Manayunk-Roborough Art Center brings art to the community with new curriculum

In their 60th year of bringing art to the local community, the Manayunk-Roxborough Art Center (MRAC) is revamping their list of programs to get more local residents directly involved in the arts.  

At the center on 419 Green Lane, Director of the Board and Treasurer, Mike Muir works hard alongside a dedicated team of volunteers to maintain the non-profit educational art institute that is home to 70 members, including 40 local artists.

Muir and his team put on about 60 events a year at MRAC, including exhibits, classes and workshops in poetry and other literary arts.

“We had a strategic planning meeting not too long ago and we realized the bulk of our income was coming from art exhibits,” said Muir, “so one of our objectives was to really expand the curriculum for the community.”

The new curriculum is comprised of 13 new classes from now until November. Classes are offered in art, creative writing, poetry and theater for people of all ages and skill levels. “We even have a class for tots,” laughed Muir.  People who are interested in reading the full description of classes and registration information can find everything they need to get started at the Manayunk-Roxborough Art Center’s site.

Community members who are interested can join classes at any time.  Potential students do not have to be members of MRAC to participate and they can sit in on classes to see if they are for them before committing, said Muir.

“It’s a great introduction to the art community and an opportunity to gain experience in the whole creative process,” says Muir when asked about the importance of the arts in the local community.  “We try to set up a life cycle where people can come in as beginners, semi-interested, as a hobby or people who want to become masters at whatever type of art it is.”

Manayunk-Roxborough Art Center hopes that their initiative to bring art to the community will continue to grow in the future.  “We’re just hoping that we can get support from the community and get students into these classes so we can build upon them and make them something we do on a more regular basis,” said Muir.

In addition to art classes, MRAC opens new exhibits in various art forms about five times a year where local artists and members can participate and showcase their work.

MRAC member and local artist, Lynda Pilkington will be the featured artist this month.  Her exhibit titled, “Awake and Dreaming” will feature both oil and acrylic paintings, as well as the work of other members of the MRAC community.  The opening reception is Saturday night, September 8, 2012 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.  Normal gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.