medium

: Metal

Museum of Arts and Design in New York City’s Columbus Circle. Photo: Gustav Liliequist; courtesy Museum of Arts and Design.

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) champions contemporary makers across creative fields and presents the work of artists, designers, and artisans who apply the highest level of ingenuity and skill.

Since the Museum’s founding in 1956 by philanthropist and visionary Aileen Osborn Webb, MAD has celebrated all facets of making and the creative processes by which materials are transformed, from traditional techniques to cutting-edge technologies.

Today, the Museum’s curatorial program builds upon a rich history of exhibitions that emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach to art and design, and reveals the workmanship behind the objects and environments that shape our everyday lives.

MAD provides an international platform for practitioners who are influencing the direction of cultural production and driving twenty-first-century innovation, and fosters a participatory setting for visitors to have direct encounters with skilled making and compelling works of art and design.

New York,
NY
Museum
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Wood
Ohio Craft Museum building. Ohio Craft Museum

Opened in 1993, the Ohio Craft Museum engages and enriches the community through high-quality exhibitions and education programs. Free exhibitions showcase superb examples of fine craft, including works in clay, fiber, metal, wood and glass, by artists from across the country and around the world. Gift shops sell beautiful jewelry, wheel-thrown ceramics, blown glass, leather bags, wooden bowls and cutting boards, and much more, by over 125 artists.

The museum offers educational programming for all ages and skill levels. Artists and curators present lectures and demonstrations during exhibitions; professional artists and art educators teach classes and workshops for adults and teens. Topics have included Pysanky egg design, basketmaking, felted wool projects and polymer clay ornaments. Summer camps for children and teens help foster a life-long interest in fine craft. Workshops for professional artists are offered throughout the year.

The museum provides free exhibition tours to community groups, such as schools, senior centers and organizations serving adults with developmental disabilities.

Columbus,
OH
Museum
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Wood
Enriching lives through art and craft - Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts

Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts is a nationally recognized center for craft education and creative exploration. Located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains, Arrowmont offers a wide range of workshops, residencies, and gallery exhibitions to inspire creativity and foster community.

Gatlinburg,
TN
Arts/Cultural Organization Craft School
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
LAUNCH Gallery Street view. credit: James Panozzo

LAUNCH LA believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community through the shared appreciation of creative expression in all its forms and hybrids.

LAUNCH LA is passionate about providing artists with quality opportunities to present themselves and their creations that reflect our times to a curious and enthusiastic audience at important happenings throughout Los Angeles.

LAUNCH LA addresses these core values by presenting arts and culture programming throughout the year at its gallery on La Brea Avenue, through multidisciplinary programs at TARFEST, a free music and arts festival held annually in the past at the La Brea Tar Pits Park and notable venues in the Miracle Mile District and currently held at Pan Pacific Park, as well as other periodic showcases and collaborations in important Los Angeles communities.

Los Angeles,
CA
Arts/Cultural Organization
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
Fitton Center for Creative Arts, Hamilton, Ohio. Courtesy of Fitton Center for Creative Arts

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is more than a building – it’s an experience. We are a non-profit community arts organization serving the City of Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio, and beyond for more than 30 years. We celebrate and support the full spectrum of humanity through equal opportunities in dynamic visual and performing arts programming. Our four professional art galleries – free and open to the public – highlight thought-provoking, evocative artwork in every medium by emerging and established regional, national and international artists via four major exhibitions each season. Our Community Gallery celebrates artwork by area social, civic and school groups in a dozen exhibitions annually. Interactive outdoor installations, a robust public murals program and outreach classes and events extend our reach into the community. By offering multiple ways for people to connect with each other and art, we stimulate the local economy and nurture a sense of place.

Hamilton,
OH
Arts/Cultural Organization
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
The Tennessee Craft Fair in the warm glow of the sunset At Centennial Park in Nashville, TN. Todd Herzberg

TN Craft is a statewide nonprofit that celebrates, preserves, and promotes high-quality handmade art in Tennessee.

Nashville,
TN
Arts/Cultural Organization
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
Gallery view of “THIS SIDE UP” at Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. Photo by Kerrisa Treanor.

Located in Houston’s Museum District, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC) is a nonprofit arts center with a mission to inspire and connect people to the art and process of making. Focused on objects made from clay, fiber, glass, metal, wood, and mixed media, and serving as a dynamic hub at the intersection of craft and contemporary culture, HCCC is one of only a few venues in the U.S. dedicated to showcasing craft at the highest level. Visitors of all ages enjoy viewing leading-edge exhibitions, interacting with resident artists, participating in hands-on programming, exploring the Craft Garden, and shopping for one-of-a-kind jewelry and gifts.  Admission is always free.

