Charlotte’s Web is based on E.B. White’s loving story of the friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a little gray spider named Charlotte. Wilbur has a problem: how to avoid winding up as pork chops! Charlotte, a fine writer and true friend, hits on a plan to fool Farmer Zuckerman. She will create a “miracle.” Spinning the words “Some Pig” in her web, Charlotte weaves a solution which not only makes Wilbur a prize pig but also ensures his place on the farm forever.

This treasured tale, featuring madcap and endearing farm animals, explores bravery, selfless love and the true meaning of friendship.

Recommended Grade Levels: K – 5th

Curriculum Connections: Communication and Language Arts, Literature Based, Music, Relationships & Family

Themes: Friendship, Communication, Perseverance, Coming of Age, Loyalty, Sacrifice

Tickets: $17 per person. Groups of 15 or more: $15 per person & groups will receive one free chaperone ticket with every 15 paid. Additional chaperone tickets available for $15 per person.

Special Assistance: The Garde is equipped with wheelchair seating positions and accessible bathrooms. Wireless listening systems are available by reservation. Please indicate special needs at the time of your reservation. Wheelchair seating is available in the orchestra only.

TICKETS or QUESTIONS: Call the Garde Box Office at (860) 444-7373 ext 1. or email boxoffice@gardearts.org 

Educational Resources Here

Download Theater Etiquette Basics Here

Download Arrival & Departure Procedures Here

Please Note: Due to time constraints the Garde requires that students arrive no later than 30 minutes prior to performance time.

This performance is part of the DOMINION ENERGY SCHOOLTIME PERFORMANCE SERIES

Join us at the Parade Plaza in New London, and don't forget to bring your chairs to enjoy live music. Families can also take part in free activities, explore food vendors, experience face painting, and engage in various other family-friendly activities.

 Fireworks Sponsored by Foxwoods Resort Casino

Join us for Let Loose Thursday as we celebrate the joys of planting, growing, and gathering as a community!

This month’s event is packed with fun for all ages:

🌼 Flower Planting Activity – Kids can get their hands dirty with The Golden Owl, planting seeds and taking home their very own flower plant.

🐐 Petting Zoo – Meet a mix of small and large animals for an up-close and friendly farm experience.

🎶 Live Music – Enjoy great tunes while you stroll through downtown.

🍔 Food Vendors – Grab a bite from some of your favorite local spots.

Whether you’re bringing the whole family or meeting up with friends, Let Loose Thursday is the perfect way to enjoy an early summer evening in New London.

Mark your calendar and come let loose with us!

Golden Owl– Kids Can Plant Their Own Flower Seeds! Sponsored by The Golden Owl, this fun and interactive activity gives kids the chance to plant their own FREE flower seeds and take them home to watch them grow! It’s a wonderful way to spark a love for nature and gardening while letting children experience the joy of nurturing their very own flowers. Join us for this hands-on event and let the planting begin!

Free Tree Sign-Up – Presented by New London Trees

Help green our city! Representatives from New London Trees will be signing up to residents to receive free trees for their homes. Their goal is to register 100 residents—don’t miss your chance to be part of this community-growing effort!

Community Connections with Fresh New London

Learn more about food justice, sustainability, and local growing initiatives with Fresh New London. Their team will be sharing resources and ways to get involved with urban gardening and community resilience.

Live Music By Red Lion

Red Lion is a powerhouse reggae band making waves across Southeastern New England and beyond. Formed just over a year ago, this five-piece group blends conscious, uplifting reggae with deep roots in unity and brotherhood. Featuring members from Soulshot, Large Up, Dub Squad, and more, Red Lion is led by the vibrant Eric “Irie Feelinz” Williams, whose dynamic energy and original lyrics bring crowds together.

Band Members:

Eric “Irie Feelinz” Williams – vocals, percussion

Jeff Gibson – lead guitar, vocals

Aaron Stelik – rhythm guitar, vocals

Jamie Gada – bass

Jeff Gada – drums, vocals

Eddie B. soared to new heights by creating his own opportunity starting with his series of comical videos titled “What Teachers Really Want to Say”. In a matter of hours, those videos sparked the attention of educators all over the country when they realized that they were not alone and finally had someone to joke about the things they were reluctant to say out loud. 

