EVENTS

Since 1999, The Crucible has brought our community of artists, neighbors, families, students, and makers together for events ranging from artists’ talks and demos to fire performances, benefits, and community open houses. In-person events are all currently suspended due to the shelter-in-place mandate. For updates about all upcoming events, subscribe to our newsletter.

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Important Dates

February 23: Field Trip Day
March 5: Bike Fix-A-Thon
March 7: 2023 Youth Summer Camps open for Member registration
March 11 & 12: 3-Hour Tasters
March 23: Field Trip Day
March 13 & 14: 3-Hour Tasters
May 11: Field Trip Day
May 20: Fire & Light Soirée and Art Auction
June 4: Bike Fix-A-Thon
June 12–July 28: Youth Summer Camps
August 15–26: Adult weeklong classes
September 3: Bike Fix-A-Thon
December 2–3: GIFTY Craft Show & Open House
December 23, 2023–January 1, 2024: Crucible closed for winter break

Upcoming Events

Bike Shop: Free Events and Education

See our Bike Shop event page for upcoming event dates.

The Crucible is offering free, community bike maintenance and education to West Oakland and neighboring community members through our quarterly Bike Fix-A-Thons, Open Bike Shop Hours, Femme Bike Night, and Flat Fix Clinics. Drop off your bike for a tune-up or learn basic bike maintenance skills from our faculty and volunteers. We are also leading offsite events at other West Oakland locations.

Free Crucible Tours

Explore our 56,000-square-foot studio during an upcoming guided tour. To accommodate different schedules, tours rotate between Saturday afternoons at 2pm and Thursday evenings at 6pm every other month. Space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours are subject to cancellation.

2023 Tour Dates

Thursday, April 20, 2023, 6-8pm
Saturday, May 13, 2023, 2-4pm
Thursday, June 15, 2023, 6-8pm
Saturday, July 8, 2023, 2-4pm
Thursday, August 17, 2023, 6-8pm
Saturday, September 9, 2023, 2-4pm
Thursday, October 19, 2023, 6-8pm

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Browse Past In-Person Events

Spring Open House 2009

Celebrating Student & Faculty Art Saturday, April 18, 2009 • 11AM to 5PM It was a sunny Saturday and hundreds of visitors shared the excitement of The Crucible as the sparks flew and hammers rang out on steel. Youth demonstrators wowed the crowd with their skills, youngsters pulled parents upstairs to explore in clay, and everyone was invited to be an art critic for the day. Photos by Gary Wilson. Photo Gallery – Click Here People’s Choice Winners 1st PLACE WINNER 1st RUNNER UP 2nd RUNNER UP Destination Unknown by Lee Granberg (cast glass student) Three Cubed Fractal by Robert Revzan (TIG welding student) Fused Glass Plates by Leda Contis (fused & slumped glass student)

