Classes
Want to become a glass artist? We offer an 8 week beginners intensive glassblowing course that is three hours a week. We also offer intermediate and advanced classes. Once you have basic skills and you are finished with classes you can rent time in our studio to create your own glass art. Our instructors have an MFA and a BFA in glass and sculpture. The courses are $900 each. We also offer flameworking jewelry classes with artist Ivy Woods. Learn how to create glass beads and pendents. Call us at 504-390-4377 to discuss our classes and educational programs for the general public.
Our Nonprofit Programs
Outreach
Through outreach programs we provide free arts classes for thousands of people from underserved communities. We provide classes to The Providence House, Common Ground, Volunteers of America, The Lovewell Center, Louisiana Association for the Blind, Community Renewal, Holy Angels, Military with PTSD, Goodwill Industries, Shreve Memorial Libraries to name a few. We educate, bring joy and heal with the arts. Follow Sanctuary Arts School on Facebook to see the people we serve. Join us by donating today or volunteering. Call us today to learn how you can help at 504-390-4377.
Save the B'nai Zion Temple
.jpg)
We have purchased the B'nai Zion Temple on Cotton Street and we will soon announce a capital campaign to save the building. Imagine this historic treasure once again filled with people and utilizing it in a new and creative way. The building has sat empty for over 40 years and has fallen into disrepair. Part of the roof has collapsed, the basement is flooded and plaster has fallen from the walls. We can save this building and start a renaissance in downtown Shreveport. Follow our "Save the Bnai Zion Temple" Facebook page. Call us to donate or volunteer at 504-390-4377.
Open Access Studio
All are welcome to our Glassblowing Studio and Paint Studio. Both are fully accessible. Our wheelchair bench allows those with disabilities to create glass art. Our nonprofit programs reach those who are underserved and those with disabilities or those at risk. We welcome all no matter their religion, race, sexual orientation, economic situation, etc. There is a reason we are called "Sanctuary." We want to be a safe place for anyone that feels disenfranchised or discriminated against. We are here to accommodate.
Affordable Housing
There is limited arts education in Caddo Parish, especially for those from low income communities. Sanctuary Arts School is one of the few organizations to actually go into affordable housing locations to offer free arts classes. The children and the adults participate in our courses which utilize glass, painting, mosaics, sculpture and painting. Engaging with art is essential to the human experience. The Brookings Institute says, "There is a 3.6 percentage point reduction in disciplinary infractions, an improvement of 13 percent of a standard deviation in standardized writing scores, and an increase of 8 percent of a standard deviation in their compassion for others. Students who received more arts education experiences are more interested in how other people feel and more likely to want to help people.
Glass Warrior
The Glass Warrior program was the first program we put in place when we founded our studio. Working with the therapist at the military base we created a program where military members could utilize glassblowing as a process to deal with the effects of PTSD. Many members who completed our 8 week intensive course have continued to return to volunteer and to help other veterans and active duty soldiers as they experience the benefits our our program. To support this program call 504-390-4377 to donate or to volunteer. This partially supported by a grant from the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the National Endowment for the arts.
Nursing Homes
One of our staff's favorite programs is the one that brings the arts to residents in nursing homes in economically challenged neighborhoods. The residents of these homes look forward to our classes. We contribute to the quality of life for these special individuals. Our trained artists assist them with painting, sculpting and mosaic classes.
Our program helps them socialize with others, improved cognition and memory. increase self-esteme, nurtures spirituality, develops a feeling of being relaxed and in control and strengthens a sense of identity. The staff of the homes tell us how important our programs are for the residents and how they look forward to our visits.
Entrepreneurship
Our entrepreneur program will give young woman and men the opportunity to develop artwork that can be sold through area churches. Students from VOA Lighthouse Program and women from the Lovewell Center are the first groups to enter our program. Entrepreneurship programs provide business training and access to finance, advisory, and networking services with the aim of boosting workers’ earnings and reducing poverty. Entrepreneurship is an internal process which helps the poor to undertake positive actions to reduce their poverty. Our goal is not to fully develop businesses for these individuals, but to give them the tools to be successful with any career they choose.
​
Demonstrations
Exposing people to the arts can drastically improve their mental health and overall well-being. For children it provides mental, emotional and educational benefits. It enhances science-learning that children are engaged in and boosts school achievements. It is widely accepted that artwork has the potential to influence our emotional state as well as our views and perceptions of the world. We reach thousands of children and adults with our demonstrations. Many Title One Students visit our studio yearly to experience live glassblowing. Lectures on the history of glass and the American Glass Movement are also presented
Artists-in-Residence
Each year will give two artists the opportunity to utilize our studios for the development of their artwork. Sanctuary Art School provides these artist with a place to live and covers general cost of living while in Shreveport. These artists have the time and space to work away from their normal lives and they are able to commune with new peers and mentors. They develop work for new exhibits and contribute to a more diverse society of makers and doers. These artist also share their experiences as an artists with our local artists and many will give lectures to area students. The residency give the artist ways to enhance their creativity, develop new skills, and expand their artistic horizons.
Exhibitions
Since our founding we have presented exhibitions in Caddo Parish. It began with the "Texas Contemporary Glass" exhibition at ArtSpace, which was curated by our CEO and Artistic Director. Thousands viewed this exhibition. At our studio on Lake Street we continue to exhibit the work of emerging artists during the bi-mothly artwalks. And now with our new SAS Gallerie at the Louisiana Boardwalk we will not present two solo exhibitions for local and regional artists given them the opportunity to have their work seen and sold. The new gallery is 1,200 square feet and is considered the premier art gallery of Bossier City. Thousands will be exposed to world class artwork. We feel the bar has been raised. Please visit www.sasgallerie.com or follow us on Facebook.
Visiting Artists
Each year Sanctuary Arts School brings in two visiting artists to conduct demonstrations, lectures and to offer classes and critiques of local artists works. The artist also exhibits their artwork for the general public and students. These artists are usually very successful and at the height of their careers. Whenever you can bring an artist of this caliber to your community to help the next generation of artists you are able to improve the quality of work that is developed in Caddo Parish. The visiting artist will not only help local artists with learning technical skill sets, they will also share life experiences and ways they were able to succeed and benefit from marketing and public relations strategies. This program began in 2022 and there are plans to increase the number of visiting artists to four a year.
Scholarships
Each year Sanctuary Arts School offers two $1000 scholarships for seniors in the Caddo Parish School System. The students can use these scholarships to take classes in glassblowing. Students are provided with an 8 week intensive course that includes all materials and access to a glassblowing studio. This scholarship is offered to students wanting to develop a career in the arts and are interested in utilizing the glass arts to develop artwork. The students are also given full access to the studio, its equipment and its staff. Students must apply for the scholarship, which is reviewed by a panel accomplishe artists and art professors.