More than 40 years ago, the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild was founded as an arts institute and today houses visual arts, photography, ceramic and design studios as well an auditorium and music studios.
Though it has a long history of showcasing local, national and international artist, it is also a renowned teaching institution. As part of its mission, for the past two years the MCG has held an annual art exhibit to honor the work of local high school artists. This year’s event was held May 8 at MCG.
It’s a fun event, we try to make it like the Emmy Awards or something like that, with video of the nominees and winners on the big screen, we had a live jazz band,” said Event Coordinator Keith Hershberger. “And the work is amazing. Every year things come in an my colleagues and I are like, ‘Wow. How did they do that?’”
Submissions are accepted over a week period beginning in March and evaluated by a team of judges. Then Hershberger and his team set up the work in the gallery, which is right outside the auditorium where the award presentations take place.
Though originally open to just Pittsburgh Public School students, the contest has expanded to included neighboring districts such a Wilkinsburg and Penn Hills, as well as charter schools within the city of Pittsburgh.
“Sometimes they participate, sometimes not,” said Hershberger. “This year we had more than 100 student submissions as well as some submitted by teachers on their students’ behalf.”
The awards range from a $25 gift certificate to the Artist & Craftsman Supply store to a $25,000 scholarship to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.
