MAKE! For Educators is not a program. It is a community of makers.
Designed for art educators to gather, explore, define and share, it places you at the forefront, and allows you to guide your experience.
Inspired by the work that you do as educators, and the work you create as artists, MAKE! aims to create a space for making that caters to your individual creative goals and enrichment, and to provide a platform to learn new skills applicable to a variety of disciplines.
Through MAKE! Fine Art, participants enjoy a week of independent making in the studio and engaging discussions, or observe demonstrations and learn processes that provide access to pursue work in MIAD’s state-of-the-art equipped labs. Through MAKE! Sculpture: Intro to Metal Casting, participants engage in the moldmaking process and metal casting process, and are exposed to the choreography of running a foundry safely as a team.
Whether you want to indulge in the studio to explore artistic approaches or build your art practice, learn new processes in a lab environment, take advantage of specialized equipment, engage in the process of metal casting and foundry, or simply join a community of art educators to network, join us for MAKE! in Milwaukee.
During the week, optional opportunities will be provided to network with educators on guided walking tours to local firms, studios and galleries, in group critiques, through informal discussions in the classroom, and at evening events.
Program Dates
June 23 – June 27, 2025
• Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Studios and labs (Printmaking, Textiles, Emerging Technology Center) are open Monday – Friday until 9 p.m.; Sculpture and 3D labs close at 4 p.m.
Registration deadline: May 1, 2025
Final payment: June 1, 2025
Orientation: Sunday, June 22, 2025
• Move-In for residential guests: 2 – 4 p.m.
• Orientation & Lab Tour: 4 – 6 p.m. at MIAD (Residential and Commuting participants)
• Provided dinner, and drinks in the Historic Third Ward: 6 – 8 p.m. (Residential and Commuting participants)
Virtual Info Session (optional): March 4, 5 – 6 p.m.
RSVP at miad.edu/educators
Costs and Registration
Tuition: $375 (no credit)
$550 (for credit)
Residence: $175 (optional)
Please note: Meals, supplies and parking are not included. Please see Housing & Parking for more information.
Enrollment is limited. Register now: miad.edu/educators
To register, complete the online registration form and submit a $50 refundable deposit (applied toward final tuition payment).
Access to MIAD’s Sculpture Lab provides an opportunity to explore the world of mold making and metal casting. Considering industrial and architectural influences within the realm of art and design, students conceptualize their own project while learning to make bonded sand molds, and are exposed to the choreography of running a foundry safely as a team.
Beginning with a simple three-dimensional form made from oil clay or foam, participants learn about drafting and dividing their pattern to make two-part rigid molds of their sculptures. Once the original sculptures are removed from the mold, channels for the metal to flow are carved in and the molds are reassembled; the class then works as a team in the foundry to pour molten bronze into the molds, creating a metal copy of the original sculpture. Projects are then taken to completion through abrasive finishing and patination.
Casting within the course is limited to bronze. Please note: Projects must be approximately 6 inches square in dimension or roughly the size of a grapefruit. Nothing may be smaller than ¼ inch in diameter. This course does not allow for large-scale projects.
MAKE! Sculpture: Intro to Metal Casting is a course that will require full participation during the week. Participants that register for MAKE! Sculpture will not have the opportunity to attend demonstrations in the other labs during the week.
The Sculpture Lab closes at 4 p.m. daily. Participants are not able to continue working in the lab unsupervised, however, participants will receive a private studio to continue working during Open Studio hours (Monday – Friday from 4 – 9 p.m.).
Additional information specific to this course will be provided in May.
Clothing requirements: Sturdy shoes and long pants made of natural fibers. No heels or sandals. Leather work boots are preferable.
Make! Fine Art
Whether you want to invest in critical engagement of your artistic practice independently in the studio, or explore new processes and techniques in the labs, MAKE! Fine Art encourages artistic growth in ways specific to each individual.
Studio vs. Lab
Each participant will receive a private studio for the week, and may choose to work exclusively in studio. MIAD faculty will be available to facilitate informal discussions and formal critiques about work upon request.
