AEP News & Events Archives - The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts

Art Garage Sale at the Grand!

Join the Arts Education Program for an Art Garage Sale at the Grand, as part of Tracy Arts Month!

On Saturday, April 22nd our main lobby with be full of arts related materials, art supplies, studio furniture, holiday décor, office supplies, artwork, and so much more! Priced to sell from FREE to $50. This sale will run from 9 AM to 2 PM and all sales are final. Cash only please.

Are you an artist who has materials you would like to get rid of? Consider selling them during our Art Garage Sale! We are currently accepting applications to participate. Please download this Registration Form and return it to the Arts Education Office at the Grand before Friday, April 14th. Or if you just have a few items, or many, to get rid of, we are happy taking them to sell or give away on April 22nd.

Please contact the Arts Education Office at (209) 831-6276 for more information.

Tracy Arts Commission announces 2023 Granting Program!

The Tracy Arts Commission provides support and resources to the our local creative community. The Granting Program is designed to encourage and help artists of all kinds, arts educators, and arts organizations present arts and cultural-based projects in Tracy.

Projects must be accessible to the public in the form of events and activities such as classes, exhibits, festivals, performances, screenings, readings, and workshops. The application process is easy and friendly to small and large projects alike. This granting cycle will support projects between July 2023 and June 2024.

Interested, have questions? Join us for an orientation meeting on Wednesday, February 15 at 6 pm for assistance and helpful conversation.

Download the 2023 Granting Program Request For Proposals here!

We’re Hiring! Join Our Creative Team!

Employment opportunities are now available serving the Cultural Arts Division at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts!

• P/T Rec Leader II – Arts Education Program

• P/T Program Assistants (3) – Theatre Operations / Event Support

• P/T Theatre Technicians (2) – Theatre Operations

• F/T Cultural Arts Technical Coordinator – Theatre Operations

For more information and to submit your application online, visit: CITYOFTRACYJOBS.COM

Applications are accepted until positions are filled.

Robot Library Debuts at the Grand!

A Little Free Library® designed and fabricated by Mark Knize is now on display at the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts!

The Arts Education Program a issued a Request for Proposals for a custom little library to promote literacy and compliment the interdisciplinary arts programming at the Grand. Local sculptor and woodturner Mark Knize was selected for his fun and innovative design. The result is a life-sized, vintage robot that offers a variety of free arts-related resources including books, magazines, music and art-making supplies to youth and adults alike. Not only does the robot provide unique presentation, but it is also mobile and includes dynamic lighting.

The Robot Library will become a chartered member of the Little Free Library® international network.

Ceramics Open Lab

Ceramic Open Lab is offered on Wednesday afternoons from 4:30 to 7:30 pm.

2023 Winter/Spring Open Lab Dates: 3/29, 4/5, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17

2023 Summer Open Lab Dates: 6/7, 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2, 8/9, 8/16

*No Lab: 5/24, 5/31, 8/23, 8/30, 9/5

Ceramics Lab

Join us Wednesday afternoons 4:30 to 7:30 pm for extra time to practice the skills you are learning in class. Students, both beginning and advanced, currently enrolled in any of our ceramic classes are strongly encouraged to attend lab to enhance their learning experience. Experienced ceramic artists are also welcome. Labs do not include instruction and enrollment in a current ceramic class is not required to attend open lab times.

While attending open lab you will have access to our six electric wheels, a kick wheel, a slab roller and an extruder. You will also have a plethora of tools available for use including trimming tools, metal and wooden rib tools, sponges, stamps, molds and more. You will find that open lab can be a calming and playful experience.

Cone 5 Glaze List

We have a verity of different glazes to dip your bisque ware and testing tiles to experiment with colors. The following glazes are available during open lab: Colonial White, Peach Gloss, True Celadon, Turkish Amber, Dynasty Red, Mandarin Orange, Black Gloss, Royal Blue, Purple Gloss, Lemon Yellow, and Clear.

Cost

Drop in for one-day lab access is $20 for residents of Tracy and $22 for non-residents.

We offer a punch card at $100 for residents and $110 for non-residents. With your punch card you will have six entries for the price of five. Punch cards do not expire, and you can use them whenever our ceramics open lab is running.

Clay Available for Purchase

Clay is $24.00 plus tax for a twenty-five-pound bag of clay, with or without grog. Recycled clay is $14.00 plus tax for a twenty-five-pound bag of clay. Recycled clay is not always immediately available so please call ahead if you would like to purchase some.

