Impact | Hilltop Artists

Hilltop Artists students collaborate with a visiting artist during a demonstration.

Using glass art to connect young people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds to better futures.

Quick Facts

Instruction

On average, an After-School student receives 211 hours of instruction.

Volunteers

Every year, Hilltop Artists engages over 80 volunteers who give over 500 hours to the organization.

Glass Sales

Student-generated glass sales totaled $156,915 in 2024.

Commissions

Team Production completed over 50 commissions of varying size, quantity, and style during our 2023-24 Fiscal Year.

Safety

Hilltop Artists students create their glass-blown art with molten glass that has been heated in the furnace to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Our students learn to respect safety precautions and work in a team using very hot materials.

Fundraising

Our annual Better Futures Luncheon is our biggest fundraising event. We also have opportunities to donate throughout the year, including through joining our Murrini Club.

More About Hilltop Artists

The transformational process of creating something from glass readily reflects the power of art to change lives. Research shows that students who have access to arts education have better academic and interpersonal success. Hilltop Artists students learn transferable skills through their work with glass.

Hilltop Artists is an independent nonprofit organization, operating within Tacoma Public Schools. Hilltop Artists is governed by a Board of Directors who set policy and strategic direction, and maintain fiscal accountability. Tacoma Public Schools is one of our most important partners.

We are a tuition-free program and provide instruction, facilities, supplies and materials through our grant partnerships, individual and in-kind donations, and glass sales. There is a materials fee for summer school, but no students are turned away if they are unable to pay.

Hilltop Artists is a 501(c)3 non-profit whose revenue comes from the following sources: