List of Bronze Casting Classes in the USA & UK

Bronze casting is the ancient process of turning molten bronze into works of art. Casting involves the creation of several types of molds, which are filled with molten bronze and left to cool. 

Lost wax casting is a popular bronze working method. The techniques involved can be learned in hands-on classes and courses across the United Kingdom and the United States. 

The ancient history of bronze casting is also covered in many classes. If you are curious about the history of ancient metalworking, a bronze casting class is the perfect introduction. 

The following list of bronze casting classes includes some of the top art centers, foundries, and artist collectives in both countries. Whether you are a beginner metalworker or have been creating metal art for decades, bronze casting is a fascinating and fun new skill to learn. 

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Bronze Casting Classes in the UK

1) The Sculpture School

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, 4 days, full day
• Price: £695
• Website: https://thesculptureschool.co.uk/course/bronze-casting-workshop/
• Telephone: 01837 82879
• Location: Burnswood Studios Bondleigh North Tawton Devon EX20 2AP

The Sculpture School was founded in 2010 by Andrew Sinclair and Diane Coates. The School offers a four day bronze casting workshop with expert David Snoo Wilson. 

This workshop is fast paced and time intensive, so serious students are sure to learn all of the fundamentals of bronze casting within the four days. 

Techniques covered in the Sculpture School’s bronze casting workshop include sculpting, mold making, bronze pouring, and finishing. 

2) Will Lord of the Stone Age

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, 2 days 
• Price: £375
• Website: https://www.will-lord.co.uk/
• Telephone: 07843019994
• Location: 34 Nether St. Rougham Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP30 9LW

Will Lord is an archaeologist, expert flint knapper, stone tool maker, and survivalist who is fascinated by ancient crafts. He teaches a bronze casting class that focuses on Bronze Age methods of casting. If you are interested in the early history of bronze casting, this is the class for you. 

In his two day class, Lord teaches students how to build a furnace from natural materials, create molds using lost wax casting methods, burn out the molds, and cast bronze in the molds. 

This unique class option is ideal for beginners or intermediate bronze casting artists who want to expand their knowledge of the craft. 

3) New British Art

• Type: Bronze Casting 
• Classes: small group, weekends
• Price: £350
• Website: https://www.newbritishart.org/
• Telephone: 07981 769930
• Location: Cilyrynys Porthyrhyd Carmarthenshire SA32 8PX

New British Art is an artist’s collective offering weekend bronze casting classes. Classes are led by Mark Halliday and allow students of every experience level to create a bronze object with 3 kg of metal. 

Techniques covered include modeling wax, making molds, pouring hot bronze, and finishing the bronze once it is out of the mold. 

While these classes are great for any artist, beginner bronze casting students will especially benefit from the comprehensive teaching experience. 

4) Castle Fine Arts Foundry

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, 5 days 
• Price: Contact for pricing information
• Website: http://www.bronzefoundry.co.uk/RESOURCES/COURSES.html
• Telephone: 01691780261
• Location: 48-60 Bridgewater St. Liverpool L1 0AY

Castle Fine Arts Foundry offers bronze casting, fabrication, and installation services. The company has made a range of sculptures and items that can be seen across Britain. Castle Fine Arts Foundry also offers classes for beginner and intermediate metal artists. 

Classes at the Foundry take place over five days and allow students to create two hand-sized finished items. Chris Butler, the founder of Castle Fine Arts Foundry, teaches the class. His experience in the field means that students learn all the fundamentals of bronze casting during class time. 

Day One of the class focuses on wax sculpting. Day Two teaches students the basic casting process. Day Three involves shell making. On Day Four, students de-wax and fire their shells and pour bronze into their molds. Day Five is reserved for finishing techniques.

If you are interested in learning the in-depth process of bronze casting from an industry expert, consider contacting Castle Fine Arts Foundry for more information about upcoming classes. 

5) Art Junction

• Type: Bronze Casting 
• Classes: small group, weekday, weekend, full day, 2 day sessions
• Price: £160
• Website: https://www.artjunction.uk/product/casting-in-bronze-a-demonstration/
• Telephone: N/A
• Location: Epstein House Daux Rd. Billingshurst RH14 9TF

Art Junction offers sculpting and general art classes for all abilities and interests. Bronze casting classes are available on weekdays and weekends, making Art Junction the perfect place to learn for those with busy schedules. 