Ceramics Firings

The Grand is pleased to provide cone 5-6 & 05 electric kiln firing services to the local ceramic arts community. Simply purchase clay through the center, and then make an appointment to bring your unfired projects to our studio. The cost of firings is dependent on the size and amount of work. We will provide you with a finalized price when pieces are ready for pick up. Please note this special service is contingent on our acceptance of materials to be fired; we reserve the right to reject work that includes paper, metal, or unidentified materials. Please contact the Ceramics Technician for more information about ceramic firings and availability.

Ceramics Technician

For more information about our Ceramics Open Lab, Ceramic Classes, and Firing Services, please contact our Ceramics Technician, Abraham Alvarez at abraham.alvarez@cityoftracy.org or (209) 831-6273.

Fused Glass Open Lab

Fused Glass Lab is offered on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30 to 7:30 pm.

2023 Winter/Spring Open Lab Dates: 3/21, 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16

2023 Summer Open Lab Dates: 6/6, 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11, 7/18, 7/25, 8/1, 8/8, 8/15

*No Lab on 5/23, 5/30, 7/4, 8/22, 8/29, 9/5

Students can work independently alongside other artists in the glass studio on Tuesday afternoons! Students should be prepared with their own ideas and projects in mind to work on during this time. No formal teachings will be given. During open lab times, you will have access to a variety of tools such as glass cutters and a glass grinder. Pieces created during open lab times will be fired. You may find that lab can be a calming and playful experience, we look forward to seeing you.

Cost

Drop in for one-day lab access is $20 for residents of Tracy and $22 for non-residents.

Glass Available for Purchase

During open lab times, you will have access to a variety of tools such as glass cutters and a glass grinder. Glass materials such as 10 x 10-inch sheets of glass, frit, and stringers are available for sale during open lab times. We offer a variety of glass sheets including opalescent, transparent, and streaky glass. We also have variety of frit available for purchase including powders, fine, coarse, and medium. Stringers/glass rods are also available in select colors, ranging from 0.5mm to 2mm. Prices range.

Fused Glass Firings

The Grand is pleased to provide slump, tack, and full fused glass firing services to the local arts community. When your piece(s) are ready, please make an appointment to bring your unfired projects to our studio. The cost of firings is dependent on the size and amount of work. We will provide you with a finalized price when pieces are ready for pick up. Please note this special service is contingent on our acceptance of materials to be fired; we reserve the right to reject work that includes paper, metal, or unidentified materials. Please contact the Ceramics Technician for more information about firings and availability.

Studio Technician

For more information about our Fused Glass Open Lab, Fused Glass Classes, and Firing Services, please contact our Ceramics Technician, Abraham Alvarez at abraham.alvarez@cityoftracy.org or (209) 831-6273.

Free Online Paint Night

Grand’s Facebook Page

The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts presents a free Paint Night through Facebook live! Join the Arts Education Program featuring visual arts instructor Amanda Trask for a 1-hour painting you can do from the comfort of your own home! Participants can follow along in the video below to create their one-of-a-kind painting!

This Paint Night is family friendly and appropriate for school-age students as well as adults.

You will want the following supplies to complete this painting:

canvas, canvas board, or canvas paper (we used a 14″ x 11″ canvas)
one small paint brush
one large paint brush
one paper plate for mixing colors
one plastic cup for water
paper towels used to make the leaf texturing on the painting
6 colors of paint:
- White
- Black
- Yellow
- Red/Orange
- Dark Green
- Blue

Or you can opt to use any supplies you have available at home!

Please click on the video below to begin painting!

Free Online Art Classes

The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, Arts Education Program presents free online art classes through Facebook Live! Join visual arts instructor and artist Amanda Trask for a virtual art class. Each week starting April 8th, Amanda taught a different topic centered-around drawing. Students at home can follow along using basic art supplies such as paper, pencil and colored pencil.

Check out the videos below to try one of these drawing classes!

Classes are family friendly and appropriate for school age students as well as adults.

The Arts Education Program is pleased to announce the addition of these Facebook Live art classes during this uncertain time. The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts is currently closed to the public until further notice in response to the current health concerns related to COVID-19.

Grand’s Facebook Page

April 8, 2020 Week 1: Fantasy Drawing: Unicorns & Dragons

April 15, 2020 Week 2: Anime/Manga Style Drawing

April 22, 2020 Week 3: Figure Drawing: Faces

April 29, 2020 Week 4: Figure Drawing: Hands & Feet

May 6, 2020 Week 5: Having Fun with Patterns!

May 13, 2020 Week 6: Cartoon Drawing: Animals

Thanks for drawing with us!