ROCKAWAY PARK'S WORKSHOPS
Here at Rockaway Park, we’re committed to engaging with the local community and beyond.
With a wealth of talented craftspeople, artists, makers, musicians and performers - all keen to share their skills and experience in a supportive and inspirational environment - our series of workshops are open to everyone and kept as low in price as we can make them.
For a taster of our workshops, see the short video below.
If you'd like to get in touch to express an interest in past workshops being run again, or you'd like to collaborate with us on a workshop, or you'd like more details about our workshop experiences, please visit our Workshop Archive page by clicking below
CURRENT WORKSHOPS
Creative RevolutionHERies
We're delighted that Rockaway Park has been awarded a Willson Grant, which aims to provide residents in the Somer Valley with more opportunities to boost their physical and mental wellbeing. The grant supports individuals, community groups and organisations to provide free active travel, or creative, sustainable and cultural projects in the area.
Our project, Creative RevolutionHERies, provides two sets of 6-week workshops in woodwork, metalwork and welding for young women, with the aim of supporting their wellbeing and growing their confidence through the development of new skills. The workshops will also provide a safe environment where new friendships can be built.
At the end of each workshop programme, there will be planters and benches created from reclaimed materials for the Somer Valley Greenways to encourage people to get active in the area and explore the many beautiful green spaces.
The workshop places have now been filled by a fantastic group of women keen to learn these skills and come together to create something remarkable! We'll be providing updates each week with a blog below so anyone can follow our progress with this exciting project.
Creative RevolutionHERies Blog
Electrics Workshop
Friday 19th & Saturday 20th April, 10am
FULLY BOOKED!
Following the success and fantastic feedback from participants on the workshops in September, November, January and March, old school technician Stefan Hintsches is running it again on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th April for everybody who uses electricity as part of their work and wants to get a better understanding of it - no previous experience required.
Do you want to run cables like a pro, get to know all types of plugs and sockets, be able to talk the talk and work out how much power you need? Learn to calculate your consumption (and costs) and get an insight into the fascinating world of outdoor electrics.
This one-day workshop was originally designed for crew members of a travelling circus and is aiming to bridge the gap between consumers and providers of electricity, so that people from all different backgrounds can:
- Understand basic electrical terminology.
- Make calculations for power consumption.
- Identify commonly used connectors and understand their qualities and limitations.
- Spot frequently occurring faults on them.
- Identify circuit breakers and understand their function.
- Understand the correct rigging and installation of cables and connectors.
- Use basic diagnostic tools.
- Work safely around electricity.
"The workshop is great for absolute beginners, as well as those with a level of site electric knowledge. I really enjoyed the structure of the course and the use of analogies to break down difficult subject material."
Sorelle, Production Manager, Revel Puck Circus
Cost for the workshop is £30 for unwaged/benefits and £50 for employed. If you'd like to take part, please book below informing Stefan which date you prefer.
Porcelain Minikin Making Workshop
Saturday 20th April, 1.30pm - 4pm
Try your hand at working with porcelain and invent your own fantasy matchbox creature in this personal and light hearted minikin making workshop with Rockaway's amazing resident ceramic artist, Bev Milward.
During this relaxing afternoon session in Bev's studio you'll:
- Discover how porcelain differs from other clays
- Learn simple traditional making techniques
- Through doodling, drift into producing a mini matchbox character (possibly with an amusing backstory) using Bev's new secret method!
This focused and friendly workshop is designed for adults to relax and tune into their natural creativity. It's an ideal activity for introverts or anyone who wants to come out and play, but isn't sure how.
Suitable for age 14+, you don't need any experience of working with clay, you just need to be willing to try something new.
Cost is £55 and includes firing, clear glazing and postage. You'll also be given a 10% discount on purchasing any of Bev's stunning work!
After the workshop your piece(s) will be fired and glazed, then sent to you in the post, or you can collect them if you live nearby. Your piece(s) are small and will need to dry and go into the kiln twice with other work, which means allowing 3 - 4 weeks for delivery.
The workshop group is small and places are limited. So, if you'd like to take part, please click below
Seditious Screen Printing Workshop
Saturday 27th April & Sunday 28th April, 10am
Rockaway’s on-site ethical screen printers, Carry on Screening (COS), will be hosting a series of fantastic immersive workshops over the coming months for those who wish to learn the creative process of seditious serigraphy (or for the class warriors - screen printing!)
Carry on Screening is a long-established screen printer specialising in ethical campaign and tour merch. Head printer Si has over 26 years of printing experience and has spent the past decade refining his knowledge and applying it to using ethical water-based inks. Rona, who works for COS as a print assistant, processing orders and sourcing ethical garments and materials, has previously worked in SEN school settings. She’s also a trainee councillor working towards establishing an affordable, accessible counselling service.
