The Charlotte Street Arts Centre (CSAC) will welcome the new year with a full slate of classes and workshops in painting, textiles, zine making, creative writing and more. This week, CSAC announced the first ten classes and workshops planned for the winter months.
“I’m really excited about our first round of winter classes,” said Matt Carter, CSAC’s executive director. “Over the past year we’ve welcomed so many local artists to the centre, each eager to share their expertise with the community across a wide range of artistic disciplines. And the interest has been very positive. These programs have really helped broaden our work serving the community and have helped us welcome many new people into our building.”
Winter programs begin in January with multi week classes in rug hooking, creative writing, oil painting, gouache, and watercolour, with several others beginning later in the winter.
“We have four painting classes coming up in the new year,” said Carter. “We’ll have introductory classes in oils and acrylics, plus a few specialized programs for advanced beginner and intermediate artists. We also have local playwright Ryan Griffith coming back in January to offer his third creative writing class, What Happened to the Ragdoll Cat?. Ryan is a masterful storyteller and I love that he’s always game to share his talent with our community.”
This winter’s programming also includes a diverse range of one-day workshops covering Irish bodhran, queer zine history and construction, creative exploration, and a unique climate focused workshop created and hosted by Fredericton-based textile artist Karen LeBlanc.
“Karen approached me at a recent gallery opening with an offer to present her workshop Branch Out and Weave for Climate Change this winter,” said Carter. “She has put together this workshop while in residence with the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, blending weaving with discussions about climate change and our relationship to the natural world. The whole thing wraps up with a campfire making this workshop unlike anything we’ve done in the past.”
In 2025, the Charlotte Street Arts Centre will celebrate its 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Carter plans to introduce several new programs to strengthen the centre’s position as a hub of inclusive activity while striving to meet the creative needs and interests of the community.
“I’m always dreaming of possibilities and I love exploring new ways we can serve those who make their home here in the Fredericton area,” said Carter. “Reimagining the role the Charlotte Street Arts Centre can play in strengthening our city's creative environment is one I look forward to every morning. We are only limited by our imaginations. If our imaginations can flourish, anything is possible.”
Full list of classes:
Rug Hooking with Katie Hamill
Tuesdays: January 7 - February 11 | 6-8 p.m. | REGISTER
What Happened to the Ragdoll Cat (Creative Writing) with Ryan Griffith
Wednesdays: January 8 - February 26 | 6-8 p.m. | REGISTER
Oil Painting with Hayley Monroe
Thursdays: January 9 - February 13 | 7-9 p.m. | REGISTER
Telling Stories in Gouache and Watercolour with Eva Christensen
Saturdays: January 11-February 15 | 1-3 p.m. | REGISTER
Embracing Spontaneity in Your Creative Process with Gill Salmon
Saturday January 11 | 10-4 p.m. | REGISTER
Queer Zines: History and Construction with Aaron Beaumont
Saturday January 25 | 10-12 p.m. | REGISTER
Painting Landscapes in Watercolour with Jane Guerts
Tuesdays: February 18- March 18 | 6-8 p.m. | REGISTER
Branch Out and Weave for Climate Change Workshop with Karen LeBlanc
Saturday February 22 | 1-4 p.m. | REGISTER
Bodhran: Basic Skills and Rhythms with Matt Carter
Saturday March 1 | 10-12 p.m. | REGISTER
Acrylic Painting with Pascal Leo Cormier
Thursdays March 6 - April 10 | 7-9 p.m. | REGISTER
For more information, visit https://www.charlottestreetarts.ca/classes-workshops
For media inquiries, please contact Executive Director Matt Carter at director@charlottestreetarts.ca 0r by calling 506-454-6952.