OUR MISSION

It is the mission of the Industrial Arts Workshop to inspire artistic literacy in the city of Pittsburgh and beyond by offering enrichment opportunities that advance the understanding and process of sculpture making artists and their work.

FOUR PILLARS

Industrial Art Workshop's vision is comprised of these fundamental tenants.

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Youth Programming
IAW will continue and expand upon the success of the Mobile Sculpture Workshop by providing a unique arts-driven experience to the youth of Pittsburgh. Students experiencing an arts education tend to have higher GPA’s and lower drop-out rates.
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Hazelwood Engagement
With a new workshop located in Hazelwood, IAW has the opportunity to serve as a permanent resource and hub for the community, helping to address the needs for access, professional arts exposure, and technical training programs.
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Workforce Development
Skilled welders are in growing demand in the region. The artistic programming of the IAW will expose students to potential careers in welding, fabrication, and technical fields. We anticipate partnering with local trade schools to help feed their pipeline for students.
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Artist Resource
IAW intends to foster arts collaboration by inviting artists from across the country to share studio space in the Hazlewood facility, showcase their work, and assist in teaching their craft and skills to program participants, both youth and adults.

IAW's History

The seeds of IAW were planted in the Summer of 2014 when founder Tim Kaulen, a professional artist specializing in the creation of large public sculptures, recruited a few colleagues to hold the first Mobile Sculpture Workshop at Carrie Furnace, a derelict industrial brownfield in Pittsburgh.

Together with community partners, Tim continued organizing Mobile Sculpture Workshops from 2014 through 2018 to engage residents, create public art from recycled materials, and install public sculptures in five neighborhoods around the city.

After five years of offering the workshop from our truck and trailer “lab,” we decided it was time to think about establishing some roots, and believed we could be more effective and have greater impact if we had a permanent home base. 

In June of 2018, one of our partners, the Hazelwood Initiative purchased four connecting buildings, with one to serve as our new home. In 2019, our focus turned to establishing our program as a 501(c)(3) corporation, branding ourselves as the Industrial Arts Workshop, building a Board of Directors, completing demolition of the new space, and raising $220,000 for renovations.

The COVID-19 pandemic slowed construction work but renovations began in spring 2021, and professionally equipped welding booths are now available for training our students.

As a very young organization, we are still working to establish our identity and place within the region’s nonprofit sector. Our goal is that the young people we work with will learn hard and soft skills that will prepare them for jobs in welding or for further training in welding or related fields. But at our core, we are an arts organization. We teach welding through the lens of a creative arts process. IAW’s team of professional Teaching Artists and partners designed the curriculum and facilitate our programs based on universal Human-Centered Design concepts, Culturally Responsive Education standards, and most importantly, the creative process of making art.

Staff

Executive Director
Operations Manager
Facility & Studio Manager
Community Engagement & Student Coordinator

Instructors & Interns

Summer AmeriCorps Intern
Student Instructor Assistant
Lead Welding Instructor
Student Intern
Student Instructor Assistant
Summer Welding Bootcamp Instructor
Summer Welding Bootcamp Instructor

BOARD OF DIRECTORS