Community Corner

Wrap Up a Workshop at Artsplace

Cheshire's Artsplace is sketching out a plan for Sunday workshops.

Culinary arts and gardening workshops are on the drawing board at Artsplace as it moves to add Sunday afternoon classes to its schedule.

“We took a survey and children and adults said they wanted Sunday workshops,” said Artsplace Director Joan Pilarczyk. “We decided to do one in the spring, we just couldn’t wait,” she said. 

The one spring workshop will be taught by Cheshire jeweler Kris Quinn. The class, “Wire Wrapped Cabochons” will be held on Sunday, April 29 from noon to 3 p.m. In Belle Armoire magazine Quinn described her technique in an article entitled “Twelve Ways to Wrap, Crimp and Twist.” 

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A wide variety of inexpensive workshops will be offered this summer and fall, Pilarczyk said. "People will walk away with something they’ve made,” she added.

The success of the summer and fall pilot program, Pilarczyk said, could allow Artsplace to expand its workshop schedule to provide classes every Sunday, year round. 

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The fate of the expansion, however, depends on the support of the public, Pilarczyk noted. She said the goal is to increase revenue to cover the cost of the Sunday workshops. 

Town Manager Michael Milone said recently that Artsplace needs to bring in an additional $28,000 a year for the Sunday workshops. Part of the extra cost is an increase in staff hours, he added.

Milone's requested budget for Artsplace for the 2012-13 fiscal year is about $165,000. Pilarczyk had asked for just over $191,000 to include the Sunday workshops. Instead, Milone asked her to prove the classes could bring in revenue before the budget was increased.

Artsplace’s annual budget is only .001 of the town’s total budget, Pilarczyk said. Once the annual revenue from classes is included — about $90,000 — the percentage drops to .0008, she added.

“Arts (funding) is not proportional” in the budget, Pilarczyk said. “I wish we could offer classes on 30 or 40 Sundays” she added. 

Pilarczyk will report to the Town Council on the results of the pilot program in December.

The spring session at Artsplace begins next week starting on Monday, April 9. Registration is required.


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