Dracul: Prince of Fire – 2009 Fire Ballet

The Crucible Story of Dracul: Prince of Fire This is a crafted turn of events that brought about the start of the vampire legend, based on the actual 15th century historical character who belonged to the Order of the Dragon, a military group that fought the Ottoman Empire. In Romanian he was referred to as Dracul, meaning dragon. Dracul was the father of Vlad Tepes the Impaler, more commonly known as Dracula. The name Dracula means: “Son of Dracul”.The story begins with Dracul exploring the dark outer regions of his land. He encounters something both monstrous and magnificent and is attacked. He feels strange fiery venom coursing through his body as it dies. But he is not dead. Dracul awakes infused with a strange power…as a burning desire for blood grows within him. Applying his new-found abilities to an industrial use; he gains great power from building and creating with fire. As Dracul is building his industrial empire, a pair of young lovers seeks shelter from a storm in Dracul’s factory. They text a friend for help, but things turn dark quickly when Dracul’s workers torment them and Dracul falls deeply for the young girl. Trying to flee they are joined by a slayer. A fiery battle begins, but he vanishes in a thunderclap. The slayer and two lovers escape. The friend of the young lovers, Lucy, enters the castle looking for them. Dracul can’t resist Lucy and lures her into his aerie to feed upon her. The young lovers find their friend apparently dead, they begin to mourn her but soon realize that she has been transformed into Nosferatu: the undead. The slayer comes to their rescue and fights the vampire, driving a stake through her once-pure heart. As the young girl mourns her friend Lucy, Dracul descends on her. The young man tries to rescue his love, but he realizes she is no longer his innocent young maid. He must kill her, even if it breaks his heart. Dracul cannot accept that his undying love is now dead and seeks to bring her back to life; using his powers of fire and creativity, he revives her. As they celebrate with a macabre dance, the young man and slayer appear to put an end to Dracul and all he has created. After a monumental battle, two figures walk off into the sunrise, and the legend begins . . . The Music: In 1997 Northern Ballet Theatre commissioned Philip Feeney to create an ballet score based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. We here at The Crucible found the innovative and inspirational score he created to be perfect for our original fire ballet: Dracul, Prince of Fire. As often happens in ballet theater, music director Scott Sterling has made adjustments in this great work in order to best merge it with the talents of our performers. Following in Crucible tradition, he has added a modernized cultural; retrofit within the score that we hope you will enjoy even as we ask Mr. Feeney’s […]

Events at The Crucible

Since 1999, The Crucible has produced a wide variety of events ranging from fundraisers to operas to community open houses. Maintaining collaborations with highly-trained craft and industrial artists, our goal is to reach far and wide into as well as beyond our community to make memorable annual as well as once-in-a-lifetime events. In the past we have hosted or produced the well-known Fire Arts Festival® and numerous Fire Ballets & Fire Operas. Our currently line-up of annual events include the Fireside Lounge series and our Fall and Spring Open Houses. For a list of current planned events, please refer to our Upcoming Events page. At The Crucible, people come together to share skills, and forge objects and friendships. In a world filled with automated technology, The Crucible offers adult and youth students alike a chance to get their hands dirty and make useful or artful objects themselves, from scratch, and from start to finish — and our events are wonderful opportunity to see whats been going on in these times. Please join us!

Holiday Gifty Art Sale 2008

Hot for the Holidays! Shopping at the mall was never like this! Support local artists and community arts education for youth and adults while you get your last minute shopping done at the Bay Area’s most unusual holiday celebration. Whatever holiday you celebrate, spark it up with a visit to The Crucible’s Holiday Gifty celebration. Shop for unique and affordable gifts created by over 60 Bay Area artisans, and experience the excitement of our 56,000 sq. ft. studio, where furnaces roar and sparks fly. • Handmade jewelry, glass creations, sculpture, clothing, ceramics and more • Family friendly fire performers and the Von Stilt family with their flamedeer • Demonstrations of glass blowing, metal casting, and blacksmithing from 11AM to 3PM • Santa arrives at 1PM • Prize drawing at 3PM each day; grand prize drawing Sunday • Refreshments and holiday treats • Learn about classes and workshops that will ignite your own creativity! Performances by: The Von Stilt Family Prescott Circus Clowns Check us out on ABC 7 News! Photo Gallery – Click Here 2008 Gifty Vendors Ceramics: T1 Ezme Designs B25 Moriah Hart B10 Susan Boggiano B27 VAM Pottery Clothing/Accessories: B11 AC Clothing and Bags T10 Alpaca by Karim B20 Asian Accents T16 Carolyn Yugo B18 Celestial: Leather and Suede Clothing B24 Daphne Ruff B22 Dandy Brand B29 Field Day Wearables B19 Fiftyseven-thirtythree T25 Jurnecka Creations B26 Like Minded People B2 Lucky Space Monkey B3 Mani Padma T30 Recession Clothing T7 SuperSugarRayRay B13 Violet Star Creations Glass: T2 360 Fusion Glass T19 April Zilber T6 DaVidRo T8/T9 Fireworks Glass Studio T14 Meri Page Design B1 McKeever Studios T34 Nightside Studios Jewelry: T33 19 Moons T36 Aimee Golant T20 Alma Flores B4 The Art of Cheriel Jensen T17 Back Porch Clay Works B23 Baja Nights Jewelry B16 Beadzilla / Crafts by Redvelvet T40 Beebalalou / GewGaw Design T29 Cara London Vintage Re Craft Jewelry T38 Charmed Jewelry B30 Colleen Mauer Designs T4 Daria Salus Jewelry T36 David Casella T26 Elizabeth Wells Oppenheim Jewelry T31 Found Treasures T13 Gail Splaver B9 Heart’s Desire Jewelry T27 Heidi Tarver B14 JP Design & Collection B12 Just ‘Cause Custom Jewelry T32 Kushlani Hall T24 Monica Schmid / Regine Pfanz T3 Nouveau Motley T11 Paula Chan Design Studio B5 Shaya Durbin B17 Silver Productions T28 Tiffany Berger Designs T12 Twilight B15 WELL & Pretty Fun / Rx Designers Wood: B8 Brad Adams B21 William Gray Designs Metal: T22 Liz Judkins T21 Red Frog Design Photography: B6 MilleFeuille Photography by Shannon Ledford Paperworks: T5 Elaine Chu Graphic Design T39 Miranda Olson B7 Mi Vida Creations Mixed/Misc.: T15 Anderson Soap Company T18 Anna Yates Elementary Art T23 Fixed Gear Gal B28 Praise the Gourd Lamps T37 San Leandro High School Food by: Uhuru Pies Performances by: The Von Stilt Family Prescott Circus Clowns

Newsletter Dec 08

Class Highlights • Last Chance for Fall Classes • Holiday Taster Workshops • Winter Schedule is Here! • Hot New Classes for Winter Events • Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House • 10th Anniversary Fire Ballet Fundraiser The Crucible Recommends • The Crucible Holiday Gift Guide • Plasma Nation – Float Gallery • Celebrating Craftwomen • Girls Welding Reception Faculty Focus • Tara Murray – Glass Flameworking Ways to Give the Gift of Art • eScrip • eBay Giving Works Program Join The Crucible Community • Call for Instructors • Volunteering CLASS HIGHLIGHTS Last Chance for Fall Classes Calling all fire eaters – here’s a chance to refine your skill and learn new performance techniques from Kristina Cañizares, founder of The Nekyia and veteran performer of many legendary Crucible shows. Fire Eating & Beyond intensive workshop runs December 13-14th. Learn the ceramic Art of Raku at a weekend intensive workshop December 6-7th. Bring in your own completed bisque fired pieces and find out how to use organic materials and fire to create incredible surface textures using this exciting process. Raku Fired Ceramic Piece by artist Kathleen Fernald Get a taste of fire at our Holiday Taster Workshops Where else can you learn a specialized skill and create a unique piece of art in just three hours? There are still some slots available, but register now to be sure you get into the class you want. Workshops run December 6-7th and would make a great early holiday gift or get you started on making gifts of your own. Choose morning or afternoon classes in blacksmithing, sand casting, glass fusing or flameworking, jewelry making, and resin casting. {Click Here to Learn More} Winter Class Schedule – Hot off the press! Crucible Members can register now for classes; open registration begins November 25th. If you haven’t received your schedule in the mail, look for it at your favorite pick-up spots around the Bay Area or download a copy here. CHECK OUT THESE HOT NEW CLASSES! Five new classes have been added this winter: CERAMICS Creative Clay Exploration for Parent & Child (3-5 Years) Feb 11- Apr 1 | Wednesdays | 3 – 4PM | with Tachina Rudman Enjoy this special time together as you gently explore the world of clay using art and fun simple movements. sign up now Clay Together for Parent & Child (5-7 Years) Feb 11- Apr 1 | Wednesdays | 4-5:30PM | with Tachina Rudman Take off together into a world of clay and fun. You’ll build magical creatures and worlds for them to explore, pinch pots, make masks and more. sign up now JEWELRY Viking Knit with Art Silver Clay March 7 – 8 | Sat & Sun | 10AM – 2PM | with Arlene Hildebrand Mornick Form a silver wire bracelet using the ancient art of Viking Knit, one of the oldest known forms of knitting, a looping technique that pre-dates traditional knitting by centuries. sign up now Enameled Beads April 4 – 5 | Sat […]