Students may also choose to work in the Printmaking Lab, Textiles Lab and/or the 3D Lab for a mentor-guided experience with our Lab instructors, and observe demonstrations and processes that allow access to work in the labs. Students may also engage in certain processes in the Emerging Technology Center. A list of equipment in each lab is provided on the website, and demonstrations for participants to choose based on your interests or needs is provided on the registration form.
The amount of training required to use MIAD lab facilities varies depending on the process. This is necessary to protect the safety of the participants, as well as the equipment. Lab Certification is not required for participants to observe a demo. Lab Certification is required to engage in lab-based processes.
Above: Work by Cristal Sabbagh, Adlai E. Stevenson High School
Right: Work by Renee Kuharchuk, York Community High School 2023 MAKE! program participants
Lab Equipment
MIAD’s labs are fully equipped with the equipment, tools and supplies needed to realize your creative goals. In 2025, educators are able to gain access to work in the following labs.
Below is a list of available equipment:
Printmaking Lab*
Screenprinting
Large Washout booth with two power washers
48” x 60” UV exposure unit
Access to a large library of fine and wide mesh screens
Six carousel garment and poster press
Letterpress & Papermaking
Vandercook SP15
Vandercook No. 3
Vandercook No. 4
C&P Old Style 9” x 12”
Access to a fairly large collection of lead type with a few drawers of wood type
3-5 lb. Hollander style paper beater
(4) 12” x 16” Moulds & Deckles
Various-sized Moulds & Deckles
36” x 36” paper press/water extruder
Intaglio/Relief
Charles Brand etching/relief press 24”x 48”
Harry Rochat etching press 24” x 48”
Takach etching/relief floor model 36” x 60”
Dark room with chemistry for image on and photogravure
Etching lab with large upright tanks for copper and steel plate etching
Aquatint booth
Checkout tools available for etching and drypoint techniques
Lithography
(2) Takach litho floor model lithography presses
Darkroom with chemistry and exposure unit for photo lithography
Lithographic stone library of 80+ stones of various sizes
A variety of basic drawing materials such as crayons, tusche, and autographic ink
*All chemistry is provided in the lab, and plates and paper are available for purchase.
Seiko STH - 8BLD-3 – leather working industrial machine
Janome Home Sewing Machines
Janome Skyline
Janome Coverstitch
Janome Sergers
Weaving
Small rigid hedlle
Two Shaft Tabletop Looms
Tapestry Looms
Inkle Loom
Hand Work
Crochet Hooks
Knitting Needles
Punch Needles and Frames
2 Knitting Machines
Embroidery Supplies
Potholder Looms
Pom Pom Makers
Tassel Makers
Braid Rug Stand
*Some fabrics, yarn and thread are provided for demos or available for purchase for small, independent projects. Participants should plan to bring or pre-purchase their own supplies for specific projects to ensure they have what they need to meet their goals.
Lubar Emerging Technology Center
LiDAR 3D scanning and sculpting in VR are available for all MAKE! participants to use as desired. There will be about 2030 minutes of onboarding instruction to show participants the essentials for how the hardware works. This is a self-guided learning opportunity with minimal instruction.
3D Lab
Universal Laser System PLS150.D Laser Cutters
Lulzbot TAZ6 FDM 3D Filament Printers
Lulzbot TAZ Pro Dual Head FDM 3D Filament Printer
Formlabs Form2 SLA 3D Resin Printers
Formlabs Form3 SLA 3D Resin Printer
Left: Work by Vicki Schmitz, The Prairie School 2023 MAKE! program participant
Lab Processes
If applicable to your creative goals, participants may select up to 3-4 processes to observe during the week. A schedule for demonstrations will be built based on participant interest, and some demos may occur simultaneously. Multiple demos will be provided for high demand processes. A detailed schedule will be provided in your confirmation packet in May.
Demos are anticipated to occur early in the week to allow access to equipment for certified participants. Participants should be prepared to be productive on their projects until demos and certifications are complete. Demos must have a minimum level of interest to be offered. Updates provided prior to payment due date if Demos are cancelled.
Printmaking Lab
Screenprinting on garments/textiles
Screenprinting on paper
Letterpress
Papermaking
Etching
Collagraph
Monotype
Relief
Stone lithography
Plate lithography
Photopolymer
Risography
3D Lab
Laser cutting, etching and engraving
3D Printing (Intro - FDM)
3D Printing (Advanced - SLA)
Textiles Lab
Available for demo:
Learning to sew on the Janome and Juki Machines
Knitting machine (prerequisite: must know how to hand knit prior to the start of the program)
Punch needle
Crochet
Tufting gun
Embroidery machine
Additional Processes for Self-Directed Explorations/Projects:
More information, and registration for optional opportunities, will be provided at Orientation on Sunday, June 22.
Credits
Assisting Educators with License Renewal and Professional Development Plans
MAKE! For Educators is approved by the Wisconsin Department of Instruction to award credits for educators for Professional Development and License Renewal. Participants must complete a minimum of 30 scheduled hours for successful completion of the intensive summer studio program. Credits are non-matriculating, and are not applied to toward a degree or the completion of a degree. Participants are encouraged to verify district criteria prior to registering.
Educators can receive:
• One week course (30 hours of instruction) for 3 undergrad or 2 grad (non-matriculating) credits
• Work an additional 10/15 hours of studio time during the week for an additional credit
Participants will request credit preference and an option for a letter grade or pass/fail during Orientation. There is no price difference pertaining to the amount of credits received.
MIAD is a four-year degree-granting college accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). Official transcripts may be requested from MIAD's Registrar's Office.
Housing
MIAD has several apartment-style accommodations throughout the Third Ward and Walker’s Point, and MAKE! participants will share an apartment with one other guest. Each unit has two bedrooms and two bathrooms with a shared living room and kitchen, and are located within walking distance of campus and the college’s neighborhood, the Historic Third Ward. The Third Ward offers a thriving creative atmosphere where you’ll find a Blick Art supplies store, galleries, design firms, shops, restaurants and entertainment.
Amenities in each suite include a twin bed, nightstand, three-drawer dresser, desk and chair for each guest; flat-screen LED TV, couch, chair and end tables in the living room and a refrigerator, microwave and stove/ oven in the kitchen. Towels, linens and basic kitchen and bathroom supplies are provided.
While residential guests may move in anytime on Sunday prior to the start of the program, MIAD staff will be on-site beginning at 2 p.m. to assist you through the process. All guests are encouraged to arrive during staffed hours. Orientation and a campus tour will occur at 4 p.m. for all participants (Residential and Commuting), followed by an optional meet-and-greet at a local establishment.
Guests may stay in their residence until noon on Saturday following the program.
You will receive more specific residential information in your confirmation packet in May.
Parking
Daytime Parking Recommendations for Commuters
There are many metered and free street parking options located in the Historic Third Ward and across the river in the Fifth Ward (Walker’s Point).
Overnight Parking Recommendations for Residential Guests
Surface Lot: Overnight parking is available on a surface lot at the Milwaukee Intermodal Station at 433 West St. Paul Avenue (the Amtrak/Greyhound station). A seven-day parking pass is available for $60. The Milwaukee Intermodal Station is located approximately 8 blocks from MIAD.
Parking Garages: Participants may choose to park overnight in either of the Historic Third Ward Parking Garages, located at 212 North Milwaukee Street and 225 East Chicago Street. Overnight parking rates are $26/day, or $125 for the week (Contact Grant at 414-347-1821 to purchase a parking card). Both parking garages are located 2 blocks from MIAD.
Confirmation Packets
A confirmation packet will be sent to each participant in May with additional course, residential living and parking information.
Destination MKE
Milwaukee is different from every place you’ve been. It has a vibe, a welcoming Midwestern undercurrent. From music to food, unique neighborhoods to incredible small businesses, the city offers something for everyone.
A rich heritage and thriving culture have created many nicknames for Milwaukee. “MKE,” “The Brew City” and “The Good Land” are a few. A unique yellow brick abounds in downtown warehouses and homes evoking the name “Cream City.” Milwaukee has been coined “The City of Festivals” and the vibrant festival season includes Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival.
There’s so much to do and see in Milwaukee, and MIAD’s prime location positions you at the heart of it all. Explore Lake Michigan (just two blocks from campus!), visit Third Ward galleries, restaurants and shops, see the world champion Milwaukee Bucks at the Fiserv Forum, grab a custard at your favorite stand and bike through one of the many parks in the city. Visit MKE and it might just feel like home.
