EDUCATION PROGRAM

Much of contemporary poetry is written by able-bodied writers who write poems according to normative conventions of lyric poetry, which can be alienating to disabled people. In this process-driven workshop course participants will have the opportunity to push back against able-bodied and ableist poetic conventions and experiment with writing poems that more genuinely express experiences of disability and disability-consciousness. Another term for such poetic explorations is “crip-poetry”—a subgenre of poetry that experiments, in particular, with unconventional and experimental form to express disabled embodiment and/or atypical minded experience.

As the instructor, I will guide participants through a variety of writing exercises prompted by crip-poems. The focus will not be on the finished “polished” product/poem, rather we will be conducting experiments in “cripping” our poems (in a variety of ways), to embrace the raw, the real, the unfinished, and the fragmentary.

The workshop component of the course, likewise, will not follow the conventions of peer-critique with constructive criticism, but will focus on sharing work that is in a potentially very fluid state. In the spirit of curiosity, generosity, and community, peers will respond to each other’s shared work with a focus on affect and points of connection and resonance.

Instructor Bio: I’ve been a professional poet for over fifteen years. In 2021, I published a poetry collection centred around experiences of severe depression and psychiatric institutionalization entitled Is This Scary? (ECW Press). The book was called “witty and affecting” by The Toronto Star.

My poetry has won a Governor General’s Award (2008), been nominated for a National Magazine Award, and Longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize. Much of my work—poetry and prose—is informed by experiences of Madness and physical (chronic) illness, bringing both a personal and theoretical lens (i.e. Disability Studies) to the subject.

I am currently working on a poetry manuscript in progress utilizing experimental crip-poetry techniques about chronic illness, immunosuppression, and neurodivergence, along with a personal essay project engaging the intersection of chronic illness and Jewish secular identity.

NO CLASS: Feb 16

Monday

2PM - 4PM

Online

Feb 2 - Mar 16

Poetry can bloom through the cracks of reason — most thoroughly encountered and understood through feeling. It is a kaleidoscopic lens that illuminates interconnections beyond linearity and category. In Poetry Unbound, we will explore the expansive nature of poetry through interdisciplinary artistic practice. Untethered from pressures of sense-making or fixed forms, participants will work with poetic processes to root into relational meaning-making — a pattern seeker’s paradise! In this course, poetry functions as both catalyst and framework for creative experimentation, collaboration, and self-expression.

Participants will investigate poetic structures (and ways of subverting them) to open pathways toward new creative approaches across printed matter, sculpture, performance art, media, and installation. Each session will include guided exercises, hands-on exploration, and opportunities to develop both individual and collaborative projects. We will practice presenting work, giving and receiving feedback, and reflecting on our processes.

The course will culminate in a shared body of interdisciplinary poetic works, shaped collectively and presented in a format determined by the group. Poetry Unbound is designed for anyone seeking to expand their practices and perspectives, explore different modes of expression, and create within a responsive, curiosity-driven environment.

Instructor Bio: Sof Kreidstein is a transdisciplinary, community-engaged artist and facilitator based in Tkaronto. Living and creating/transforming through a poetic framework, they embrace generative connections in

nonlinear neurodivergent perception, queer/trans ritual, Jewish mysticism, and Mad wisdom. Their work often unfolds through collaborative and multifaceted projects integrating material craft, performance, and installation art.

Sof holds an Interdisciplinary BFA (NSCAD University) and is currently training to become an Expressive Arts Therapist (CREATE Institute). As a creative facilitator and program coordinator, they primarily work with alternative/grass roots Jewish organizations, including Ha’Sadeh (a Renewal congregation), and Machane Lev (a LGBTQ+ Jewish youth org. and overnight camp). Their projects and programs have been presented through artist run organizations including Tangled Art + Disability, QUIET PARADE, the Anna Leonowens Gallery, Radstorm, and Eyelevel, and Nocturne Halifax. In all they do, Sof is committed to cultivating curious and care-full community.

NO CLASS: Mar 9

Tuesdays

6PM - 8PM

32 Lisgar

Feb 3 - Mar 17

Have an interest in TTRPGs (tabletop roleplay games), design, storytelling, or FUN? Then this is the workshop for you. This course will highlight all the many ways playing and/or running a TTRPG helps nourish and improve your creative side. Come learn the basics from the world of TTRPGs and how to craft a compelling yet concise one page adventure. Those with little to no experience with TTRPGs are encouraged to participate as we will focus less on rules and more on creating the story! Over the course of six weeks we will review the key elements to a one-page TTRPG adventure and participants will be encouraged to brainstorm ways to incorporate their own skill sets in the creation process. By the end of the course participants will have the skills to create their own one pager TTRPG and the tools to share or sell the work they’ve created. Sounds fun? Then grab some dice* and let's get rolling! *Dice will be provided! This course is best suited for artists that have experience in writing as part of their artistic practice.

