Entry No. 48 — the New Orleans file — filed under: hands-on
YAYA Glassworks (YAYA Arts Center)
YAYA (Young Aspirations / Young Artists) is a long-running New Orleans youth-arts nonprofit, and its LaSalle Street center in Central City houses a working glass studio alongside its painting program. Professional glass artists lead two-hour private glassblowing classes for one or two people, scheduled by appointment around your calendar, plus free monthly demonstrations open to all ages. Booking a class supports YAYA's free youth arts programs, so the date doubles as backing a local institution.
The story
Most people tie New Orleans youth arts to marching bands and street murals, but tucked into Central City on LaSalle Street sits a hot shop running furnaces at over two thousand degrees. YAYA—short for Young Aspirations / Young Artists—has operated for decades as a youth-arts nonprofit, but its purpose-built LaSalle Street center houses a working glassblowing studio right alongside its painting and design spaces.
When you book a private lesson here, you aren't paying for a sterile commercial workshop. You're stepping directly onto the hot floor alongside resident artists and guild apprentices. A professional glassmaker takes you through gathering molten glass on a blowpipe, shaping it with wet wood blocks, and turning heat into a finished piece—with every class fee directly funding YAYA's free programming for local young artists.
What it's like
Expect heat, noise, and zero industrial shine. The LaSalle Street space is a genuine working guild house where furnace hums and color powder cover the workspace. Wear closed-toe shoes and natural fibers like cotton—synthetic fabrics do not handle hot-shop radiant heat well. Because blown glass requires overnight cooling in an annealing oven to keep from shattering, you won't walk out with your finished piece that day; plan to swing back by later to pick it up.
The move: Schedule the two-hour private glassblowing class for two and work side by side with a resident artist to blow your own glass piece.
📍 Before you go Glassblowing classes are by appointment for 1-2 people; reserve via 504-529-3306 or info@yayainc.org, and the voucher is valid one year.
- 📍 Central City
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3322 LaSalle St, New Orleans, LA 70115
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Cure — After sweating next to a molten glass furnace, head less than a mile down to Freret Street to cool off with precise cocktails inside Cure's converted firehouse.
- Church Mouse Forge — Trade molten glass for glowing steel by pairing your hot-shop session with a hands-on blacksmithing workshop in the Irish Channel.
- New Orleans Glassworks & Printmaking Studio — Compare YAYA's community-driven Central City hot shop with the massive Warehouse District studio facility on Magazine Street.
Good to know
How do I book a glassblowing class?
Private glassblowing sessions are scheduled by appointment for one or two people. You need to reach out directly by calling 504-529-3306 or emailing info@yayainc.org to set up a time.
Can I visit without booking a private session?
Yes. YAYA hosts free monthly glassblowing demonstrations that are open to the public of all ages. Check their calendar or call ahead, as office hours operate on a hybrid schedule.
How long is the voucher valid if I purchase a private class?
Class vouchers remain valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: yayainc.org · urbanglass.org · whereyat.com · Yelp
last checked: 2026-06-23