Shortly after, Eddie decided to take his videos to the stage selling out comedy clubs, theaters, and arenas with his “Teachers Only Comedy Tour” in 2017-2018 and the “I’m Already Professionally Developed Tour” in 2019- 2020. When the worldwide pandemic made it impossible for Eddie to see his fans in person he began performing his “Teachers Only” comedy virtually! Now that things are getting back to normal Eddie B is ready to give educators more of his unfiltered comedy beginning with his ” Teachers Only Summer Break Tour” in 2021! 

Eddie B has established himself as the official voice of teachers across the globe. Educators from America to Africa, Dallas to Dubai, New York to New Delhi (and beyond) are getting a lesson in the funniest ways to express their worst frustrations and they are loving every second of Eddie B’s uncensored, raw, and hysterically realistic portrayal of a teacher’s hectic life, from the point of view of an actual teacher!

William Evertson uses collaged imagery, often blending historical art with modern references, he creates familiar yet irreverent scenes packed with socio-political commentary. This allows him to examine current rhetoric through historic counterpoints.

The woodblock printing method provides a bold, graphic media through which he seeks to understand the structure of both past and present. Combining historical research with old printing technology to comment on new but recurring issues, he unpacks pervasive societal flaws that cross time and culture.

Lauren Correa is an artist with a vision expressed through the lens. Three time EMMY AWARD winner for her work at CBS Sports & NBC News for editing/ pre production & live TV coverage.

Her work in this exhibit is a transformative journey within one's self. While emerged within the chaos, sometimes one has to go into the depths of darkness to find clarity. In stillness, peace is found. With faith, trust & a glimmer of hope, the light from within will guide the way. All that was chaotic is illuminated. Fear becomes an illusion and the truth is revealed, lighting the path to freedom. Ascending from the self imposed restrictions to love, light, and freedom. The transformation and rebirth begins.

Please join us on Saturday, June 7th for the opening 6-9pm

Rooted is a group exhibition that invites viewers to explore the foundational forces that shape creative identity. Featuring the work of current Hygienic Art Resident Artists, this show delves into the concept of “roots” — whether personal, cultural, natural, or newly forming. Each artist interprets what it means to be rooted: from deep connections to heritage and place, to inspirations drawn from the natural world, to the grounding experience of building community and creative practice within the Hygienic Collective.

Together, these works reflect a collective journey — looking inward, outward, and forward — as the artists grow and thrive in the fertile ground of shared space and artistic purpose.

Steven Spielberg, Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon films) and Chris Columbus (Harry Potter films) collaborate to create an epic children’s adventure of subterranean caverns, sunken galleons and a fortune in lost pirate treasure waiting to be found by a group of friends known as The Goonies.

With brothers Mikey (Sean Astin) and Brand’s (Josh Brolin) house slated for demolition by greedy land developers, the boys decide their only hope lies in finding a long-lost treasure. They uncover a treasure map and with their friends descend to a subterranean sea and an abandoned galleon in this fun-filled, fast-paced adventure.

Directed by: Richard Donner

Cast: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan

Internationally Acclaimed Singer-Songwriter & Pianist Grayson Hugh with Singer Polly Messer will be appearing in concert at Hygienic Art Park on Saturday June 7, 2025.

The Hygienic Art Park Stage is located at 79 Bank Street, New London, Connecticut 06320.

Showtime is 8PM.

Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

For tickets, directions and all other details visit https://www.hygienic.org/ or call 860-443-8001.

“In a world where music is often a brittle artificiality, the music Grayson Hugh makes is hard and strong, convicted and convincing. And true. Most of all, true. It's there in the gritty lament of his voice, in the roughhouse eloquence of his piano, and the atmospheric poetry of his words. And his lyrics! If you love words, if you’re one of those people for whom heaven is a rainy day and a good book, then know this: Hugh doesn’t write words — he writes pictures.

He has that thing Sam Cooke and Ray Charles had, that thing you still hear sometimes in Bruce Springsteen, that lonely, train whistle in the dark thing, that yearning, keening thing that gets right to the heart of what it means to be alive, what it means to be a human being.”

