After-School Programs
The Hilltop Artists After School programs offer students a safe, creative place to be for out-of-school hours, where they can make friends and develop their skills in glass arts. After-School students work in glassblowing, fusion, and flameworking, connecting with trusted teaching artists and working with advanced glass art students as their mentors.
After School admits students based on the Tacoma Public Schools semester schedule with two sessions: September – February, and February – June.
For the 2023-24 school year, the fall session will run from October 2nd to February 1, and the winter session will run from February 12th to June 6th.
Our After-School programs are open to all students, regardless of school or district. These programs are tuition-free.
Hilltop Heritage Middle School
Monday – Thursday, 3 – 4:30 PM during the school year
At Hilltop Heritage, we work with students ages 12 and above. This program serves middle schoolers who are looking to continue – or begin – their exploration of glass arts. Students will have the opportunity to learn about glass blowing, flame working, and glass fusion.
Silas High School
Monday through Thursday, 2:30 – 4 PM during the school year
The After School program at Silas provides an opportunity for high school students to continue – or begin – their exploration of glass arts. This program focuses primarily on flameworking and glassblowing.
Team Production & Alumni Team
Team Production students, aged between 14 and 20 have been identified in our other programs as advanced students. Team Production goes year-round and these students create glass art for commissions, such as the Governor’s Arts and Heritage Awards and Tacoma City of Destiny Awards, and for sale in our gallery and at Hilltop Artists events. Team Production students also participate in an annual week-long Visiting Artist Residency at the Museum of Glass each summer.
All Team Production students are required to create a high school or post-education plan for which our Outreach Manager provides resources and support.
In early 2020, Hilltop Artists initiated a new program: the Alumni Team. We welcome Alumni ages 18-26 to join the team! Alumni Team members are advanced artists, excited to continue their skill-building, or artists who may not have had much time in a hot shop since their Production Team, After School, or Daytime days, and want to rebuild their skills.
These artists earn a stipend at a higher rate than Team Production, AND earn hot shop time to create their own artwork.
To learn more, contact Jessica Hogan, Jhogan@hilltopartists.org.
Click here to view the Team Production Calendar
Li’l Board of Directors
The Li’l Board of Directors is a group of students from Hilltop Artists’ Team Production who meet regularly. Their role is to bridge the gap between students, staff, and the Board of Directors. Hilltop Artists students involved in any of our programs are eligible to serve on the Li’l Board of Directors.
To learn more, contact Roberto Nieves, roberto@hilltopartists.org.
Opportunities for Team Production Students
Our Ambassador Program connects Hilltop Artists students to a different cultures and techniques around the world. Students have opportunities to train in Biot, France with artist Antoine Pierini; in Murano, Italy; and with other incredible artists in schools such as Pilchuck Glass School, Penland School of Craft, and more.
In September 2017, Pilchuck Glass School and Hilltop Artists launched a collaboration to offer an immersive retreat and professional training in glassmaking for Team Production students at Pilchuck’s remarkable campus.
Thank you to the Washington State Arts Commission, The Robert M. Minkoff Foundation, and The Craft School Experience, for generously underwriting this unique collaboration.
Student Artists Leading in Entrepreneurship (S.A.L.E.) focuses on teaching our students transferable skills, such as retail sales, marketing, customer service, financial literacy, merchandising, and more.
To learn more, contact James Downey, jdowney@hilltopartists.org.
Hilltop Artists Team Production students blow glass on the Museum of Glass hot shop floor every third Thursday, September through June.
Visit the Museum of Glass website for museum hours, parking, and more information about other activities happening each Third Thursday.
Team Production and After School students create hundreds of Monkeyshines, glass medallions and floats, to contribute to this annual treasure hunt held during the Lunar New Year. Monkeyshines received the AMOCAT Community Outreach by an Organization Award from the City of Tacoma in 2017. Hilltop Artists was awarded grant funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Washington State Arts Commission to support our Monkeyshines participation in 2019, 2020, and 2021! Thank you to NEA and ARTS WA for helping to underwrite our role in this fun and iconic arts event in the City of Tacoma.
Arts Connect
Arts Connect is a Hilltop Artists’ community-based program for females who are involved with the Pierce County Juvenile Court, through the court’s diversion, probation, foster care, truancy, and at-risk programs. Serving females ages 12 to 18, Arts Connect provides an environment for students to build trust, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Each quarter, the students explore a new medium, such as glass fusing, printmaking, glassblowing, and photography.
Outreach Services
The Outreach Services Program at Hilltop Artists is a critical component of our mission to connect youth to better futures, and is available to all students in every Hilltop Artists program.
Outreach provides in-depth, individualized services, referrals, support and advocacy for students and their families. We do this with respect for the diversity of our students and their families, a lens of equity, and an understanding of trauma-informed care. Outreach Services partners with community organizations for referrals to their services as well as recruiting their clients who could benefit from Hilltop Artists programs.
Thank you to the ArtsFund Youth Access and Opportunity Fund for helping to underwrite the expenses associated with Hilltop Artists’ youth glass art programs.
