Find Workshops & Opportunities

Speak Easy Performance Workshop with Charlie Sanderson

Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham, NG1 5AF

Friday 17th April 2026, 6-8pm

Join Charlie Sanderson ( @countrylassactress ) for an electrifying, magical performance workshop designed to sharpen your delivery, boost your confidence, and bring your words to life. Whether you’re new to the mic or ready to level up, this is your moment.

Book your ticket here

Artist Mini Residency

We have a new opportunity for an artist to join us this summer in the Roxby Community Garden.

As part of Garden Gremlins, our outdoor arts and play programme, we’re commissioning an artist to lead a short residency in the garden, creating play-based, nature-focused activities with participants.

The residency will take place over four days, working alongside families, playworkers and the Mafwa team. The sessions will be flexible and responsive, with a focus on creative play, connection and collaboration.

Together, you will create temporary artistic outcomes in the garden, co-created with participants and shaped by the space.

Artist fee: £1000
Materials budget: £400
Deadline: Monday 27 April, Shortlisted artists will be invited to attend a site visit and develop a proposal, with a £200 fee provided for this stage.

Find out more here

1525: Calligraphy – Tracing cultures and finding flow

Nottingham Contemporary

Sun 12 Apr, Sun 17 May & Sun 14 Jun, 1pm-4pm

Join artist Feng-Ru Lee (Milee) to explore the art of calligraphy as a bridge between cultures.

In this series of 3 workshops in Apr, May and June, you will experiment with Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and Western approaches.

Try out different inks, papers and tools to find your flow and create your own style and designs.

Workshop Highlights:

– Explore different styles and techniques across cultures and across time
– Find out about symbolic meanings and significance
– Experiment with a variety of inks, papers, brushes and pens
– Experiment with combining elements and cultural influences to create your own designs
– Consider and practice calligraphy as a meditative and mindful activity

Free for all. This event is aimed at 15-25 year olds. Booking is required.

EXPERIMENTAL LANDSCAPE DRAWING

WITH ROSNY HAYWARD

Lakeside Arts, Performing Arts Studio

Sat 16 May 2026, 10.30am

Explore and experiment with mark-making techniques using ink, charcoal, graphite, and pencil to respond to the natural landscape surrounding Lakeside Arts.

You will then build images through cutting, tearing, and layering paper, resulting in a contemporary interpretation of the outdoors or an imagined landscape.

BUILD BEATS

21 MAR AT 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

New Art Exchnage

A hands-on free workshop and creative session inviting participants to explore rhythm, production, and the art of beat-making in a collaborative environment. Build Beats is a project that brings together Nottingham’s Music Producer community.

This event is part of the ‘Our Yard: Foundation’ seasonal programme curated by Our Yard with the support of New Art Exchange.

Open Contemporary

FABRIC Dance, Nottingham

A weekly open contemporary class led by East Midland Dance Artist Network (EMDAN) in 3 counties including Nottingham.

The sessions will be led by local dance artists and on occasion invited guest artists that are in residence at Space 2 Fabric (Nottingham).

Classes will offer the opportunity to move together in a safe and supportive environment working on different focus depending on the tutor. Please note that the named tutor may change in the case of illness or other unforeseen circumstances.

Book your space here

ART FEST NOTTINGHAM: SHARED PLATES

25 APR AT 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM

New Art Exchange

This free one-day food and arts festival, celebrating the cultures, cuisines and stories of Hyson Green, is your chance to savour diverse flavours, share stories, take part in a range of activities and meet your neighbours.

Rooted in the simple act of sharing food, the festival brings visitors together through communal meals, photography, music and creative workshops. It explores how food connects identity, migration and place, turning kitchens, cafés and public spaces into sites of storytelling, exchange and belonging.

Join us at NAE on 25th April for:
· Food Tasting
· Collaborative Mural Workshop
· Screen Printing Workshop
· Global Radio
· Food Talks
· Urban Foraging Walk
· Photography Walk
· Shared Places Photography Exhibition (on show until 2nd May 2026)

ALL WELCOME | FREE

YOUth at the National Justice Museum

Make new friends, create and explore.

Free Monthly Youth Group for aged 11-17 years old.

Join us for our new free monthly youth group for young people aged 11–17-year-olds. Explore the museum, participate in creative activities, meet new people and learn about the collection of objects we house.

Sessions will be led by museum team members, artists, makers and writers and are open to young people with different levels of creative or heritage interest.

The 4th Saturday of the Month
11:30 am to 2 pm
Lunch Included

Places are capped at 20 participants, so sign up now to avoid disappointment.