- Leonard Pitts Jr., Miami Herald, March 8, 2010 (Winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary)

Here is an opportunity to hear Grayson Hugh & Polly Messer perform Grayson's hits from radio and Oscar-winning movies and from his many records, including songs from his brand new roots country album "Save Your Love For Me".

Grayson Hugh and Polly Messer have brought the artistry of Grayson's songs to concert audiences throughout the U.S. and overseas, including The Cutting Room in NYC, Hill Country NY, City Winery NY, Village Studios, Los Angeles, CA, The Port Hardy Civic Center, Port Hardy, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada, and The Blue Note Jazz Club, Poznań, Poland.

Students will learn the basics of origami corrugations, a style that allows them to create incredible, mountainous origami forms that bend the light in interesting ways with a single sheet of paper. Learn amazing things you can do with paper! No experience is necessary.

Origami has become increasingly a part of fields that the maker community touches: engineering, mathematics, the biomedical field, fashion, artwork, and the list continues. Starting the fundamentals with the artistic, participants can learn the foundations of origami design by playing with a few simple rules, and incredible origami corrugation patterns that can be used across many fields of study!

No experience with origami, mathematics, engineering, or "maker" activities required. The instructor can bend the content to match the interest of the participants.

We ask students to be 14+

Get Tickets Today! Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.

This stained glass project is designed for first-timers and experienced glass artists alike. A simple yet elegant design, these air plant holders bring the tranquility of nature indoors and soothing color to a sunny window. A healthy air plant (“tillandsia”) is included to make your creation complete and a perfect gift! The holders are designed and intended to be hung.

In this workshop, you will learn to score glass, grind, foil, and solder. Sign up to make your air plant holder today!

Please be advised that sufficient hand strength and dexterity are required for scoring glass as well as the ability to stand while working with tools.

Ages 16+

This is a one-day class taking place at 7 Union St. New London CT 06320

Sign up today!

Get Tickets Today! Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.

No prior woodworking experience is required.

Build an outdoor folding chair in a day! Students will cut and drill parts to create a folding chair, commonly called a Kentucky Stick Chair. The chair, made out of cedar, is ideal for sitting on a porch or at the beach on a summer day. -Students will spend the day laying out, cutting, and drilling more than 40 parts to make the complete chair. The finished chairs will be taken home at the end of the day.

-Due to the use of cedar, a lung irritant, N95 masks will be required in the shop during the class. The class fee includes the cost of a mask, but students are encouraged to bring a well-fitted N95 mask or equivalent respirator.

This class is aimed at novice woodworkers, and all tools and materials will be supplied - no prior experience is required.

18+

For Spark Members: After successful completion, members will be able to use the chop saw, drill press, and router table independently. Thanks to a generous donation and grant support from the Frank Loomis Palmer Foundation, these classes are reduced in price.

Sign Up Today!

Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.

China from China • Community Day

Join the Lyman Allyn Art Museum to celebrate the opening of China from China with a fun afternoon of art, culture, and family activities. Learn about Chinese brush painting and create your own work, enjoy a tea tasting, witness a lion dance performance, and more!

June 14, 1-4 pm

Free and open to all

Schedule of Events:

• 1-4pm: Tea Tasting with Valley Brook Tea
• For generations, Valley Brook cultivates three precious tea mountains with some of China’s most celebrated tea makers. Valley Brook proudly preserves the traditional tea-making techniques.
• 1-3 pm: Chinese Brush Painting with Eva Leong
• Make your own Chinese Brush style painting with artist Eva Leong. Eva Leong is a Mystic based artist who specializes in Chinese watercolor.
• 3:30 pm: Lion Dance performance
• The Lion Dance is woven into the fabric of Chinese culture and serves as a blessing, bringing good luck to the audience. The New London martial arts group, The Scholars Martial Hall, will lead this performance.

Celebrate the opening of China from China: Porcelain and Stories of Early American Trade with an evening reception at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.

With over a hundred examples of fine and decorative arts, this exhibition reveals how cultural and economic trade between China and the United States helped to shape a young nation and set the stage for a geopolitical relationship that endures today. A collaboration between the Lyman Allyn and the Dietrich American Foundation, China from China showcases the Dietrich collection of Chinese export porcelain and paintings.