“Casting in Bronze” is Art Junction’s beginner-friendly bronze casting class. Learn the basics of the lost wax casting method in this two day option. 

Students learn wax sculpting, making sprue, ceramic mold making, pouring bronze, and finishing work. This labor intensive course is ideal for complete beginners because it covers the very basics of bronze casting. 

6) Artisan Foundry Store

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, full day, weekday, weekend  
• Price: Contact for pricing information
• Website: https://www.artisanfoundry.co.uk/?cPath=22
• Telephone: 0151 425 2376
• Location: Artisan Foundry 7 Baileys Lane Hale Village Liverpool L24 5RG

Artisan Foundry Store is a retail space that also offers in-person and online courses. The store was opened in 2006 and has been providing metalworking products and classes ever since. 

Metal casting classes at the Artisan Foundry Store include five course options that are appropriate for all skill levels. They include green sand casting, oil sand casting, and lost wax casting. Students can work with aluminum, iron, and bronze. 

The bronze casting class currently offered at Artisan Foundry Store teaches students how to cast bronze using the lost wax casting method. The full day course covers the basic bronze casting process from start to finish. 

7) Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekends, full day, 4 days
• Price: £375
• Website: https://edinburghsculpture.org/sculpturecourses/new-bronze-casting-course-kate-ive/
• Telephone: 0231 551 4490
• Location: Bill Scott Sculpture Centre, 21 Hawthornvale Edinburgh EH6 4JT

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop was started in 1986 as an artist-run organization. The Workshop’s current building opened in 2012. 

Bronze casting courses at Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop take place over two weekends. The full day classes introduce beginner bronze artists to basic casting methods. Ceramic mold making is the main focus of the class. Students create their very own handheld bronze sculpture. 

The bronze casting class is taught by medallist and sculptor Kate Ive. She graduated in 2008 and her work has since been featured in the British Museum in London and the Royal Mint Museum in Wales. 

8) Scottish Sculpture Workshop

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekends, 2 day sessions 
• Price: £250-£650
• Website: https://www.ssw.org.uk/
• Telephone: 01464 861372
• Location: 1 Main St. Lumsden AB54 4JN

The Scottish Sculpture Workshop was founded in 1979 and its mission is to empower artists through collective learning and skills development. 

Bronze casting classes at the Scottish Sculpture Workshop are taught by senior technician Eden Jolly. They are appropriate for complete beginners and intermediate students who want to hone their skills. 

“Bronze Age Casting” is a class that focuses on ancient casting techniques. The two day class teaches students methods used by Pictish metalworkers. 

Participants create their own green molds and charcoal furnaces out of natural materials like beeswax, clay, sand, and horse manure. 

Scottish Sculpture Workshop’s “Bronze Intensive” is a new class offering coming in 2023. This option will be an excellent opportunity for new and returning students to hone their bronze working skills. 

The Intensive will run for five days and will teach students designing, mold making, sand casting, and ceramic shell making. Participants will be given the opportunity to work as a team in a foundry setting.

Pouring molds, making casts, finishing, and fettling bronze will also be covered.  

9) The Old Kennels

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekends, full day, 4 day sessions
• Price: £365
• Website: https://theoldkennels.co.uk/product/bronze-sept-2022/
• Telephone: 01823 681138
• Location: The Old Kennels Stentwood Dunkeswell Devon EX14 4RW

The Old Kennels is an educational retreat center offering a wide range of creative classes for all abilities. The Old Kennels first opened in 2002 and offers quality classes in stone carving, silversmithing, bookbinding, bronze casting, and much more. 

Shane Whitehead teaches bronze casting at The Old Kennels. Lost wax casting methods are emphasized. Students learn wax sculpting, casting, finishing, and patination in the four-day course. 

Bronze Casting Classes in the USA

1) Metal Museum

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekends, full day, 1-2 days
• Price: $240-$475
• Website: https://www.metalmuseum.org/online-store/Foundry-Classes-c20572092
• Telephone: (901) 774-6580
• Location: 274 Metal Museum Dr. Memphis, TN 38106

The Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee is the only institute in North America that is solely dedicated to metalwork. It is also one of the only metalworking institutes of its kind worldwide. 

The Metal Museum offers many opportunities for learning and exploration, but its classes are some of the best ways to learn more about metalworking processes. 