Newsletter Nov 08

Class Highlights • Family Fun Weekend • Fun Fall Classes • Holiday Taster Workshops Youth Programs • Youth Weekend Intensives • Girls Welding • Bike Frame Alteration Events • Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House • 10th Anniversary Fire Ballet Crucible News • Arts Funding Saved • Must-See TV The Crucible Recommends • The Perfect Holiday Gift • Radical Jewelry Makeover Exhibition • E-Scrip Faculty Focus • Warren – Glass Cold Working Join The Crucible Community • Call for Instructors • Volunteering CLASS HIGHLIGHTS The last Family Fun Weekend of the year is November 22nd & 23rd.Several of these beginning intensive classes remain where you and a family member can learn something new and for making gifts of your own. Remember, when you sign up together, one family member receives discounted tuition. Glass Flameworking Working over an open flame you’ll create marbles, pendants and more Intro to Jewelry & Metals Experiment with different techniques and make a sterling silver ring Woodturning Discover the lathe and how you can turn a piece of wood into a beautiful bowl. {Sign Up Now} Sign Up for Fall Classes Before They’re Gone! The days may be getting shorter, and the weather a bit nippier, but it’s always hot here at The Crucible, and there are still some fall session classes where you can experience the excitement of creating. You’ll find day, evening and weekend classes; the hardest part is choosing which area you want to work in: Light: Intro to Neon, Demystifying the Light Emiting Diode (LED), EL-Wire Workshop Metal: Beginning TIG, Intro to MIG, Intro to Welded Sculpture Clay: Sculpting in Clay, Classical Clay Portraiture Jewelry: Intro to Cast Resin and Silver Jewelry, Bead Casting Glass: Core Vessel Forming, Cold Working Glass, Fusing & Slumping, Kiln-Cast Glass For those with commitment issues . . . Holiday Taster Workshops Not sure you want to spend 5 weeks pounding mental or melting glass? You can learn basic techniques and create a unique piece of art in just three hours. Choose from Blacksmithing, Glass Flameworking, Glass Fusing, Jewelry, MIG Welding, Resin Casting or Sand Casting. Morning and afternoon Holiday Tasters run December 6th and 7th, 10AM – 1PM and 2-5PM. {Click Here to Learn More} YOUTH PROGRAM Don’t miss out on the last Youth Weekend Intensive Classes of the year: Youth Blacksmithing, Youth Glass Flameworking, and Youth Welding run November 15-16, with a Flameworking lab available October 30 to December 4th. Learning a specialized skill is an exhilarating experience for any youngster, and if that’s not reason enough to sign up, here’s another one: Each paid enrollment enables us to offer a scholarship for a youth otherwise unable to have such an experience, so you give the gift of creativity twice. {Click Here to Learn More} Two very popular youth programs that always result in both amazing art and a wonderful sense of accomplishment among the participants have begun. Our Girls Welding project started earlier this month with 12 girls from […]