Cost: Members Free / Non-Members $10

RSVP to 860.443.2545 ext. 2129 or email us.

Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

-Summer cocktail attire encouraged-

Image: Punch Bowl, exterior with a view of the Hongs of Canton, and at right an interior detail showing the Empress of China, ca. 1784, unknown Chinese maker, porcelain, 6 x 14 3/8 inches. 

Learn the fundamentals of Inkscape! This course will go over the basics of vector graphics using Inkscape, a free and open-source program and a maker staple for integration with the various machines at Spark. You can create a design in Inkscape and turn it into a pattern to be laser cut or engraved in conjunction with Lightburn or cut on the CNC router with VCarve. But the first step is always a design program.

Class requires a laptop. If you do not have a laptop to bring to class, please write to electronics@sparkmakerspace.org to see if one is available to use during class. Please download and install the latest version of Inkscape before class. Click here to download.

Ages 14+

This workshop will go over: how to draw basic shapes, how to create paths, union/difference/intersection functions, snaps, alignment, and other essential operations. No experience is necessary, but if you have a project in mind, we can work on the operations that most closely relate to that project.

This is a one-day class taking place at 7 Union St., New London, CT 06320. Sign up today! Get Tickets Today! Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.

This beginner-friendly class is an introduction to the relief process, the technique used in the oldest forms of printmaking. By creating a single-color linocut print, you will learn the basics of relief printing. We will explore types of carving blocks, inks, and papers, and you will learn how to prepare your carving block, transfer your design, and carve and ink the block. You will make several prints, both by hand printing and using the printing press. (After this class, members will be certified to use the press for relief printing.)

Please read through the relief printing handout (found here) before class, and bring a simple design no larger than 5x8 inches. A good beginner design has a bold image, thick lines, and no fine details. Keeping it simple will help you avoid frustration and allow you to focus on the fundamentals of printmaking. You can find some great ideas by searching for free black and white vector art. Several design options will also be available to choose from in class.

Certification for Members: Printing Press Members who demonstrate proper use of the printing press can be certified for independent access to the tool.

Thanks to generous donations from The Frank Loomis Palmer Foundation, prices of our certification classes are greatly reduced.

Get your tickets today!

Ages: 15+

Please note that the class fee is non-refundable. Plan accordingly.

The popular songwriting series returns to New London with a performance from the “Original Sinners” Hugh Birdsall, Jim Carpenter, John Fries and Ben Parent, in the Oasis Room

ABOUT THE SINNER’S CIRCLE

“To think it all began on an uneventful morn” –Bob Dylan

The Sinner’s Circle began circa 2010 with the idea of bringing a Nashville-style songwriters’ circle to southern New England; a safe space for area songwriters to try out and “swap” new songs in front of each other and a discerning listening audience, get to know each other’s music better and hone their individual crafts. Ben Parent (of the Rivergods) had heard fellow songwriter Jim Carpenter (the Hoolios) talk often of these types of songwriting circles in his travels to the south, and the two decided to team up with two other prolific area songwriters, local rock legend Hugh Birdsall (the Reducers, Dogbite) and the blues-oriented John Fries (the Heat) and the Sinners Circle was born with a well-received first show at an area coffee shop.

The series quickly caught hold in the community. One of the “original sinners” would host three other regional songwriters every six weeks or so, hosting circles at increasingly bigger venues. Soon they were filling larger stages across the region, including the Eugene O’Neill Theatre’s Rose Barn and the Hygienic Art Park. Audiences loved the intimate “song swap” format and enjoyed watching the spontaneous collaboration that would often happen at the Circles — one songwriter improvising a harmony vocal or playing a solo on another writer’s song. Many of the regions’s best and upcoming songwriters lobbied and were invited to play the series.

Initially, each circle was recorded and a limited run cd was released with recordings from the first dozen or so Circles. Released pre-streaming, the music now lives on in the collective memory of those who happened to be there.