There’s still time to sign up! Click this link to register.

PERSONALISED MYTHOLOGIES

WITH NAOMI WOOD

Lakeside Arts, Visual Arts Studio

Tue 9 Jun 2026, 6pm

Craft the moments that shape us! In this relaxed writing session, you’ll transform everyday images into personalised mythologies.

Naomi is a writer, theatre-maker and spoken-word performer with a Masters in Creative and Critical Writing from Sussex University.

Book your ticket here

CHOREOGRAPHIC TOOLS AND PRACTICES WORKSHOP

Performing Arts Studio, Lakeside Arts

Fri 24 Apr 2026, 2-4pm

Join an engaging practical dance workshop on inclusive choreography and creative access.

Through the lens of Lived Fiction, you’ll discover how inclusive choreography and creative access can intertwine to shape powerful, inclusive performances.

SUNG THROUGH TIME

WITH DEBBIE ARMOUR OF BURD ELLEN

Lakeside Arts, Djanogly Gallery

Wed 10 Jun 2026, 6pm

Group singing has long helped us connect with our past, join us for this inspired singing workshop.

Join Debbie Armour of Burd Ellen (Guardian Top 10 Folk Albums 2020, 2022) who will draw on ideas of migration, storms, and the sea, to guide you through traditional folk songs.

No experience needed, refreshments provided.

Find out more and how to apply here

Acting for Screen Summer School

Nottingham Playhouse

Mon 10 – Tue 11 Aug

Led by Kieran Vyas, our exciting Acting for Screen workshop will teach you all the things you need to know to stand out and shine on camera!

Ready to take your acting to the next level? Whether you dream of starring in films or TV shows, our 2-day Acting for Screen Summer School is the perfect place to start. Get hands-on experience with professional techniques, camera work, and performance style to help you shine on screen!

If you’re looking for an engaging activity to take part in this summer, this could be the workshop for you.

11-18-year-Olds

Gallery Art Group

Saturdays 18 April – 16 May & 6 June – 4 July , 10.30am

Visual Arts Studio, Lakeside Arts

See your creative expression flourish! Our Associate Artists will take their inspiration from our current exhibitions programme to lead workshops that explore materials, develop art skills and technique whilst building confidence in a relaxed and sociable environment.

Meet like-minded peers, build your GCSE or A-level portfolio and/or work towards an Arts Award qualification – all in a relaxed and sociable environment.

This workshop is designed for children to enjoy independently. Parents and carers, feel free to relax in our lovely cafés or explore our galleries while the kids get creative.

For ages 11-18, Cost: £120 including materials

Book here

NOTTDANCE

Nottingham College – City Hub

Hofesh Shechter Company Workshop (for ages 13 to 17)

Led by Hofesh Shechter Company, the workshop is an opportunity to explore the Company’s distinctive movement style. The workshop will include a full warm up and use repertoire and imagery from Hofesh’s critically acclaimed work, From England with Love, to explore his creative process.   

Book your free ticket here

Ticket price: £3

BFI Film Academy Alumni: Case Studies & Network Sign-Up

Explore inspiring stories from regional alumni and see where their BFI Film Academy journey has taken them.

If you’ve taken part in a Midlands BFI Film Academy Short or Specialist Course, join our alumni network by signing up to the database – gain access to exclusive opportunities and stay connected with future prospects. Check out here.

Film Hub Midlands

Film Hub Midlands regularly update their site with different resources, opportunities, courses and awards/prizes you can get involved with.

There’s a wide variety of activities and events for everyone aspiring to work in the film industry so don’t miss out.

Find out more

JUST US DANCE THEATRE: OPEN TECHNICAL REHEARSAL

As part of the company’s residency at Lakeside Arts, Just Us Dance Theatre are inviting students and Artists who are studying or interested in performing arts to observe a technical rehearsal at Lakeside Arts during the production week of a new show, ‘A Night of Hip Hop Theatre’ performed by the 2026 Just Us Apprenticeship Company.

You will have the opportunity to be in the theatre, observing the artists and technical team as they prepare for the premiére performance. This opportunity will provide a unique insight into how a premiere is created, from the perspective of both the artists performing and the technical side of getting a show ready for performance.

This will be followed by a Q&A session, where you will meet Just Us Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Joseph Toonga and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Growing Words

Sign up by 26 April!

9 May & 6 June — Indoor workshops (3 hours each)

Held at Nottingham City Library

Join this 3 part workshop series with talented facilitator Camille McCawley to explore the natural world and creative writing. This programme is free and expenses are supported as part of our Nature Poet Laureate programme.

