Our mission is to cultivate the artist in each of us by inviting creative collaboration in the study, practice, and advancement of the studio arts.
"It feels like home here. The instructors and teaching assistants are great. There’s a lovely energy to make all feel welcome."
— Sampler Student
Studio Arts Boulder offers ceramics programs to all ages and abilities in a community studio setting. The “studio arts” are those art forms that require equipment and facilities beyond the reach of most individuals. By creating in a community studio, students share ideas and build relationships in addition to creating art.
Studio Arts Boulder also partners with a number of local organizations to provide free and reduced-rate programs outside the studio to underserved members of the community. These partner programs are the fastest growing segment of the organization.
Our Core Values
We believe art is a basic human right. Whether a child's drawing or a symphony performance, art is essential. Because of this core belief, we strive to offer services that are:
Universal: Programs must be affordable and accessible to all ages, abilities, and skill-levels.
Collaborative: Studio Arts, by their nature, invite communal interaction because they require artists to share equipment, space, and supplies.
Sustainable: Art can be performed in environmentally- and economically-responsible ways.
Exceptional: Highly-qualified instructors and a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility foster excellent artistic experiences for all participants.
Our Equity Vision
Art is a universal language that empowers people. Art gives voice to individuals and groups and is one of the most powerful tools for self-expression. At Studio Arts Boulder, we are committed to advancing accessibility, equity, and inclusion in every area of our organization. We believe the unique contributions and diverse voices within our staff, board, students, and volunteers enlivens our humanity. We recognize that institutional inequality, through conscious and unconscious practices, creates disparities in access to arts programming. Therefore, we will:
Build intentional partnerships to further our equity and inclusion efforts;
Foster learning environments where every person can feel safe, engaged, valued, and encouraged to collaborate, generate ideas, and contribute;
Invest the necessary resources to further our inclusion and equity efforts; and
Embrace community feedback and evaluate our operations and programs to ensure our practices are inclusive and equitable.
To achieve our vision, we must actively work to overcome complex inequities within our organization, within the arts landscape, and within our own community. We commit to furthering inclusivity and belonging as we work to make art more accessible to everyone and to ensure all people can experience the studio arts in a positive way.