Instructor Bio: I enjoy creating from a place of curiosity, openness, and fun. As a balm for my struggle with my mental health, my artistic practice spans a variety of disciplines as I learn to embrace the boundlessness of my imagination. Primarily I’ve been exploring artistic mediums such as linoleum printing, ink drawing, digital art, and textile work; my media interests include writing and tv/film production. I enjoy experimenting with spiral and eye imagery to test the ways in which they can be used to convey a variety of feelings and intentions and have an interest in the ways artistic expression can aid, support, and sustain social justice movements and those involved within them. In addition, I’ve been playing, running, and writing TTRPGs for over a decade and continue to love all the ways it nurtures my creativity as a multidisciplinary artist.

Tuesdays

3PM - 5PM

Online

Feb 17 - Mar 24

ARTS APPRECIATION IS BACK!

Sign up and get the scoop on free tickets to plays, concerts, exhibitions, and more around Toronto. *Limited spots available.

*Most events have a limited number of spots and not all those who register will be guaranteed a spot. When tickets for events become available, we will contact members who have registered for Arts Appreciation. Tickets will be distributed through a lottery system.

Once an event has reached capacity, we may have a wait-list. For events with a wait list, participants are also chosen through a lottery system.

You will receive a confirmation email directly from the Education Coordinator, Teyama, indicating whether you have been granted a ticket or placed on the wait-list.

For more information, please contact Teyama at teyama_alkamli@workmanarts.com

Wednesday

10AM - 6PM

EMAIL LIST

Jan 14 - Apr 1

This series is for emerging and established songwriters who want to expand their creative toolkit and explore new ways of writing. Each session will introduce a different entry point into songwriting—through collage, sensory and object-based writing, intentional limitations, loop-based composition, and other accessible, exploratory methods. The focus will be on curiosity, play, and building artistic range.

Participants will engage in approaches that include melody writing with and without instruments, constraint-based vocal composition, and optional collaborative exercises. Grounding practices, flexible prompts, and multiple ways to participate will help create an inclusive, low-pressure environment for creative risk-taking.

Throughout the series, participants will be encouraged to refine one piece of work to share in a supportive final session. The overall aim is to support songwriters in breaking out of habits, deepening awareness of their own creative processes, and leaving with renewed confidence, inspiration, and expanded writing possibilities.

Instructor Bio: Toronto-based artist Olive Joy makes heartfelt alternative folk music for the lover and inner child in us all. As a multi-instrumentalist (accordion, piano, guitar, ukulele), singer, and songwriter, Olive explores themes of post-traumatic growth, relationships, and the healing power of nature. They have spent over a decade performing in Toronto and beyond, from street corners and cabaret stages to the Gladstone Hotel, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, and Toronto Pride. Most recently, they completed a residency at Toronto’s Tranzac Club to packed houses and continue to perform solo and with their band across the city. Olive holds certificates in Songwriting & Performance and Independent Music Production from Seneca Polytechnic. Their debut EP is set for release in Spring 2026.

Wednesday

2PM - 4PM

32 Lisgar

Feb 11 - Mar 18

Book Publishing 101 is a six-week course that provides an in-depth overview of the publishing landscape, from traditional publishing to self-publishing to hybrid models. Through guided lectures, interactive activities, and practical assignments, participants will gain the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about publishing their work.

This course is designed for aspiring authors who are exploring their publishing options. It’s well-suited to writers at any stage of the book-writing process, or who are simply curious about how the publishing world works. A finished manuscript isn’t required—just a passion for books and a desire to understand the business behind them. Participants will learn to identify and compare major book publishing models, understand the submission and publication process in traditional publishing, navigate self-publishing platforms, evaluate hybrid and vanity publishing options, and recognize trends in indie and digital publishing. By the end of this course, participants will gain insight into book publishing models, enabling them to make informed decisions about their publishing goals and develop a personalized publishing strategy.

Instructor Bio: I’m the bestselling award-winning author of Rough Magic, a memoir-in-essays about living with borderline personality disorder. My nonfiction work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Broadview Magazine, The Walrus, and more. My feature, “Kids in Crisis,” received an Honourable Mention from the National Magazine Awards. My lived experience informs my writing on topics related to mental health and trauma.

I self-publish a (monthlyish) newsletter, Life as a Lunatic, about coping with mental illness. Formerly, I was co-editor of AFTERNOON, a yearly independent arts and letters magazine.

I hold a Bachelor of Journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly, Ryerson University). From 2021 to 2022, I was a Fellow at Yale University’s Lived Experience Transformational Leadership Institute. I work as a mentor for Yale University and the Writers Union, where I provide editorial and business mentorship to writers with lived experience.

Wednesday

4PM - 6PM

Online

Feb 18 - Mar 25

Take your short film concept from idea to script. Over the course of the six classes, we will develop a short film screenplay, explore three act structure and the want/need/desire of your characters. While working on their own scripts, participants will learn about software options for screenwriting, share their work with the cohort, as well as learn about how to give supportive feedback to the other participants. While aimed at newer writers, all voices are welcome in the class.