Until now, dormant since COVID, the Sinners Circle returns with a brand new run for 2025, kicking off at the Garde Arts Center’s state-of-the-art Oasis Room on Friday, June 20 at 8pm., featuring an all-new in-house sound system and upstairs bar. Reconnecting for the first time in years will be the “original sinners” Jim Carpenter, Hugh Birdsall, John Fries and Ben Parent, showcasing new and rare material, and shining a new light on the local songwriting scene.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Hugh Birdsall

Hugh Birdsall has been playing music in Connecticut for decades, literally. He is a founding member of The Reducers, Dogbite, The Three-Pack, The Original Sinners, SheSaidHeSaid, and more recently, Hugh and Dana, and The Ground Zero Boys.

Guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer, and bon vivant, he has toured extensively and has performed and recorded in some of the finest studios, basements, garages, dives, and farmers markets in the region, the country and around the world.

Heavily influenced by 30’s blues, 40’s hot jazz, 50’s rock n’ roll, the 60’s folk movement, and the 70’s punk rock explosion, his body of work includes songs as diverse as “Black Plastic Shoes,” “Bombs Away, Lock and Load,” “Grace,” and “Wailing City Girl.” Most recently, he has collaborated with his songwriting partner, Tom Deedy, on a full- blown musical, called War Orphans.

Hugh founded and organizes the annual Pass the Guitar benefit concert for The New London Homeless Hospitality Center, as well as the quarterly Hoot for Hunger to benefit the New London Community Meal Center, drawing together regional talents to raise money for these critical community services.

Jim Carpenter

Jim Carpenter (aka James Waine Carpenter) is an award-winning singer-songwriter, author, and record producer. As chief songwriter for The Hoolios, The CarLeans, and Southern Fiction, as well as performing as a solo artist, Jim has twelve albums of original music to his credit. 

Carpenter’s myriad awards include winning the Chicago Songwriting Contest, being a finalist (twice) in the South Florida Song Competition and the Nashville Songwriter’s Contest, placing second in Boston’s Rose Garden Song Competition, and an honorable mention in CMT’s Music Songwriting Competition. Locally, he has Whalie Awards for Best Producer, Best Americana Song, Best Americana Band, Best Performance and Best Music Series.

As a fiction writer, he has published five collections of short fiction and the novella Black Narrows. A sixth collection of short stories entitled The Gecko Traveling Circus, as well as a new solo album, Tailights, are scheduled for release in June 2025.

Born in hometown Chincoteague Island, Virginia, he has lived in Norfolk, Cape May, Key West,

Miami, and Nashville. He currently resides in Niantic, and records, writes, and produces at LOCO DARE Productions. Jim’s breathtaking guitar-picking skills have inspired countless musicians in the region and beyond, including all of the other Original Sinners.

John Fries

John Fries’ songwriting seamlessly blends the raw emotion of blues with soul. Drawing inspiration from a diverse array of musical legends, including Amos Lee, John Prine, Martin Sexton, Eric Clapton, D’Angelo, the Black Crowes, Joey Landreth, and Chris Whitley, John has carved out a unique sound that captivates audiences and resonates deeply with listeners.

From a young age, John was immersed in the rich tapestry of musical influences that would shape his artistic identity. With a natural affinity for storytelling, he channels his personal experiences and observations into his songwriting, crafting lyrics that are both relatable and poignant. His powerful vocals and evocative guitar playing bring to life a technicolor array of songs exploring themes of love, loss, and societal climate.

Throughout his career, John Fries has garnered recognition for his compelling performances and his ability to connect with audiences on a personal level. Whether performing in intimate venues or gracing larger stages (Fries opened for blues legend Robert Cray on the Garde Arts Center’s main stage), his dynamic presence and heartfelt delivery leave a lasting impression. His authenticity and dedication to his craft have earned him a loyal following and accolades within the music community. 

Currently, John is in the studio working on a new album that will feature a fusion of his blues and soul influences, as well as collaborations with fellow musicians who share his passion for creating music that speaks to the heart. John’s commitment to his craft continues to drive him as he navigates the ever-evolving landscape of the music industry.