On this exciting one-day workshop Si and Rona will shut their studio for business to provide an intensive session with a 1:2 tuition ratio to ensure participants are given exclusive attention and the necessary guidance required. This will also enable those with some experience to share the studio with beginners, making the workshops available to all skill levels.
The day begins with a brief history of serigraphy and a tour of the studio to familiarise yourselves with its content and equipment, followed by the print process demonstration. The rest of the day will be spent applying newfound skills in screen preparation, design exposure, print set up and the printing process.
Cost is £160 and includes full access to the studio, including inks, screens, carousel, exposure unit & tunnel dryer. You will also be supplied with a No Sweat tee and organic cotton t-towel to print your designs on. We encourage participants to submit their own artwork before the workshop date, as well as encourage them to bring their own ethical or second-hand garments (no Gildan or Fruit of the Loom please) plus any blank material they may wish to print. A delicious vegan lunch from the Rockaway Café is also included.
The guided workshop will end at 4pm, but participants are welcome to continue printing and using the studio until 7pm so the creative flow and enthusiasm isn't interrupted! It will also ensure you get the most out of the COS studio facilities.
If you'd like to take part in this immersive workshop, please click on the image below.
This one-day workshop is available on 27th or 28th April, so please ensure you select your preferred date when booking!
Suitable for 16+ and all levels of experience are welcome.
Stained-Glass Workshop
Saturday 27th April, 9am
Ben Ford’s Stained-Glass Studio has been established for several years in the heart of the Cotswolds and we’re delighted that he has a studio at Rockaway Park!
All Ben’s panels are constructed with reclaimed glass wherever possible and using traditional methods, combined with modern design software.
On this exciting one-day workshop for absolute beginners, participants learn:
- How to design and make a template (cartoon)
- How to cut glass
- How to stretch, cut and solder lead with a vegan flux
- How to construct a simple stained-glass panel using lead came.
All participants go home with a small leaded stained-glass panel of a pre-designed rising sun/sunburst, using their own choice of glass.
Cost for this workshop is £30 for unwaged/benefits or £50 for employed, and all materials and kit are provided.
Places are limited, so if you'd like to take part, please click below to book.
Songwriting Workshop
Sunday 14th July
We’re thrilled that piano-playing, singing song crafters Carol Hodge and Julia Othmer are joining us for a special Sunday Session in July, as well as to provide this amazing songwriting workshop!
Across the Atlantic Ocean - from the unlikely locations of Huddersfield in Yorkshire and Kansas City, USA - Carol and Julia have struck up a pen pal relationship of songs, bringing light to what divides and unites us, geographically, politically and personally. Having met on tour in 2018 supporting Welsh legends The Alarm, the pair quickly bonded over their shared love of all things heart-centred and magical.
With over 40 combined years of songwriting and performance between them, they've got ample experience of songwriting, performance, collaboration and creativity to share.
For this special workshop, Carol and Julia will open their tool kit of artistic approaches to unlock creative potential, including strategies to handle the proverbial 'blank page;' working through writer’s block and expanding possibilities. They will guide the group through a series of games and experiments with exercises that can be translated to a variety of artistic mediums. The workshop also provides time for a Q&A and live co-creation with workshop participants.
All are welcome, at any level of experience.
Places are limited, so if you'd like to take part, please click on the image below to book.
Our Workshop Programme in 2024
We've been lucky enough to work with some fantastic practitioners delivering workshops and delighted by the response to everything we've offered with some amazing feedback from participants. Thanks to each and every one of you for taking part.
In 2024, we'd like to continue offering creative practitioners space for hire to deliver their workshops at Rockaway in the classroom, terrace, chapel, main shed, or yard, with electricity and heating provided, if needed. PLUS, we'll promote your workshop through our newsletter, website and social media platforms, which means it will reach a following of over 25,000 people.
It will be like any other venue hire to deliver a workshop, except our Michelle will happily work with you on promotional materials, such as images, info and videos (if you have them) to help with workshop recruitment.
If you're interested in running a creative workshop at Rockaway with this approach, then please get in touch below for a chat. We look forward to hearing from you!
Workshop Sponsorship
Just a reminder that if you can afford to sponsor a child, enabling them to attend the Rockaway Kids workshop series, or sponsor an adult so they can attend workshops like the Silver Bangle Making, Bruce's Guitar for Beginners, or A Woman's Weld, all donations are gratefully received.
You will also be helping spread the crucial message that actively supporting each other in these testing times is a way to initiate positive change.
Thank you!
For all the details, visit our Support Us/Donate page.
ROCKAWAY PARK
"Would those who say it can't be done, please stand clear of those doing it"