Houston,
TX
Arts/Cultural Organization Museum
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Paper Wood
Craft Alliance. Tim Henry

Craft Alliance, located in St. Louis, is an inclusive community for artists, enthusiasts, and students to explore and celebrate craft in all its forms. We offer studios for blacksmithing, ceramics, fibers, glass, metals, print & paper, and woodcraft.

At Craft Alliance, we believe craft can inspire, connect, and transform lives. Our students, from beginners to experts, learn from our professional artist faculty. We are also dedicated to providing craft exhibitions, programs, and events to the public to make arts experiences more accessible to all.

Saint Louis,
MO
Arts/Cultural Organization Craft School Gallery
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Paper Wood
Students in the course Materials In Human Experience build an iron smelting furnace inspired by traditional furnace construction techniques from Burkina Faso. Rhea Vedro

MIT’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering is home to the world’s premier program focused on materials science and engineering—the study of matter and how it is made.

Our faculty, staff, and students undertake interdisciplinary materials projects that draw on fundamental sciences in pursuit of beneficial engineering solutions. From novel manufacturing methods to high-capacity batteries, their work has resulted in powerful discoveries and innovations that positively influence virtually every corner of society.

Cambridge,
MA
University or College
Metal
In the handbuilding studio at the NCSW 2025 Workshops. Photo by Jennifer Fels

Art Workshops in a Classic New England Setting

North Country Studio Workshops offers five-day intensive workshops for artists and craftspeople in an atmosphere of discovery, energy, collaboration, and inspiration.

Clay, fiber arts, printmaking, drawing, jewelry, paper and book arts, painting, sculpture, basketry, encaustic, mixed media, and photography are taught by nationally and internationally-known artists and instructors.

Nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains of Vermont, the classic New England campus of Bennington College provides workshop facilities, accommodations, and an inspirational setting.

Explore, expand, and create in a community of fine craft and fine art professionals.

North Hampton,
NH
Craft School
Clay Fiber Metal Mixed Media Other Paper
Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum at Mesa Arts Center. Mesa Arts Center

Part of the Mesa Arts Center, Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum is a visual arts space dedicated to the presentation, interpretation, collection and preservation of contemporary art, with a special focus on traditional media. Committed to showcasing outstanding regional, national and international exhibitions, the museum supports and elevates artists from around the world through solo, group and juried exhibitions.

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum fosters community engagement through artist talks and enriching educational experiences for all.

Mesa,
AZ
Arts/Cultural Organization Museum
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
An artist weaves a basket from harvested invasive vines during Angela Eastman's workshop retreat in the Antinori Village. Hambidge Staff

Established in 1934, the Hambidge Center nurtures creativity in all walks of life through a multidisciplinary residency program, innovative workshop retreats, environmental initiatives, and community programs on its pristine wooded 600-acre creative sanctuary in the North Georgia Mountains. The Hambidge Cross-Pollination Art Lab and Hambidge Hive provide studio and exhibition space for dynamic arts programming in Atlanta. Through all its programming, Hambidge supports the creative process and presentation of bold ideas while building supportive and inclusive bonds of community.

Rabun Gap,
GA
Arts/Cultural Organization
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Paper Wood
"Scrumptious" Exhibition at NYC Jewelry Week, 2024. SNAG Metalsmith

SNAG is an international non-profit organization committed to advancing jewelry and metalsmithing by inspiring creativity, encouraging education, and fostering community.

Founded in 1969 as The Society of North American Goldsmiths, the organization has evolved to include and promote diverse expressions of jewelry, adornment, body-related objects, sculpture, and installation.

SNAG publishes Metalsmith magazine; facilitates in-person and virtual conferences, events, and exhibitions; provides scholarships for educational advancement; and more.

National
Arts/Cultural Organization
Metal Mixed Media
JRACraft Workshop with Judith Schaecter. courtesy of JRACraft

JRACraft is a vibrant group of art enthusiasts, collectors, artists, educators, students, and art professionals who share a passion for contemporary American craft. Our members enjoy a diverse year-round schedule of programs, including social events, educational lectures and tours, and art-inspired excursions.

We are committed to advancing scholarship, education, and public appreciation of craft art as well as promoting individual achievements of excellence and innovation in the craft field.

Washington,
DC
Arts/Cultural Organization
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood
Woven Mandala by Jennifer Tang Limon. Photo by Sona Kechiyants

Los Angeles Basketry Guild was formed in 1985. Our mission is the encouragement of the ancient skills of basketmaking in a traditional sense and in new ways to create vessels of use and display. Through the society of basket makers, new skills and traditions are passed on to the next generation.

The purpose of this organization is to stimulate interest in basketry by perpetuation of and education in the art of basketry; to educate the general public on the historic value and heritage relating to basketry; and to support and encourage our members to be quality basket makers. In-person meetings are held quarterly in Santa Monica and in-person workshops are held several times per year in the Los Angeles area.

Los Angeles,
CA
Arts/Cultural Organization
Clay Fiber Glass Metal Mixed Media Other Paper Wood