Ben Parent

Ben Parent is a founding member of the Rivergods, an original, award-winning act based in southeastern CT that has played its harmony-rich folk/roots/Americana-influenced music in venues large and small around southern New England since 1997. The Rivergods are fronted by Parent and his wife, Nancy, both singer/songwriters, who blend their voices with the sort of instinctual harmonies that are perhaps only achieved through blood, time or marriage. Parent also plays in the on-again, off-again surf/punk trio, Superbald, a guitar-driven combo which amps up the sound, but doesn’t skimp on the songwriting.

Parent casts a wide net with songwriting, from rock to roots, lately choosing to focus on topical storytelling and issue-themed songs that cut quick and deep. Parent enjoys almost all forms of music and songwriting; there is not a genre he will not borrow from if he feels it will serve a song. Parent is an ardent student of “the greats” but is just as influenced by anything he hears that’s interesting and packs an emotional punch.

The Rivergods have seven albums of original material out, primarily written by Ben, but are currently in the midst of mixing their latest album, recorded at Coffeehouse Studios in Middletown, CT, which will feature mostly songs written or sung by Nancy. Ever prolific as songwriters, Ben and Nancy started a Soundcloud page during COVID-19 for sharing demos and unreleased songs. Ben always has several “solo albums” in the works.

Parent prides himself on continuing to foster community in the regional music scene, particularly with and for artists that write and perform their own material. The Sinners’ Circle and his record label, Good Sponge Records, were born of that desire – to see area musicians/songwriters supporting each other and collaborating, rather than always competing for gigs and attention.

For more about Sinner’s Circle

Students must have a basic knowledge of crochet stitches. They need to know how to chain stitch, slip stitch, and single crochet.

Ever wanted to make an amigurumi?

Then this class is for you!

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures.

Join us to learn how to work in a magic ring, increase and decrease stitched, change colors and attach different piece to your main body. Students will leave with a finished crochet bee.

Ages 16+

All materials will be provided.

Get Tickets Today! Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.

You will learn Parametric CAD basics in this class. Enjoy learning to design a 3D object! This class will take you through the basics of using Onshape CAD software.

Specific topics covered in the class:

• Basic 2D sketching with constraints
• Extrude
• Revolve
• Loft
• Solid boolean operations (union, subtract difference)

Don't worry if you don't know these terms; this is a fun entry-level class! We'll teach you the lingo.

Each student must bring a laptop computer running modern Windows, Linux, or Mac OS and a real mouse. Doing CAD with a touchpad is next to impossible. Students must have Google Chrome browser installed.

This class is intended for students ages 16+

Get Tickets Today! The class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.

The most popular hit songs of the 80s and 90s

GIRLS NIGHT: THE MUSICAL has been thrilling audiences and earning raves from critics throughout North America since it began touring after its sensational Off-Broadway debut. This touching and hilarious ‘tell-it-like-it-is’ musical takes audiences on a journey into the lives of a group of female friends.

Audience members can’t help but laugh, cry and even find themselves singing and dancing in the aisles as some of the most popular hit songs of the 80s and 90s make this musical a fan favorite!

Follow five friends as they visit their past, celebrate their present, and look to the future on a wild and hilarious night out … and you’ll recognize a bit yourselves in every one of them!

It is described as “Desperate Housewives meets Mamma Mia” (Applause Magazine), “A boisterous, bust-out, bawdy musical revue” (Wisconsin State Journal), “An infectious, exhilarating sense of intoxication (Hollywood Reporter) and “As funny and outrageous as Sex and the City!” (The Advocate).

GIRLS NIGHT is bursting with energy and is packed with hits “Lady Marmalade,” “It’s Raining Men,” “Man I Feel Like A Woman,” “I Will Survive,” “We are Family” and many more.

Sailfest July 12-13,2025

Sailfest is Southeastern Connecticut’s premiere summertime event, complete with a major fireworks display, amusement rides, free entertainment, boats, and over 200 vendors lining the streets. There will be plenty to see, buy, and eat, so make sure to come hungry and ready to try new food!

Visit www.sailfest.org or https://www.facebook.com/sailfest/ for a complete list of events and times.

