Under Education Director John Cloud Kaiser’s leadership and vision, MFTA currently offers five professional development classes approved by the New York City DOE After School Professional Development program (ASPDP). The Education Center provides more than 200 field trips to MFTA’s warehouse every year and has five in-school residencies and an expanding after-school program.
With the help of a talented group of teaching artists, MFTA’s Education Center helps teachers develop curriculum based around hands-on learning, environmental education, and, state learning standards.
In 2014, more than 17,447 students and 5,447 teachers were involved with the MFTA Education Center.
MFTA’s nonprofit partner, Friends of Materials for the Arts, has made possible the creation of MFTA’s gallery space, the first ever since 2 Columbus Circle, fostered a successful artist-in-residence program, and hosted monthly art-making workshops.