A summaryJoin us at Gainsborough Community Library for a variety of creative workshops throughout the summer holidays for 10-16 year olds! Workshops are 9:45am - 3:30pm and include lunch, drinks and snacks.
Free places are available for those eligible for benefit related free school meals. Unsure if you’re eligible? For guidance visit www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals.
For more information on each workshop and our brilliant artists, please visit our website:
suffolkcommunitylibraries.co.uk/blank-page
If your booking is made within 72 hours of the workshop, we may not be able to accommodate specific dietary requirements. Please get in touch with the library location for the workshop to discuss options.
Library: Gainsborough Library, Clapgate Lane, Ipswich, IP3 0RL
24 July- Mia Gonzales-Janes- Bookbinding and Design
28 July- Dan Sedgwick- Spooky Storytelling
31 July- Laura Fisk- Painted Landscapes
5 August- Joel MIllerchip- Puppetry and Stop Gap Animation
7 August- Hazel Garrity- Creative Bookmaking
11 August- Michael Klencher- Pinhole Photography Workshop
14 August- Rachel Sedgwick- Latchhooking Workshop
19 August- Stuart Paterson- Create your own mini-comic
21 August- Sarah Denton- Paracord Workshop
25 August- Lucy Stuteley- Storytelling Illustration
28 August- Sian Burford- Thomas- Theatre Workshop
24 July- Mia Gonzales-Janes
Discover interesting book designs from the library collection. Learn a variety of bookbinding methods using high-quality materials. Experiment and invent your own methods to continue making books at home.
Born and raised in Ipswich, Mia is a regular at Suffolk Libraries and proudly uses her childhood library card to this day. She has studied Theoretical Physics at the University of Birmingham, and she is currently producing work exploring the intersection of art and science. Having spent time in programmes run by the Ikon Gallery, the Sainsbury Centre and the Fitzwilliam museum, she has learnt a wide range of artistic mediums and has been interested in ways to make books, what we can use them for, and uses them as a tool in her practice.
28 July- Dan Sedgwick
The Dark Side of Suffolk: Re-imagining Scary Suffolk Tales.
Join storyteller Dan for a day of eerie Suffolk legends, mysterious tales, and imaginative storytelling. Children will listen to local stories inspired by Suffolk folklore and then create and share their own spooky tales, bringing new life to old legends.
Dan is a storyteller, former teacher, and dad of five with a passion for myths, legends, and all things mysterious. He loves taking old tales and turning them into exciting new stories for modern audiences.
31 July- Laura Fisk
Spend the day creating your very own abstract floral, field or forest landscape, painted canvas - let’s create a piece of art full of texture, shape, pattern and life, that’s fun and unique to you. You will have the opportunity to explore a variety of paint techniques using acrylics and apply these to your very own abstract floral, field or forest canvas. Think layers of your favourite colours, flowers, trees, trunks and grasses set on the back drop of your choice, dark and moody, bright and breezy, the choice is yours. Together we will create something very special and ultimately something you’re really proud of.
Suffolk based artist Laura Jayne Fisk, has worked as a professional artist for over 10 years. She specialises in illustrative studies of animals using graphite and is also known for creating large scale abstract floral paintings, these original pieces have run alongside her own successful homeware range. Having worked for a number of years as an art teacher and also as a wig dresser & make-up artist in the West End, Laura brings a wealth of knowledge of artistic techniques, experience and passion to her workshops and beyond.
5 August- Joel Millerchip
Join Joel to create some illustrated paper puppets to make mini stop gap animations in the library and at home.
Joel Millerchip is an illustrator and muralist art creates characters based imagery that tells stories. He is well known for his flat nosed characters and murals across Suffolk.
7 August- Hazel Garrity
Creative Bookmaking
In this relaxed workshop, using traditional techniques and tools, we will be transforming simple piles of papers and cardboard into beautiful handmade books.
Follow simple step-by-step demonstrations and surprise yourself by learning new skills. You will be making carefully crafted journals from scratch, choosing from a range of colourful materials and adding your own special details and design ideas. It's fun to use collage, photos, drawings, pull-outs, envelopes and recycled materials to reflect your personality and interests. By the end of the day you will take home at least two unique books and you will have the knowledge and skills to continue experimenting with bookmaking at home.
Hazel's chief enthusiasms have always been words, books and making things. As a secondary school English teacher, she has worked with young people to give them the confidence to be creative with language. Now she wants to explore the possibilities offered by combining words with the traditional craft of constructing books in different forms and expressing ideas in different ways.
