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Raw Wine at the Steel Yard
Join us at the Steel Yard for a benefit wine tasting hosted by Campus Fine Wines. Raise funds for the Steel Yard while sampling organic & natural wines from around the world. Food and snacks courtesy of our friends at Chez Pascal, Olive del Mondo. Walrus & Carpenter will be providing Oyster -
Cruise Night
8th Annual Cruise Night Part of the Works In Progress fundraising event series Rain date: July 13th $5.00 suggested donationCar entry fee is $5.00 The Steel Yard is pleased to announce that the 8th Annual Cruise Night will be held on July 12th from 5:00 – 9:00pm. This unique event is more
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Steel Yard Fundraiser
This is going to be an amazing fundraising event. Mark your calendar now, and we'll be posting information soon.
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Site Rental: Private Event
The Steel Yard will be rented out for a private event today.
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Site Rental: Private Event
The Steel Yard will be rented out for a private event today.
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The Steel Yard Welcomes New Executive Director Helen Lang
The Steel Yard, a nationally recognized industrial arts nonprofit in Providence, RI, announces Helen Lang as their new Executive Director. Helen will guide the Yard as it enters its second decade of creative experimentation and community building in the industrial valley district of Providence&rsquo -
Join our Ceramics Cooperative
Lucky you! There's still room available in our Ceramics Cooperative for you to join and make all your pottery dreams come true... The Ceramics Cooperative is designed to assist emerging to mid-level artists in growing and strengthening their creative practice in a supportive, cooperative environm
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Apply to be the Ceramics Cooperative Coordinator!
Looking to be more involved in the ceramics department? Apply to be the cooperative coordinator! The Steel Yard Ceramics Tech and Coordinator position is designed to support the creative practice of an entry to mid-level ceramic artist by providing full studio access and a monthly stipend in exc
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2013 Weld To Work Application
Applications for our Weld to Work program are now available. Weld to Work is a paid Steel Yard metalworking training program designed to give you skills that will make you eligible for welding jobs in local businesses. This program will introduce you to studio safety, basic metalworking tools, hand
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Spring courses now online
"Spring is the time of plans and projects." - Leo Tolstoy It's time to fire up torches, light forges and ignite kilns! Don't let this year's record blizzard prevent you from explorin
Islay's Blog :: Arts in Mind Festival and Moth Radio event in NYC read more »
Islay's Blog :: Grant Opportunity from RISCA read more »
Islay's Blog :: Apply for a ceramics residency at the Lawrence Arts Center read more »
Mission & History
Mission
The Steel Yard acts as a catalyst in the creative revitalization of the industrial valley district of Providence, Rhode Island. In fostering the industrial arts and incubating small business, the Corporation seeks to cultivate an environment of experimentation and a community strengthened by creative networks.
History
The Steel Yard was founded in 2001 by Nick Bauta and Clay Rockefeller who purchased the former Providence Steel and Iron (PSI) complex in the conviction that the industrial site had not yet outlived its purpose. In collaboration with fellow artists and community members, Bauta and Rockefeller built a non-profit around the simple idea that by reconnecting people to how things are made and teaching them about process, endless possibilities open up. The founders and the earliest members of our community imagined a place that would serve as a sponsor and catalyst for innovative approaches to urban revitalization, arts promotion, workforce development, and community growth.
Our first major foray into programming began with the intention of furnishing local metalworkers with access to a well-equipped shop. We converted PSI’s ornamental shop into an industrial arts facility and education center. The facility and surrounding site now accommodates classes and projects in welding, blacksmithing, ceramics, jewelry, glass casting and the foundry arts.
Click Above For a GalleryOver the years, both the interior and exterior spaces have been used for the fabrication of products, the creation of works of art, open houses, workshops, demonstrations, exhibits, and performances. The input and assistance of the surrounding community has helped drive a grassroots evolution at the Steel Yard ensuring that its vision, curriculum, and facilities are unique and uniquely beneficial to the locality in which we work.
As the Steel Yard has grown, it has served as a point of exchange for individuals from a variety of social, professional, and economic sectors. The student learning to cast bronze, the auto specialist restoring an antique car, the artist hanging an installation, and the tradesman building slate roofs have worked side by side, encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration, mutual learning, and the creation of links between individual endeavors and their applications in wider society. Moving into the future, we will strive to fulfill our mission and serve our community by modeling our growth on the inclusiveness and interactivity that first enabled the Steel Yard to flourish.