Newsletter Oct 08

Fall Class Highlights • The Softer Side of The Crucible • Did You Know You Can Make Jewelry Out of Clay? • Continuing Classes in Foundry • Coldworking Glass Classes Events • Fall Community Open House Recap • Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House • Call for Artists & Vendors Faculty Focus • Evan Wilcox Crucible News • E-Scrip • Help A Tree Find A Home The Crucible Recommends • Handcar Regatta • Pacific Pinball Expo Join The Crucible Community • Call for Instructors • Private or Shared Studios for Rent FALL CLASS HIGHLIGHTS The Softer Side of The Crucible Yes we’re all about fire and steel, hot kilns and heavy machinery, but did you know that you can also get creative with paper, plastic, fabric and flexible light at The Crucible? Check out these classes – just in time for the Day of the Dead and Halloween: Cartoneria – Create unique décor with this ancient Mexican paper art form. Class runs 8 Wednesday evenings and starts October 8th Introduction to Sewing: A Crash Course – Dust off that sewing machine and learn sewing basics so you can make your own costume. Saturday workshop, October 18th Reproduction in Plastics – Learn the secrets the professionals use to make flexible plastic molds to create creepy things…lots of them. Class runs 5 Monday evenings and starts October 27th EL-Wire Workshop – Add sparkle and light to your costume or home décor with EL-wire in just one day. Class runs Saturday, September 27th Vidita Mia by Ruben Guzman Did you know you can make jewelry out of clay? Art silver clay is 99.9% fine silver that allows artists to create jewelry in less time then with traditional metalsmithing. Learn all the basics of making fine silver jewelry, new techniques and how to enhance your current jewelry-making repertoire. Intro to Art Silver Clay Arlene Hildebrand • Weekend Intensive • October 4-5 {Click Here to Learn More} Continuing Classes in Foundry Here’s your opportunity to use skills learned in introductory foundry classes and delve into the details of metal casting and finishing with Kitty Hundley, a professional metal artist recognized for her ability to translate natural forms into elegant and useful metal objects. Cast Clip & Pour – Thursday evenings starting October 30th Bring your completed waxes to this class, and learn the details of preparing a ceramic shell mold and pouring bronze. Bronze Metal Finishing – Tuesday evenings starting October 28th In this class you’ll work from your own rough bronze castings and learn tools and techniques for creating a perfect finish for your sculpture. {Click Here to Learn More} Artwork by Warren Coldworking Glass Classes Glass can be manipulated and transformed without heat, much in the same way as wood or stone, to create transparent sculptures and beautiful vessels. In Coldworking Glass, you’ll learn to use lathes and grinding machines to polish, cut and drill glass, and experiment with carving and sandblasting using provided glass blanks. Coldworking […]

Fall Open House 2008

Fall Community Open House Saturday, September 6, 2008 – 12PM to 6PM Exhibitor List: Oakland Fire Department City Slicker Farms DeFremery Park Mandela Foods Cooperative West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project East Bay College Fund Prescott Circus Clowns Ella Baker Center for Human Rights Youth Radio Trapeze Arts West Oakland Discovery Museum de Young Museum Popo’s Pizza BumpityThump Youth Movement Records CUE/Velocity Circus What Now America Propville Directory Studio One Oakland School for the Arts Student Art Show – Best in Show Winners FIRST PLACE SECOND PLACE THIRD PLACE Photo Gallery – Click Here

