Our Mission
The arts celebrate our differences, yet offer people of all ages and backgrounds a way to share experiences and insights. Through the arts we explore the meaning of our lives as individuals and as members of our communities. By offering everyone access to art education and appreciation, we build our sense of community.
A Community Center for the Arts
The Sharon Art Studio is a program of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department that is enhanced by the work of the Friends of the Sharon Art Studio, a non-profit organization. The Sharon Art Studio provides a broad range of affordable arts and crafts classes for children, youth, adults and seniors. The program offers four yearly sessions and enrolls approximately 1,000 youth and 2,500 adults annually.
When you ask people around the Sharon Art Studio what they like so much about the studio, you invariably hear answers such as “I come to get away from my busy life,” “It’s my weekly therapy session,” and “This is where my social life is.” The multi-generational and multi-cultural make-up of the studio community offers students a rich and supportive environment that fosters long-term friendships. Our love for the arts brings us together and makes us reach out to all San Franciscans who would like to explore their artistic side. Every semester a new group of kids and adults begins the journey into the world of art at the Sharon Art Studio.
Weekly Classes
In each session, the Studio offers 40-50 adult and 20 youth classes that meet weekly for 4-10 weeks. Classes meet for 1-3 hours and instruction focuses on a specific medium.
Workshops
Adult and youth workshops are offered each session. Workshops are shorter in length than classes and most often meet on weekends.
Free Teen Classes
Each Fall, Winter, and Spring session, free after-school drawing, stained glass, fused glass, and ceramics classes are offered for high school students (ages 15-17).
Art In The Park
Since its inception in 1993, Art In The Park has been an art enrichment summer program for youth ages 11-15. Four sessions of instruction are offered in a wide variety of artistic disciplines. There is a special registration in the spring for this program.