FAQs
What does “low-cost arts education” really mean? What are your prices?
We don’t have a price list because we often tailor courses to suit specific program needs and aim to work with your budget. Please contact us for more details and specific quotes. We do offer discounts for scheduling six or more consecutive classes.
What happens after I fill out an online application?
It goes to our program coordinator who processes them as she receives them. We have several steps we have to go through before we can confirm your program date and time with you, so we appreciate your patience. If you are having a program at Lillstreet we have to make sure there is a room open to accommodate your class. Then we have to contract one of our teachers for your program. This can take anywhere from 1 hour to 3 days to confirm. If you don’t hear back from us immediately don’t worry, you will. We are eager to bring our fantastic art programs to your group.
But I have to let all the students, parents, teachers, school, etc., know about the program right now!
We are a small, part-time, but very dedicated staff. If you are in an emergency to plan a program or distribute the details of the program, we still MUST confirm the space you have requested at Lillstreet and/or teacher availability BEFORE we can guarantee your program and send you a contract.
Do all programs have contracts?
Yes or the program will not run. The contracts are simple and explain what Artreach is going to do for you, what we need you do to for us, and other details like price, time, etc.
What if I don’t see a program I want to do on your list?
We do customized programs all the time. Please be aware, however, that as the administrative and teaching complexity of the program increases (for instance if you need us to custom pre-fabricate 50 tiles, lead a class on the tiles at your school, then give customized glaze to all 50 tiles, each of them a different color, and get it back to you in 14 days for an auction) then our prices do increase. We will be happy to speak with you about the costs and come up with a solution for both of us.
What happens to the ceramic work after it is made?
The work has to dry a bit and then is glazed with the clear glaze if requested (some work can be bisque fired, or matte finish in other words). When a kiln becomes available and when we have enough work ready to fire a full kiln, we load the work onto the kiln shelves and fire away! So work from Gilda’s Club might be in the same kiln as IAMS and The Chicago Parks District.
How long does that take?
We fire to nearly 2000 degrees and that takes a long time – about 2 days. But remember we can’t fire a kiln until one becomes available to us AND we have enough work to fill the kiln. So you will get your work back in 7 – 14 days typically.
But I need my work back 6 days after the program!
We cannot make guarantees about the work, unfortunately. If you have a specific program you will need completed by a certain date you must factor in the kiln time, and please take into consideration that some work can be damaged in the kiln as we cannot totally control what happens in there. That’s part of the magic of ceramic work!
I am a parent and I want to establish a program at my school or church, etc. What do I do?
Great! Fill out an application and let us know you are working on behalf of an organization. Before we finalize ANY details we will need to speak with a representative of the organization itself to ensure they are clear on the details of everything (even if the parent is paying for the program).
What do we need to have a program at our facility?
A water source nearby, big tables (or individual tables for each person participating), and a desire to get messy!
What does “low-cost arts education” really mean? What are your prices?
We don’t have a price list because we often tailor courses to suit specific program needs and aim to work with your budget. Please contact us for more details and specific quotes. We do offer discounts for scheduling six or more consecutive classes.
What happens after I fill out an online application?
It goes to our program coordinator who processes them as she receives them. We have several steps we have to go through before we can confirm your program date and time with you, so we appreciate your patience. If you are having a program at Lillstreet we have to make sure there is a room open to accommodate your class. Then we have to contract one of our teachers for your program. This can take anywhere from 1 hour to 3 days to confirm. If you don’t hear back from us immediately don’t worry, you will. We are eager to bring our fantastic art programs to your group.
But I have to let all the students, parents, teachers, school, etc., know about the program right now!
We are a small, part-time, but very dedicated staff. If you are in an emergency to plan a program or distribute the details of the program, we still MUST confirm the space you have requested at Lillstreet and/or teacher availability BEFORE we can guarantee your program and send you a contract.
Do all programs have contracts?
Yes or the program will not run. The contracts are simple and explain what Artreach is going to do for you, what we need you do to for us, and other details like price, time, etc.
What if I don’t see a program I want to do on your list?
We do customized programs all the time. Please be aware, however, that as the administrative and teaching complexity of the program increases (for instance if you need us to custom pre-fabricate 50 tiles, lead a class on the tiles at your school, then give customized glaze to all 50 tiles, each of them a different color, and get it back to you in 14 days for an auction) then our prices do increase. We will be happy to speak with you about the costs and come up with a solution for both of us.
What happens to the ceramic work after it is made?
The work has to dry a bit and then is glazed with the clear glaze if requested (some work can be bisque fired, or matte finish in other words). When a kiln becomes available and when we have enough work ready to fire a full kiln, we load the work onto the kiln shelves and fire away! So work from Gilda’s Club might be in the same kiln as IAMS and The Chicago Parks District.
How long does that take?
We fire to nearly 2000 degrees and that takes a long time – about 2 days. But remember we can’t fire a kiln until one becomes available to us AND we have enough work to fill the kiln. So you will get your work back in 7 – 14 days typically.
But I need my work back 6 days after the program!
We cannot make guarantees about the work, unfortunately. If you have a specific program you will need completed by a certain date you must factor in the kiln time, and please take into consideration that some work can be damaged in the kiln as we cannot totally control what happens in there. That’s part of the magic of ceramic work!
I am a parent and I want to establish a program at my school or church, etc. What do I do?
Great! Fill out an application and let us know you are working on behalf of an organization. Before we finalize ANY details we will need to speak with a representative of the organization itself to ensure they are clear on the details of everything (even if the parent is paying for the program).
What do we need to have a program at our facility?
A water source nearby, big tables (or individual tables for each person participating), and a desire to get messy!