MCG Youth

10/02/2026

Week 2 is underway in MCG Youth's Thursday Afterschool Apprenticeship Training Program!

Students are already getting hands-on experience in ceramic sculpture, screen printing, laser-cut jewelry design, and black & white photography, building creative skills while bringing their ideas to life.

From the clay studio to the darkroom, it's exciting to see these young artists and makers begin their fall projects.

To read the full blog post and learn more about what our apprentices are creating this trimester, click here: https://www.mcgyouth.org/post/fall-atp-kicks-off-thursday-edition

09/14/2026

REMINDER: Enrollment for our Fall ATP studios opens TOMORROW AT 6:00 PM. Make a plan— these classes are first come, first serve and fill up quickly!

To learn more, visit: https://www.mcgyouth.org/fall-2026

09/11/2026

It's that time of year again!

Registration for our Fall Afterschool Apprenticeship Training Program (ATP) Studios opens TUESDAY, September 15th at 6PM! Don't miss your chance to sign up for one of our ceramics, design, digital, photography, or jazz courses.

To view our complete class offerings and registration page, click here: https://www.mcgyouth.org/fall-2026

09/07/2026

MCG Youth will be closed today for the holiday. We will reopen tomorrow.

08/17/2026

Every summer brings new opportunities to learn, but some lessons can only be found far from home!

Our newest edition of the Manchester Bidwell Newsletter is now available online, and it follows MCG Youth students as they travel to the Archie Bray Foundation in Montana and Yellowstone National Park, where art, nature, and adventure come together to inspire creativity, confidence, and personal growth.

If you receive the newsletter in the mail, your copy is on its way. If you can't wait, read the digital edition here: https://www.manchesterbidwell.org/summer-2026-mcg-youth-article

07/28/2026

Picture this: it’s late in your Summer Studios session. You’ve finished your projects for the day but you’re still feeling that creative itch. What do you do? Start a band of course!

That’s exactly what a group of middle school students in Zo Zielinski’s afternoon MCG Youth Summer Studios class did. The students got together for an impromptu performance of Billie Jean.

Why?
Why not.
Enjoy. 🎶🎸🥁

07/21/2026

Lights, camera, animation!

Students in MCG Youth teaching artist Ben Pyles’s Don’t Stop the Motion summer studios class turned clay, paper, toys, and handcrafted sets into original animated films as part of the MCG Youth Digital Summer Studio.

Along the way, they learned storyboarding, character design, filming techniques, and digital editing while collaborating with teammates to bring their ideas to life one frame at a time.

We’re excited to premiere their finished films on the MCG Youth blog. Visit the link in our bio to watch the student showcase and celebrate the creativity and imagination of these talented young animators.

StudentShowcase CreativeYouth ManchesterCraftsmensGuild Animation DigitalStorytelling

07/15/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the opening reception of the Women of Visions, Inc. 45th Anniversary Exhibition last night! 🎨✨ Your support helped make this celebration of 45 years of artistry, advocacy, and community truly special.

Missed the opening? There's still time to visit. The exhibition remains on view through August 30 in the Kerr Gallery at Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. We hope you'll stop by and experience the incredible work on display.

07/07/2026

Four MCG Youth students recently returned from an incredible five-day residency at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana.

Led by teaching artists Matt Zorn and Zo Zielinski, students worked with specialized clay bodies, learned from internationally recognized ceramic artists, and gained firsthand experience in one of the nation’s premier ceramic arts communities. The trip also included a hike up Mount Helena, making for an unforgettable week of creativity, exploration, and growth.

We’re proud of these young artists for embracing this unique opportunity and taking their ceramic practice to the next level.

Read more here: https://www.mcgyouth.org/post/mcg-youth-students-return-from-transformative-archie-bray-experience

This summer, four outstanding MCG Youth students traveled to the renowned Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts in Helena, Montana, for an intensive five-day ceramics immersion led by teaching artists Matt Zorn and Zo Zielinski.Now in its sixth year, the Archie Bray trip provides students with...