The Brookfield Craft Center is a center of learning and community focusing on arts such as Metalworking, woodwork, glass making, sculpting, jewelry making, and drawing/painting. It offers classes, workshops and studios in these different fields that are open to the public.

This center was founded in 1954 with a vision to “To teach and preserve the skills of contemporary and traditional craftsmanship and to promote creativity and personal growth”. It also claims to be one of the “finest professional schools for creative study in America”. Its staff consists of artists and teachers from the surrounding communities. Since this is a not-for profit organization, all these individuals are volunteers.

This center consists of 6 buildings which house the equipment, classes, and offices of those involved. The whole campus is centered on the historic mill building. The Mill Building houses the main offices, the gallery, the gift shop, as well as the metals studio and the jewelry studio. Some of the other buildings includes: Railroad Building (woodturning and glass studios), LTB Building (weaving), The Good Forge (blacksmithing), The Barn (clay studio and wood shop), and the Faculty House.

The majority of the classes, courses and workshops require a tuition and materials fee. These courses run year round. In addition to classes and courses, the Brookfield craft center holds open galleries, exhibitions, and events open to the public. There are also opportunities to volunteer at any of the studios.

In addition to inspiring artists in the surrounding area, the Brookfield Craft Center holds several initiatives to boost commitment to the arts. Each summer it holds the Youth Summer Program. This program allows kids between the ages of 11 and 14 to attend small group classes in a field of their choice. Another program in place, are the scholarships. The winners of these scholarships get their tuition waived for the course of their choosing. The featured scholarship is the Buster Shaw Scholarship for Woodturning. Named after one of the center’s retired instructors, this scholarship is given out 4 times each year and covers the recipient’s tuition and materials fees.

If you would like to support the Brookfield Craft Center please feel free to donate your time or money. All proceeds will go to improving the facilities as well as the scholarships.