Newsletter Sep 08

What’s Happening! • Art & Soul • Fall Community Open House Fiery Fall • Fall Class Highlights • Got Workspace? • Old Jewelry Gets New Life for a Good Cause • Build a Mandolin or Ukulele in Just Four Days! • Fired Up Summer Camp Recap • Fall Youth After School Program Mark Your Calendar – Upcoming Events • Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House • Crucible Recommends News & Updates • Faculty Focus – Rick Turner • Join The Crucible Team What’s Happening! Art & Soul Saturday, August 30th 12 – 6PM Here’s a great way to celebrate Oakland, art, music, dance, food and the end of the summer! Stop by and visit ERV. ERV is our Educational Resource Vehicle, a big red International fire truck with a full metal shop on board. We’ll be there with live demonstrations of glass flameworking, welding, torch cutting, and blacksmithing. {Click Here to Learn More} Fall Community Open House Saturday, September 6th 12 – 6PM FREE ADMISSION The annual Fall Open House is one of our favorite events – it’s when we invite everyone to come visit and get acquainted! If you’ve never taken a class or visited our massive studio space, here’s an opportunity to experience the true nature of The Crucible community of artisans, makers, innovators, performers, explorers, learners, mentors, and creators of all types. Browse through an expo of organizations that provide services to Oakland communities. Check out the work in progress on our latest community collaboration, a wheelchair access ramp crafted in steel by students, teachers, and youth. Enjoy live demonstrations, circus & fire performances, food and fun for all ages — it’s family-friendly and FREE! {Click Here to Learn More} Fiery Fall Download the new Course Catalog and Fall Schedule today! {Click Here to Learn More} “Back to School” at The Crucible is always something to look forward to: classes that will spark your creativity, plus the space and the tools to get your make on. If you’re interested in basics and fundamentals, classes like Electronics for Artists, Fundamentals of Woodworking, Exploring Moldmaking, Design for the 3rd Dimension, or Electromechanics for Everything will give you a good basis for your work. Want to learn how to make something with an entirely new skill? Try an introductory class like Architectural Applications of Plate Glass, where you’ll transform broken window glass and old bottles into sculpture, tableware, and more; or Introduction to Art Silver Clay, where you’ll be amazed how fast and easy it is to make jewelry; or learn the ancient art form of Cartoneria, and make fantastic and colorful sculptures just in time for Los Dios de los Muertos. If you’re an experienced artisan, continuing classes like Continuing Techniques in Neon, Art of the One-Speed: Building a Bicycle Frame, and Art of Fire Dancing, encourage you to stretch your imagination, learn and practice advanced skills. Got Workspace? Our CREATE program allows you to use our studio and tools for your own work. Fall […]

Newsletter Aug 08

Still Time For Summer Fun • Family Fun Weekends Get Fired Up For Fall • Download our new catalog and schedule • Fall Registration Begins Mark Your Calendar – Upcoming Events • Fall Community Open House • Design Within Reach • American Craft Show • Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House News & Updates • Call for Artists & Vendors for Holiday Gifty • The Crucible Gets Even More Accessible • Old Jewelry Gets New Life for a Good Cause • 2008 Fire Arts Festival Recap • Faculty Focus Still Time For Summer Fun! Family Fun Weekends August 16-17th and August 23-24th Youth summer camps at The Crucible are running at near full capacity, but you can still have a great weekend with your family exploring and learning new things together – like how to make a welded sculpture for your yard, jewelry of your own design, a glass ornament, or an illuminated sculpture. {Click Here to Learn More} Get Fired Up For Fall Download the new Course Catalog and Fall Schedule today! Open registration begins August 7th; classes begin September 22nd. Crucible members can register NOW for fall classes! If you haven’t received your new catalog and fall class schedule in the mail, you can find it on line, at your favorite pick-up spot throughout the Bay Area, or drop by The Crucible to pick one up. Check out all the great classes on tap for 2008-2009, and plan for fall fun. If you have previous experience in Blacksmithing, and an interest in sword making or medieval arts, you’ll appreciate our exciting fall classes in Bladesmithing (September 22nd) and Medieval Helmet Making with Tom Hugenin (October 4th). Those with experience in Jewelry can participate in the three-day Radical Jewelry Makeover Project, and help transform old unused jewelry into new designs that will be sold to benefit mining reform efforts that will decrease mining waste. If you’ve never had experience with fire, glass or metal before, no problem – there are tons of classes where you can give it a try – whether you just want to dabble for a day or weekend, or totally immerse yourself for weeks. Classes in our schedule marked with the gear symbol qualify for our “Working Together Discount,” where you can get up to $40 off when you register for an introductory class and a continuing class at the same time. MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE UPCOMING EVENTS! Fall Open House A Celebration of Art and Community September 6, 2008 12-6 PMIf you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind that big roll-up door at The Crucible, come visit and get acquainted! Featuring an expo of community organizations that bring vital and important services to our diverse neighborhood, and an art show highlighting the talents of our students and faculty, Open House is a wonderful way to experience many of the fabulous things West Oakland has to offer. This is a family-friendly event with hands-on activities for the kids, amazing performances, food […]