We offer free evening and weekend workshops designed to foster creativity, strengthen writing skills, and provide students with a forum for executing projects they might not otherwise have the support to undertake. Workshops range from the playful to the practical, and all are taught by volunteer writers, artists, educators, and publishing professionals.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to increased demand, enrollment for workshops are now determined by lottery. Once you have signed up for a workshop, please look for an email from workshops@826nyc.org, verifying that we have received your request. If you have not heard from us after 48 hours, feel free to call.
Our workshops are limited enrollment and often generate wait lists. With this in mind, please only sign up if you can make every session of a workshop. Thank you!
Once Upon a What??
1 Sunday session: August 2 (2009)
2:30-4pm
Taught by Sarah Jaffe
For ages 6-10
We all know the classic stories: Goldilocks, Cinderella, Jack, his beanstalk, the Three Little Pigs, and all the rest. But what would happen if just one thing were different? What if Cinderella had been a terrible dancer, or Snow White lived with a bunch of zombies, or the Big Bad Wolf had the flu? If you've had enough of happily ever after, or if you were there and want to set the record straight on what really happened, this is the workshop for you! Grab your magic beans and head over to 826 for your chance to rewrite your favorite fairy tales with a twist. Watch out, Sherwood Forest - Brooklyn is coming for your stories!
Dream Up a Dream Room
1 Sunday session: July 19 (2009)
12-1:30pm
Taught by Gary Rudoren
For ages 7-12
If you could have the coolest bedroom in the world what would it look like? Put your bed in the middle of a skating rink? Or maybe you sleep on a bed of chocolate milk and there's a straw that comes out of your pillow so you can have a swig when you wake up? Or how about a half-court basketball court in your room? All this is possible when you dream. In this workshop you'll get a chance to design, draw and tell us a story about your dream bedroom - let your imagination run wild. . . and best of all, you don't have to make your bed if you don't want to! (Just imagine robot maids, that's all)
Fiction for the Canine Audience
1 Sunday session: July 12th (2009)
12-1pm
Taught by Sophie Fels with help from the Good Dog Foundation
For ages 6-9
Chillers, thrillers, adventure, romance: every dog loves a good story. And - whether they can tell you so or not - so does every goldfish and great ape. Especially if it has animals in it. Do you know any pets who need custom-written stories, posthaste? We do: 826 has agreed to provide fiction to several story-deprived dogs, and now we need your help writing for them. Come meet our canine clients, and dream up something to make them, and your pets at home, bark with joy. If they enjoy it, they'll leave you a pawprint of approval.
Summer Filmmakers
8 Tuesday and Thursday sessions: July 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 (2009)
1-4pm
Taught by 826NYC
For ages 10-14
Forget Hollywood. The summer of 2008 belongs to Brooklyn. Four weeks is all it takes to write, shoot, and star in an original film. Fun? Oh yeah. Cost? Free. Catch? None. This summer, bring cinema to 826NYC.
Students are expected to attend all 8 sessions of this workshop. Filming may take place on additional dates and/or in separate locations.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to increased demand for this program, enrollment for this workshop will be determined by LOTTERY. Please submit the information below by or on May 1st to be considered for this class. The lottery will be conducted on May 3rd, and parents will be notified by email the week of May 4th.
The Return of Puppet Mania: The Puppets Take the Stage
8 Monday and Wednesday sessions: July 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29 (2009)
12-2pm
Taught by 826NYC
For ages 6-9
If you've ever wished you could design and create your own cool or crazy characters, and then control their every move with your hands (let's face it - who hasn't?), then this workshop is for you! Join us for this workshop, where you and your fellow puppeteers will craft your own amazing cast of awesome puppets to perform in the award-winning, critically acclaimed puppet play that you'll get to write. Will it be funny? Scary? Heartwarming? Smelly? It's all up to you, and your brand-new bunch of puppets.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to increased demand for this program, enrollment for this workshop will be determined by LOTTERY. Please submit the information below by or on May 1 to be considered for this class. The lottery will be conducted on May 3rd, and parents will be notified by email on May 4th.
Tabletop Moviemaking
1 Sunday session: June 7 (2009)
12-2pm
Taught by Brick Maier
For ages 9-15
Tabletop Moviemaking goes national with the first ever coast-to-coast challenge! Students from 826LA and 826NYC will both have two hours, backgrounds and characters to create movies based on the same topics. Once the movies are edited both groups will be able to view their movies on YouTube. It is an opportunity for students to represent their local neighborhoods in a coast to coast competition. This is a workshop that combines pen and paper with camera and computer, all for the purpose of telling a story. It's fun, we promise.