Visit the Official Sailfest website- http://www.sailfest.org/

Like us on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/sailfest

Follow us on Twitter- https://twitter.com/SAILFEST

Sailfest July 12-13,2025

Sailfest is Southeastern Connecticut’s premiere summertime event, complete with a major fireworks display, amusement rides, free entertainment, boats, and over 200 vendors lining the streets. There will be plenty to see, buy, and eat, so make sure to come hungry and ready to try new food!

Visit www.sailfest.org or https://www.facebook.com/sailfest/ for a complete list of events and times.

Visit the Official Sailfest website- http://www.sailfest.org/

Like us on Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/sailfest

Follow us on Twitter- https://twitter.com/SAILFEST

On this special evening, join artist John Boone to explore his exhibition John Boone– WHATSWHAT at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Learn about the inspirations and conceptual meanings behind the idioms showcased in his word-driven artwork.

Cost: Members $10 / Non-Members $15

Date & Time, Wednesday, July 16, Reception 5:30 pm, Talk 6 pm

RSVP to 860.443.2545 ext. 2129 or email us.

Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

Image: John Boone (American, born 1951), Hands – Its Out of My Hands, 2018, Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40 inches. Image courtesy of the artist.

Websites for Women Artists 101

This professional workshop series is designed for women, non-binary, and women-identifying individuals working within the arts sector, Wednesdays 7/16-7/30, 6-8p (last session Artist Talk date/time TBA). Focusing on informative discussion on enhancing artistic skills and creative opportunities, this will be a 3-Part Series, by the Pattagansett Art Center, in collaboration with Spark Makerspace, and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Participants will learn from guest speakers covering essential topics in creative development. This program is generously sponsored by Breezeline.

The program aims to empower creatives by providing them with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in the competitive creative landscape, fostering a supportive community that encourages collaboration and growth. Sessions 1-3 are only open to 8 participants, so please please register early. The 4th session is optional and open to the Public.

Important:

Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly. Ages 16+

The class requires a laptop. If you do not have a laptop, please contact make@sparkmakerspace.org in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Session 1: July 16, 6-8p

About the Creative: Biography and Statements

(Creating an about section through interactive activities)

Every website has an about section. This session will explore and engage participants and the power of short, succinct personal biographies. This is an essential framework for a creative practice and provides insight into intentions, themes, accomplishments, and context for an audience or viewer to experience your work. Through guided individual and group activities, we will engage in the creation of a general creative biography and a more body of work-specific statement. We will learn to better understand our own vision and motivations, along with important recommendations, as our artist journey evolves.

Session 2: July 23, 6-8p

The Impact of Visual Branding for Creatives

(Look, Branding, Documentation, Photo cube, lighting, documentation, pricing of your work)

In a digital world, elevating your creative look or aesthetic is an essential part of visual language. This session will dive into the importance of documenting artwork, developing a story, contemporary pricing, demystifying, and building a professional brand, and a touch on contemporary market analysis. Participants will learn the basic principles of photographing artwork, creating a consistent style, and understanding the process of establishing an online identity.

Session 3: July 30, 6-8p

A Comprehensive Approach to Building Your Artist Website

(Building a website, and Digital Footprint)

Utilizing the skills and techniques from previous sessions, participants will learn how to build an effective artist website. This session will provide step-by-step instructions to navigate the process of website creation, uploading your artwork images, and promoting your practice. Websites can seem intimidating, but we will work to simplify and demystify this topic!

Session 4: TBA

Women in the Arts Open Community Forum

To celebrate this series, we are hosting a networking event and panel discussion at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. This Community Forum will feature participation from Suzie Ferras of the San Francisco Arts Commission and Creative IQ Studio & Gallery, alongside a panel of both established professionals and emerging local artists. Centered on the shared goal of uplifting and connecting creative women, the event aims to foster meaningful dialogue, build professional networks, and strengthen community ties both locally and beyond.

Websites for Women Artists 101

This professional workshop series is designed for women, non-binary, and women-identifying individuals working within the arts sector, Wednesdays 7/16-7/30, 6-8p (last session Artist Talk date/time TBA). Focusing on informative discussion on enhancing artistic skills and creative opportunities, this will be a 3-Part Series, by the Pattagansett Art Center, in collaboration with Spark Makerspace, and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. Participants will learn from guest speakers covering essential topics in creative development. This program is generously sponsored by Breezeline.