11 August- Michael Klencher
Pinhole Photography Workshop:
A fun camera workshop where you convert a discarded drink can into a working camera. You will learn the basic principle of photography and use a mobile darkroom to make paper negatives, all in a complete analogue practice. Your can-camera sees the world very differently, and you will be amazed at how interesting everyday objects can look.
Key elements to the workshop: photography, analogue, camera obscura, science, physics, creative, fun, opportunities.
Michael Klencher is a photographer and visual artist with a focus on experimental and sustainable practices. He often works with obsolete film and uses pinhole cameras. Since 2004, he has been committed to community teaching and currently holds a lecturer position at Suffolk New College.
14 August- Rachel Sedgwick
A hands-on textile workshop where young people will be introduced to latch hooking, learning simple patterns and techniques to build their own colourful, textured piece. Working with yarn and mesh, participants will explore pattern, colour and repetition in a calm, creative making session led by artist Rachel Sedgwick.
Rachel is a local artist and one half of Make Play, an Ipswich-based organisation. She has worked extensively with young people in and out of schools both as a teacher and artist. Rachel has a love of textiles and people, her work often combines the two, using craft as a tool for connection.
19 August- Stuart Paterson
Ready to turn your ideas into comics? Join Create, Fold, Repeat! – Create Your Own Mini Comic
Through fun drawing games, character design challenges and collaborative storytelling activities, participants will learn how to create their own folded mini-comics from start to finish. Whether you love drawing already or are trying comics for the first time, the workshop is designed to be relaxed, welcoming and accessible to all skill levels.
Young creators can work individually or in teams, experiment with different artistic techniques and even try optional AI-assisted story prompts to spark new ideas. By the end of the day, everyone will leave with their own unique mini-comic to take home and share.
All materials are provided — just bring your imagination!
Stuart Paterson is a comics creator, illustrator and animator with decades of experience working creatively to bring stories to life. He delivers fun, hands-on workshops helping people of all ages and abilities to create weird and wonderful tales on their own or as teams - making creativity accessible, playful and inspiring.
21 August- Sarah Denton
Get ready to knot, twist and create with Paracord Power! This fun, hands-on workshop is perfect for teens who love making things and trying something a little different. With its bright colours, cool textures and easy-to-learn techniques, paracord is a brilliant way to turn simple knots into bold, practical creations to take home and show off.
Whether your teen is already crafty or just wants to give something new a go, this workshop is friendly, creative and full of feel-good achievement: No experience necessary! They’ll build confidence as they make, experiment and see their project come to life—one knot at a time.
Sarah Denton is a life-long hobby crafter with interests in various handicrafts and media. She predominantly works with cords, yarns, threads and fabrics, and currently enjoys creating mixed media projects combining machine sewing with handcrafting techniques, including macrame, felting and applique. Sarah has many years’ experience working with youth groups and most recently has been running crafting sessions with 10–14-year-olds.
25 August- Lucy Stuteley
Lucy’s workshops for The Blank Page Project are based around storytelling illustration. If you enjoy activities such as drawing, reading or gaming then you are also a storyteller with a spectacular imagination! In this workshop you will learn how to develop your storytelling skills through the art of illustration. Whether you've been to one of Lucy’s workshops before or not, this workshop will provide you with a key to unlock your imagination and see it flow through your fingertips and onto the page. The workshop involved group drawing activities as well as individual projects based on your own taste in stories. Being situated in the library, and with all of the illustration and watercolour skills Lucy will teach you, there will be plenty of inspiration to help create your illustrative masterpiece!
Lucy Stuteley is an illustrator and storyteller, she has over a decades worth experience in graphic design and illustration.
Alongside being a full time illustrator, Lucy hosts her 'Imagination Education Workshops' in schools, for charities (such as the 'Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity’) and for communities, to encourage analogue creativity and positive wellbeing. Lucy also sells products such as her “How to draw… Activity packs”.
28 August- Sian Burford-Thomas
Join us for a summer of dreams!
Come along to make sense of our abstract dreams through theatre, stories and craft.
We’ll gather our dreams into a big melting pot with which to create some brilliantly abstract stories. We’ll bring these to life through building craft based worlds and narratives which can be performed live or recorded. We’ll be using theatre making techniques to get us thinking, but there’ll be no pressure to perform in front of others if you don’t want to. Come and enjoy a collaborative, creative day where your ideas matter!
I'm a theatre director/ maker/ practitioner...which means I get to tell stories all day! I work creatively with young people, schools and communities to develop skills, confidence and make shows. I work with venues such as Mercury Theatre, New Wolsey Theatre and others on a variety of theatre making projects - and I'm most excited by bringing original ideas by workshop participants to life.
