Artaculture Academy

This place is essentially running a scam on anyone who goes here. They had a Groupon offering a 1hr glass crafting class for 2 people. My wife got it for me as a birthday present. When we got there first of all, they were behind so although we had an appointment at 10am we had to wait until 10:30 to do anything. We couldn’t even really watch what they were doing because we didn’t have safety glasses. Why didn’t we have glasses? because they didn’t have enough for the people and the «instructors». The guys instructing the «class», to use the term loosely, were really nice fellas put in a bad situation. The y had been told that the class is not 1hr of glass crafting where we actually get to blow or flame any glass. No the 1 hr is meant to be shared by 4 people where each person gets to tell the artist what they want so he can make it in 15 minutes or less and everyone else gets to watch.
So what did my wife pay $ 75 (with 50% off Groupon) for?! We could of sat at home and Youtubed glass working! We wanted to DO glass crafting, and that is the way the owner is selling it on Groupon. This is a total scam, in a little rundown shack type place, it was really sad that we didn’t get to do anything that was promised in the Groupon. This place sucks.

A rating of –20 is more appropriate here!
Artaculture Academy was previously known as Glass Monkey — Google «Glass Monkey, Austin Complaints» — — what you will see there is not far from the truth!
They’re now giving it a go under a different name, but still sounds like they have not figured out how to run a business. A piece of advice — change your practices before you go to the trouble of changing your name.
RUN from this place!
For FOUR MONTHS I have been promised a credit from them for the class I showed up to take and the erroneously-​charged no show fees. We were stuck in their single wide trailer and then, taken to the studio about an hour later to find our spots had been given away to two «walk ins» supposedly (the two walk ins didn’t have to endure the «intake interview» in the single wide evidently).
THEN, on top of everything else, I was charged two no show fees for not being there.
Lots of good stories from that great adventure!
Unbelievable!

I’m not impressed with their customer service. I’ve called twice this week to try to join a class some of my family members signed up for. Both times, I’ve been told that the person answering the phone «doesn’t have access to a computer right now» and to check the website. When I tell them the website doesn’t show the proper date on the calendar, they say «that must mean the class is full then.» I also sent them an email the other day trying to get into the class and have yet to hear back. I guess they don’t want my $ 100. Not impressed.