscious NH Potter and public art teacher based out of Manchester, NH. Catie Webster strives to provide an engaging education in the arts for all her students, but realizes that there are more opportunities beyond her own classroom and in her local community where she can give back. Catie believes that every child deserves the opportunity to gain the benefits that freedom of expression in the arts provides. Research has shown that these positive effects are significant to all areas of life and prove to last a lifetime.
