Fire Arts On the Road
Offsite demos and hands-on activities
Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center can bring the excitement of heat, spark, and flame to your event! Watch artists create with fire or bring our team in to provide hands-on fiery fun. We offer options for a variety of spaces, including options suited for indoors or outdoors events, and with or without electricity access.
Email jhyle.rinker@cafac.org with details about your event’s location, timing, and preferred activities, and we’ll be in touch soon!
Pricing below is for two CAFAC representatives at events within Minneapolis. Longer or larger events might require more staffing, and locations outside of Minneapolis will incur additional travel expenses.
Demonstrations
Blacksmithing
Visitors will watch a blacksmith artist busy creating work using an anvil, forge, hammers, and other tools, while a CAFAC staff member answers questions.
Setup requirements: 10’ x 10’ space to accommodate an anvil and forge, 2 staff members, and a 3’x6’ table.
Cost: $325 for 2-hour demo
Lampworking
Visitors will watch as a glass artist uses an oxy-fuel torch to melt and manipulate soft Italian glass into colorful beads. A CAFAC staff member is available to answer questions.
Setup requirements: 10’x10’ space to accommodate a torchworking table and screen, 2 staff members, and a 3’x6’ table.
Cost: $325 for a 2-hour demo
Welding
Description: Visitors will watch as a welder (behind a welding screen) uses an oxy-acetylene rig to create a sculptural piece from metal and found objects. A CAFAC staff member is available to answer questions.
Setup requirements: 10’x10’ space to accommodate a welding table and screen, 2 staff members, and a 3’x6’ table.
Cost: $335 for a 2-hour demo
Hands-on Activities
Blacksmithing: Squiggles and bends
Description: Get introduced to the basic tools and techniques used in blacksmithing, as you use a forge, hammer, and anvil to shape a bar of steel. Participants will take turns making forged squiggles collaboratively. Assistance by two CAFAC staff members.
Setup requirements: 10’ x 10’ space to accommodate an anvil and forge, 2 staff members, and a 3’x6’ table.
Capacity: Depending on how much time each participant spends, this activity can accommodate 50+ people hands-on in a 3-hour window, while others watch.
Cost: $850 for a 3-hour activity
Stamping Station
Description: Visitors will be able to pick a shaped piece of metal and use a hammer and letter stamps to create a short message with the assistance of CAFAC staff.
Setup requirements: Space for a 3’x6’ table and 2 staff members, electricity access.
Capacity: Depending on how much time each participant spends, this activity can accommodate 50+ people hands-on in a 3-hour window, while others watch.
Cost: $750 for a 3-hour activity
Cuttlebone Pewter Casting
Description: Carve patterns into cuttlebones, melt lead-free pewter in a small crucible, and pour molten pewter into your cuttlebone mold to make jewelry-scale pieces. Assistance by two CAFAC staff members.
Setup requirements: Space for a 3’x6’ table and 2 staff members, electricity access.
Capacity: Castings take about 20 minutes to complete. This activity can accommodate about 40 people hands-on in a 3-hour window, while others watch.
Cost: $800 for a 3-hour activity
Kiln-fired Enameling
Description: Use our premixed enamels (pigmented glass frit) to paint on prepared metal shapes, which are then fired in a small kiln, resulting in colorful jewelry-scale pieces. Assistance by two CAFAC staff members.
Setup requirements: Space for a 3’x6’ table, small kiln on cart, and 2 staff members, electricity access.
Capacity: Enameled pieces can be completed in about 30 minutes. This activity can accommodate about 30 people in a 3-hour window, while others watch.
Cost: $800 for a 3-hour activity
Torch-fired Copper Enameling
Description: Apply premixed enamels (pigmented glass frit) to a piece of copper and then fire it with a small handheld torch, and then attach findings to make a pendant or pin.
Setup requirements: Space for a 3’x6’ table and 2 staff members.
Capacity: Enameled pieces can be completed in about 30 minutes. This activity can accommodate about 30 people in a 3-hour window, while others watch.
Cost: $700 for a 3-hour activity
Combo option: Combine Torch-fired Enameling and Kiln-fired Enameling for $1400. Accommodates about 70 people hands-on and requires 10’ x 15’ space.
Recycled Jewelry
Description: Unleash your creativity with repurposed materials! Use aluminum cans, broken jewelry, and simple hand tools to create keychains, pendants, or earrings. Assistance by two CAFAC staff members.
Setup requirements: Space for a 3’x6’ table and 2 staff members.
Capacity: Depending on how much time each participant spends, this activity can accommodate 50+ hands-on people in a 3-hour window, while others watch.
Cost: $650 for a 3-hour activity
Stained Glass Pendant
Description: Make your own stained glass pendant! Pick 1-3 small pieces of glass from our selection, and then learn how to foil and solder to assemble them into a unique pendant (or tiny suncatcher).
Setup requirements: electricity access, water access, space for a 3’x6’ table and 2 staff members
Capacity: Stained glass pendants can be completed in about 20 minutes. This activity can accommodate 40+ hands-on people in a 3 hour window, while others watch.
Cost: $750 for a 3-hour activity