Learning Fire Youth Program at Terminal City Glass Co-op

The Learning Fire Youth Program at Terminal City Glass Co-op gives students a unique opportunity to learn the art of glassblowing for high school credit. Founded in April 2022, Learning Fire began with three students in our hot shop from three alternative high school programs. Vancouver School Board alternative schools serve teens who struggle to find success in standard school due to life/family/legal circumstances. Their population is approximately 50% BIPOC. Indigenous world renowned glass artist Preston Singletary was our visiting artist that first year. Since then, we have added eight more VSB Alternative secondary schools and have grown from those three students in one hot shop glassblowing class to over 50 students in two 6-week sessions of hot shop glassblowing, flameworking, and glass fusing, plus a Spring after-school program in all three kinds of glass making and an apprenticeship program. Our guest artists have included Blown Away contestant Trenton Quiocho, Lummi artists Raya Friday and William Passmore, Six Nations artist Ariel Hill, and Los Angeles artist Cedric Mitchell. With your support, we can continue and grow our youth programming at TCGC, giving young people this singular opportunity to explore and create in new and exciting ways.