The program aims to empower creatives by providing them with the tools and knowledge necessary to thrive in the competitive creative landscape, fostering a supportive community that encourages collaboration and growth. Sessions 1-3 are only open to 8 participants, so please please register early. The 4th session is optional and open to the Public.

Important:

Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly. Ages 16+

The class requires a laptop. If you do not have a laptop, please contact make@sparkmakerspace.org in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate.

Session 1: July 16, 6-8p

About the Creative: Biography and Statements

(Creating an about section through interactive activities)

Every website has an about section. This session will explore and engage participants and the power of short, succinct personal biographies. This is an essential framework for a creative practice and provides insight into intentions, themes, accomplishments, and context for an audience or viewer to experience your work. Through guided individual and group activities, we will engage in the creation of a general creative biography and a more body of work-specific statement. We will learn to better understand our own vision and motivations, along with important recommendations, as our artist journey evolves.

Session 2: July 23, 6-8p

The Impact of Visual Branding for Creatives

(Look, Branding, Documentation, Photo cube, lighting, documentation, pricing of your work)

In a digital world, elevating your creative look or aesthetic is an essential part of visual language. This session will dive into the importance of documenting artwork, developing a story, contemporary pricing, demystifying, and building a professional brand, and a touch on contemporary market analysis. Participants will learn the basic principles of photographing artwork, creating a consistent style, and understanding the process of establishing an online identity.

Session 3: July 30, 6-8p

A Comprehensive Approach to Building Your Artist Website

(Building a website, and Digital Footprint)

Utilizing the skills and techniques from previous sessions, participants will learn how to build an effective artist website. This session will provide step-by-step instructions to navigate the process of website creation, uploading your artwork images, and promoting your practice. Websites can seem intimidating, but we will work to simplify and demystify this topic!

Session 4: TBA

Women in the Arts Open Community Forum

To celebrate this series, we are hosting a networking event and panel discussion at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum. This Community Forum will feature participation from Suzie Ferras of the San Francisco Arts Commission and Creative IQ Studio & Gallery, alongside a panel of both established professionals and emerging local artists. Centered on the shared goal of uplifting and connecting creative women, the event aims to foster meaningful dialogue, build professional networks, and strengthen community ties both locally and beyond.

Students must have a basic knowledge of crochet stitches. They need to know how to chain stitch, slip stitch, and single crochet.

Ever wanted to make an amigurumi?

Then this class is for you!

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small, stuffed yarn creatures.

Join us to learn how to work in a magic ring, increase and decrease stitched, change colors and attach different piece to your main body. Students will leave with a finished crochet bee.

Ages 16+

All materials will be provided.

Get Tickets Today! Class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.

Explore the fascinating characters, adventures, and tales of early American and Chinese trade with award-winning history author Eric Jay Dolin at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.

This talk derives from Dolin’s award-winning book When America First Met China. Dolin traces our fraught relationship with China back to its roots: the unforgiving nineteenth-century seas that separated a brash, rising naval power from a battered ancient empire. It is a prescient fable for our time that surprisingly continues to shed light on our modern relationship with China. 

Saturday, July 26, 1 – 2:30 pm

Members $5 • Non-members $10

RSVP to info@lymanallyn.org or 860-443-2545 ext. 2129. Walk-ins welcome.

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Image: Book Cover for When America First Met China: An Exotic History of Tea, Drugs, and Money in the Age of Sail, by Eric Jay Dolin

You will learn Parametric CAD basics in this class. Enjoy learning to design a 3D object! This class will take you through the basics of using Onshape CAD software.

Specific topics covered in the class:

• Basic 2D sketching with constraints
• Extrude
• Revolve
• Loft
• Solid boolean operations (union, subtract difference)

Don't worry if you don't know these terms; this is a fun entry-level class! We'll teach you the lingo.

Each student must bring a laptop computer running modern Windows, Linux, or Mac OS and a real mouse. Doing CAD with a touchpad is next to impossible. Students must have Google Chrome browser installed.

This class is intended for students ages 16+

Get Tickets Today! The class Fee is non-refundable. Please plan accordingly.