Growing Words is a gentle, creative workshop series exploring how connecting with nature can support personal wellbeing, strengthen our relationships with others, and deepen our care for the planet.

Rooted in the idea that we are part of nature, not separate from it, the programme uses poetry as a way of noticing, slowing down, and reconnecting – both inwardly and outwardly.

The sessions are designed to help you feel more relaxed, restored, and energised through time spent noticing and connecting with the natural world. We’ll explore different ways of relating to nature, through sensory contact, noticing beauty, emotional response, care and compassion, and reflecting on meaning.

Across the series, we’ll draw on creative writing, poetry, nature-based practices, and playful exercises inspired by wellbeing-focused approaches to nature connection.

You don’t need to be a nature expert or an experienced writer. Curiosity is more important than confidence.

For ages 18 +

Speak Easy Open Mic April 2026 – Between Places

Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham, NG1 5AF

Saturday 18th April 2026, 1-3pm

Between places, between moments, between who we were and who we’re becoming ✨

Join us for a Speakeasy Showcase where voices travel across borders, stories move through time, and young poets take us on unforgettable journeys. 🌍📝

You can join as a performer or Audience member!!

Come through, get inspired, and feel every word.

New Nottingham Journal 2026 Submissions Open

All submissions should be in Arial, 12 point, double-spaced, with your name and email address in the header. Please attach your piece/s to your email, as a PDF, Google Doc or Word document.

Please send these to [email protected] before Saturday the 16th of May. We ask that you include a brief one sentence bio for yourself which could be included in our contributors section. Here are some guidelines for our content categories:

Poetry: please send up to four poems in one document – each should be no more than 2000 characters, including spaces.

Short fiction: please send pieces up to 4000 words.

Creative non-fiction & slow journalism: please send pieces up to 4000 words.

During this submission window we are seeking to publish original material, rather than pieces which have already appeared on the web or elsewhere in print. We will consider original translations if the work has not appeared before in English. We do not currently accept postal submissions.

Plant Swap

Movers

Saturday 30th May, 11am-2pm

The Watered Garden’s plant swaps have just got a little bit better, thanks to our neighbours Movers venue. Expect the same plant swapping shenanigans, but this time with music and coffee, in their beautiful space just down the road!

We’ve been visiting Movers a lot more recently (literally 2 min walk over, if that), and they agreed: Plant swaps are fabulous, their venue is FABulous, and us working together to host the perfect plant swap is FABULOUS

Get yourself down there May 30th (free, no ticket needed) if you want to trade plants, share your art / planty things you’ve made, get some freebies and make some new friends! What’s more gorgeous than that?!

EXPRESSIVE FIGURE PAINTING

WITH KATIE BARNSLEY

Lakside Arts, Performing Arts Studio

Sat 27 Jun 2026, 10am

Capture movement through art in this palette-knife oil painting workshop.

Learn bold, expressive techniques to paint dynamic figures inspired by sport, dance, or yoga. Bring your own action photo or choose from ours to explore texture and energy. No experience needed.

Running time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Cost: £35 including materials

GetSet Nottingham

Fabric, Space 2

Sat 7th Feb 2026 to Sat 13th Jun 2026, various times

GetSet is a series of free monthly dance workshops, hosted by our Centre for Advanced Training team in Nottingham. The sessions are for 11 to 16 year olds curious about dance. Delivered as a series of workshops created to help you gain confidence and experience in dance. Ideal for those who have little to no experience in dance or just want to develop their dance technique and creative skills further.

In a friendly and supportive environment, the workshops will give you the opportunity to learn more about the Centre for Advanced Training (CAT) programme and get to know the CAT team. The workshops can prepare you for our annual admissions workshops which take place each summer.

Each workshop will have an invited guest teacher specialising in different styles and practices. Whatever your previous experience with dance you can take part in all or some of the sessions, which include, introducing contemporary dance techniques and creative skills, house, popping, locking and hip-hop dance styles.

ART CLUB WITH ZIROZIRO

New Art Exchange

2 MAY AT 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM

Join us for an open creative workshop with Ziroziro, inviting all to explore artmaking in a friendly, accessible environment inspired by Caribbean Culture.

Book your ticket here

MEET FRED PUPPETRY WORKSHOP

WITH HIJINX THEATRE

Lakeside Arts, Performing Arts Studio

Thu 4 Jun 2026, 3pm

Discover core elements of puppetry in a fun, playful session led by the team behind Meet Fred.

Explore the games, exercises, and techniques Hijinx used to develop the show and bring characters to life.