Instructor Bio: Lauren Grant is the owner of Clique Pictures, a vibrant film and television production company that focuses on working with female creative talent in front and behind the camera. As a writer/director, her short films are Things We Feel But Do Not Say and Erase & Rewind. Known for her producing work, Lauren’s films are Sugar Daddy, The Retreat, Riot Girls, Wet Bum, Picture Day, as well as the documentaries Modern Whore, Wilfred Buck, On the Line, Metamorphosis, and Traceable. Lauren serves as an Executive Producer on the Amazon series The Sticky. She won a Canadian Screen Award for the short documentary Take a Walk on the Wildside, a Genie award for Savage and a Yorkton Golden Sheaf Award for Erase & Rewind. The Hollywood Reporter named Lauren one of 15 Canadian Talents to Watch. Lauren is currently completing her MFA in Creative Writing at UBC.

NO CLASS: Feb 26

Thursday

1PM - 3PM

Online

Feb 5 - Mar 19

Focusing on teaching three-dimensional book mechanics, this course requires no previous experience in sewing or bookbinding. Participants will practise individual pop-up techniques, learn how to construct classic tunnel books and theatrical peepshows, as well as how to illuminate their work with paper circuitry. Working with textiles, wood, paper, cardstock, and conductive tape, as well as any other materials they wish, participants will be able to complete examples of single pop-up book folds or even more complex three-dimensional structures during the program.

The objective of the course will be to pass on tools which all participants can use in their practice, and to assist each participant in completing a three-dimensional book art project by the end of the program.

Participants will learn several skills over the course of the program, including a number of pop-up engineering folds, explosion folds, Faraday tape circuitry, complex pop-up structures, and will rely entirely on sewing-free binding.

Instructor Bio: Layla Janvrin is a disabled Toronto book artist living with bipolar disorder and ADHD, working in mixed media. Her work centres around mental illness, liminality, relationships, and the stories that connect them.

Books have always deeply influenced her artistic practice, and whether writing and illustrating storybooks for adults, or binding one-of-a-kind 3D book arts projects, she uses all means necessary to convey a narrative.

While painting and illustration form part of her practice, driven to blend forms, she most often combines them with bookbinding, aiming to produce works that stand on their own with or without text. Introducing motion and three dimensions has opened up new structures and transitions in her work.

Thursday

2PM - 4PM

32 Lisgar

Feb 5 - Mar 12

Exploring the use and development of Characters & Costumes in Improv.

Looking into the deeper aspects of Improv scenes, games and exercises in a safe and enjoyable manner.

Helping to develop skills such as making big character choices, trust, listening, adaptability while working and laughing together.

Simple costuming and object work will be included in some classes. Costumes can be created from items readily available at home ( hats, scarf, pencil etc.). More complex costumes are welcomed but not necessary.

While no Improv experience is necessary, some previous Improv, acting or performance experience is recommended. Ultimately we are aiming to access our joyful silly sides, learn to let go and live in the moment.

Instructor Bio: KC Cooper has been a long time member of Workman Arts and part of Workman’s Improv classes for over 13 years; both as a student and facilitator. She’s studied Improv, acting and voice work with many organizations including: Second City Training Centre, Bad Dog Theatre; Play with Fire Improv and Camp Zip Zap ( an adult weekend Improv camp ). Participating in various performances (including Improv shows with her Workman Arts/ Second City classmates), KC has also been active in many additional Performance Arts endeavours.

Friday

12PM - 2PM

Online

Feb 20 - Mar 27

Discover the poetic art of Vietnamese silk painting, where delicate brushwork, natural dyes, and translucent silk weave together stories of nature, memory, and spirit. This hands-on workshop introduces participants to traditional Vietnamese materials and methods, while encouraging personal expression through color, texture, and layering. Guided by artist and educator Phan Trúc (Alek), you will explore the balance between control and spontaneity that defines this art form, learning how water, pigment, and silk interact to create luminous effects.

Through demonstrations, individual practice, and gentle feedback, participants will complete their own silk painting inspired by Vietnamese aesthetics and their own visual stories. No prior experience is required, just curiosity and a love for gentle, meditative creation.

Objectives:

1. Learn the fundamentals of silk painting materials and techniques

2. Explore Vietnamese cultural and artistic traditions

3. Develop a personal composition using layered color and transparency

4. Cultivate storytelling through visual practice

Instructor Bio: Alek Phan is a visual artist and facilitator whose socially engaged practice bridges Southeast Asian heritage with contemporary Canadian contexts. Drawing from Vietnamese traditions and regional narratives, they create contemplative, dreamlike works that explore cultural heritage, technology, and the natural world, using totems and symbols as metaphors for time, transformation, and collective memory.

Before focusing fully on art, Alek worked in journalism and digital media across Southeast Asia and Japan, experiences that continue to inform their research-based, interdisciplinary approach to community artmaking. In Canada, they have led participatory projects transforming public spaces, including projection mapping at Mississauga Central Library, installations for Flow and Pride Month (2025), and exhibitions at Toronto City Hall. Their work includes environmental research at the Laboratory for Artistic Intelligence and workshops at Scadding Court Community Centre, alongside Finn Finds a Way (Centennial College, 2024), a digital project supporting trans youth.

Alek holds degrees and certificates from Vietnam, Taiwan, and Canada, with exhibitions in both countries.

Friday

2PM - 4PM

32 Lisgar

Feb 20 - Mar 27