Worcester Center for Crafts Trustees Formally approve Worcester State College Alliance

Two of Worcester oldest educational institutions join forces to create an Arts Complex on Sagamore Road

(June 19, 2009) – The Board of Trustees of the Worcester Center for Crafts has unanimously voted to align with Worcester State College, a move that will save the 153-year-old Craft Center from closure while gaining the support of the Worcester State College Foundation.

The alliance, set to commence on July 1, 2009, follows months of negotiations and discussions on how to preserve the educational mission of the Worcester Center for Crafts and enhance Worcester State College’s visual and performing arts program. The Affiliation Agreement enables Worcester State College and the WSC Foundation to provide financial and operational support in exchange for an exclusive licensing arrangement to lease space and facilities from the Craft Center.

"The Foundation is pleased to be part of this win-win alliance for two of Worcester's treasures," said David Bedard, President of the Worcester State College Foundation. "We are quite optimistic as we look forward to returning the Worcester Craft Center to the treasure it has been to the Worcester area for so long. It is a unique learning community committed to providing quality craft education and promoting an appreciation for fine craft."

The Worcester State College Board of Trustees voted unanimously May 1, 2009 to form the alliance with the Worcester Center for Crafts. "These two institutions have meant so much to the region," said George Tetler, Chair of the Worcester State College board of Trustees. "The College, established in 1874 as the Worcester Normal School, and the Craft Center, established in 1856 as the Women's Employment Society have both been so important to the academic, cultural and economic development of our region. The opportunity this alliance presents is truly exciting."

The Craft Center's 28,000/SF facility at 25 Sagamore Road will be used by both WSC and WCC for studio classes and gallery exhibits. Some space will be shared while other space will be specific to each entity. WSC estimates 400 students a semester will take classes at the Sagamore Road facility while the Craft Center will offer a series of courses, workshops and one-day programs to hobbyists and serious crafters. The Craft Center’s New Street Glassworks will continue to offer a wide range of glass blowing and flameworking classes to teen and adult students. Courses and dates for all Craft Center offerings will be announced in the future. The Craft Center will be closed to the public this summer as building upgrades and renovations are made to prepare the facility for the fall semester. A new board of trustees will be seated to direct the WSC Foundation-supported Worcester Center for Crafts.

Worcester Center for Crafts entered a "strategic pause" in January, canceling the winter session of classes and laying off most instructors and employees. The difficult move followed several years of red ink and an increasing debt burden, worsened by falling enrollment, declining donations/grants and increased expenses. The trustees felt the most responsible path to follow was one that would stop the financial free-fall and create a plan to preserve the future of the Craft Center. Craft Center President David J. Firstenberg told fellow trustees at their final meeting on June 16, 2009, "It has been a difficult journey to bring this institution to a viable place where it has a new life. This did not seem possible eight months ago, but we are still standing and the future looks bright."