Metal casting classes at the Museum teach beginner students how to work with aluminum, iron, and bronze. Bronze casting students use oil bonded molds and resin bonded molds to create small sculptures, door knockers, letter seals, and bookends. 

Specific bronze casting methods covered in class include lost wax casting and green sand casting. 

2) Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekdays, multiple sessions
• Price: $400
• Website: https://cafac.wildapricot.org/classes/metalcasting/
• Telephone: (612) 294-0400
• Location: 3749 Chicago Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55407 

Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center is an educational arts organization located in Minneapolis. The Center prides itself on being the only community based metalworking school in the area. 

Bronze casting classes at Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center include “Small Things Casting in Lost Wax.” This option teaches students of all experience levels the art of lost wax casting. 

Students carve wax, make their own molds, and pour metal into their completed molds. Finished project options include miniature sculptures and jewelry pieces. 

Contact the Center directly or visit their website for more information on an upcoming class called “Sculptural Metal Casting Fundamentals.” This class will be offered sometime in 2022. 

3) Stonybrook Metal Arts & Sculpture School

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, 5-10 weeks, 3 hour class sessions   
• Price: Contact for pricing information
• Website: https://stonybrookmass.org/product/lost-wax-casting-class/
• Telephone: (617) 522-3331
• Location: 24 Porter St. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

Stonybrook Metal Arts & Sculpture School is dedicated to providing quality sculpting and general art education. Its team of experienced sculptors and metal artists assist students in creating their own works of art. 

Bronze casting classes at Stonybrook emphasize the lost wax casting process. Students learn additive, subtractive, filing, finishing, and hot tool techniques. Classes take place for approximately three hours per day over a course of several weeks. This large time commitment should be considered before signing up for a class. 

Finished items include rings, pendants, and small bronze sculptures. For more information on upcoming class sessions and pricing information please contact Stonybrook Metal Arts & Sculpture School directly. 

4) Rivers of Steel

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekends, 3 hour sessions, week-long intensives 
• Price: Contact for pricing information
• Website: https://riversofsteel.com/experiences/workshops/metal-arts-workshops/
• Telephone: (412) 464-4020
• Location: 623 E. 8th Ave. Homestead, PA 15120

Rivers of Steel is a nonprofit creative arts and science organization that is dedicated to preserving the history of metalworking in Pennsylvania. The organization offers community events like exhibits, tours, and metalworking classes. 

Classes with Rivers of Steel include single day workshops and week-long intensives. Students wanting a taste of metal casting should consider a weekend class such as “The Doodle Bowl Experience.” This fun option teaches students to sculpt their own metal bowl using creative designs. 

Students wanting a more comprehensive experience can sign up for a week-long intensive in metal casting. Participants learn designing and large mold making. They work as a team in a foundry setting to pour and cast metal. 

Multiple dates are available for these and other class options with Rivers of Steel. For more information about upcoming dates and times, visit Rivers of Steel’s website or give them a call at the number listed above. 

5) Indianapolis Art Center

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekdays, afternoons, multiple class sessions  
• Price: $692
• Website: https://indyartcenter.org/sculpture/
• Telephone: (317) 255-2464
• Location: 820 E. 67th St. Indianapolis, IN 46220

Indianapolis Art Center’s current facility opened in 2005 and features over 40,000 square feet of creative space. 

Bronze casting classes at Indianapolis Art Center focus on the lost wax casting method and are appropriate for beginner metalworkers. 

Students learn how to make their own unique molds. Finished items include small bronze sculptures. Individual and group projects are included to allow for creativity and team building. 

6) Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center (CIADC)

• Type: Bronze Casting
• Classes: small group, weekdays, weekends, mornings, afternoons, multiple week sessions   
• Price: $285-$540
• Website: https://www.ciadc.org/casting-molding-overview
• Telephone: (773) 961-8498
• Location: 6433 N. Ravenswood Chicago, IL 80626

Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center (CIADC) is a creative nonprofit organization offering 10,500 square feet of artistic space and four studio departments. 

Students who participate in bronze casting classes at CIADC learn basic pattern making, sand mold construction, and casting techniques. Projects are guided by instructors so students can focus on building fundamental skills. 

The flexibility of CIADC’s classes means that people with busy schedules can learn bronze casting whenever it suits them. Be sure to check out CIADC’s website for more information on class availability and upcoming sessions.