Archive for year: 2025

Find handmade mugs, bowls, ornaments, and serving ware for your centerpiece entrees and appetizers! This will be a great place to find last-minute gifts, unique and one-of-a-kind items, pottery for your table, and housewarming gifts. 

Studio 550 is hosting its annual Handmade Holiday Market of pottery and glass art from December 15-23 from 12-8PM each day. (The market is closed on Sunday Dec 21st.) All work was locally made by studio members and staff. There will be two rooms full of handmade shopping available with the work of over 20 makers on display.

Cups for a Cause

The members and staff of Studio 550 collaborated to create 60+ cups and mugs to raise funds for the International Institute of New England. This organization creates opportunities and provides resources for New Americans making their transition to a new life right here in our neighborhood. 

These cups and mugs will be in a separate display, so shoppers know where to find them. Mugs will be sold for $25 each. All proceeds will be donated! 

Art in the Street

It may be cold, but keep your eyes open! During the week of the market, there will be mini-mugs and handmade ceramic ornaments hidden downtown. Find art out in the wild, show it to us during market hours and win a prize! All the minis were created by makers selling work at the Market. If you liked the mini version, you’re going to love the normal-sized pots.

In addition, there will be:

– Free “Shop Small” tote bag for any shoppers spending over $50, while supplies last

– a handmade gift shop to browse and buy (more pottery, stained glass, plants, soaps, stickers, knitted goods, woodworking, and more…)

– Gift Cards! Studio 550 is a teaching space, so you can give experiences in addition to beautiful things! Gift cards can be purchased for any 1-day workshops, 10-week classes, or Maker’s Lounge visits. 

– Family activities! If you are looking for something to do together when family is in town, market week is a great time to book a private party! Contact the studio to book this in advance. You can also book time in the Maker’s Lounge to Paint-Your-Own Handmade Pottery or Make-Your-Own-Glass-Mosaic.

Questions can be directed to 603.232.5597 or info@550arts.com 

Invite your Friends on FB! https://www.facebook.com/share/16gYb5SpBc/

Adult art classes start Sept 29th and youth after school classes start this week! Jump in on a class before they fill up! Evening Pottery classes are full, but all other watercolor painting, drawing, stained glass, clay sculpting and daytime pottery classes still have space!

Youth Art:  https://www.550arts.com/classes/family-kids-2/

Adult Art: https://www.550arts.com/classes/adults-teens/

The Monster Hunt returns to Manchester August 23rd

Find a Monster. Keep a Monster. Discover Downtown. 

Downtown Manchester, NH- On Saturday, August 23, 2025, the Monster Hunt returns to Downtown Manchester. This is the 13th year of the family-friendly outdoor art hunt, where Studio 550 makes 100 red clay monsters and hides them downtown.  

Studio 550 hopes that by putting art out in the streets people will find joy in walking their city in search of the unexpected.

Monster Finders get the immediate reward of being able to keep the monster. All searchers are asked to keep only one, even if they see more, so the joy can be shared by as many people as possible.  

Kick-off Meeting: The public all ages hunt begins after a kick-off meeting at 11AM at City Hall Plaza. At the meeting you’ll get the rules, tips, and free prizes before you head off on the search! The hunt goes until they are all found (which is quick).  

Monsters will be concentrated in the heart of downtown on Elm Street between Bridge St and Studio 550 at 550 Elm. All Monsters will be placed in public places. Typically, they like to hide in places that people see every day, but normally do not have a reason to keep looking. Monsters LOVE public art. 

Monster Medallions: We are hiding reusable Monster Medallions in lieu of the actual monsters. Bring your medallion to Studio 550 at 550 Elm St between 11-1 that day to trade in the found coin for its one-of-a-kind monster. 

Activities: From 11AM-1PM Studio 550 will be hosting a number of low-cost or free hands-on activities at 550 Elm Street. All Monster finders are entered into a raffle to win a Studio 550 Gift Card. Other activities visitors can pick from (whether or not they found a monster) include making their own clay monster, trying the pottery wheel, making a plant habitat for their new found friend, and tie-dying a Studio 550 T-shirt or tote bag. There will also be bubble painting led by our 2-D instructor Mattea Schevey, sidewalk chalk, monster paper crafting, and rock painting.

Kids-only Hunt: There will be a mini-hunt for little ones before the public hunt! The DoubleTree Hotel at 700 Elm has graciously allowed use of the green space in front of the Center of NH. The mini-hunt begins at 10:30AM and is for littles 5 and under.  Look for the colorful pennant flags! There will be 25 monsters available in this youth hunt, and all hunters get a free monster sticker, whether or not they find a clay monster.

Sweet Treats: To sweeten the deal, a handful of downtown businesses will also be offering specials or activities to those who find a monster. The Manchester City Library BookMobile will be at City Hall Plaza (no monster required!). For those who find a monster, Queen City Cupcakes will have monster cupcakes and Dancing Lion Chocolate will have an artful chocolate coin.

No purchase is necessary, but Monster-Seekers and Monster-Finders are encouraged to stay downtown to eat and to discover what our city has to offer. 

Questions about the hunt can be directed to 603.232.5597, info@550arts.com. More information can also be found on the Studio 550 website  https://www.550arts.com/about/monsterhunt/ and FB Event page https://www.facebook.com/share/1FzjUcyD1y/ 

We are welcoming a new 2-d teacher to our staff, Sami Beaton!  There are new 2-D classes on the schedule!

Jump into new morning and daytime watercolor or drawing classes with Mattea or evening Drawing or Acrylic painting classes with Sami.

View the schedule for the summer here: https://www.550arts.com/classes/adults-teens/