You are invited to attend our free Writer's Weekend opening address at 9am on Saturday 16 August 2025. Carole Beu from The Women's Bookshop will fire up the day with an early morning talk on her raves and faves. Have a cuppa, listen to Carole and meet others.

Are you feeling left behind with computers? Are you lacking confidence dealing with email? Join this small group and our patient and kind computing teacher Kathy will teach you the basics of using a PC. Course fee $35 or $165.

Discover how to turn your life experiences into powerful, engaging stories. This memoir writing course guides you through shaping memories, developing your narrative voice, and structuring your personal stories with clarity and impact. Whether you're just beginning or already writing, you’ll gain confidence, insight, and supportive feedback as you craft a meaningful piece of your own history.

Make your trip to Portugal or Brazil more enjoyable by learning helpful phrases and vocabulary before you go.

Learn the art of stunning mirror-glaze cakes in this deliciously hands-on workshop. You’ll discover how to achieve that signature glossy finish as you explore colouring techniques, pouring methods, and the science behind a perfectly smooth, glass-like glaze.

Through a combination of online learning and hands-on practice, learn about espresso and learn to make popular espresso coffees. A course fee subsidy applies for permanent residents of NZ (conditions apply).

In this hands-on course, you’ll learn key Cubist & Abstract Painting techniques and create your own expressive artworks inspired by the principles of Cubism.

This workshop will give you an overview of digital marketing including channels, funnels, audience demographics and behaviour. You will learn how to create an online persona and start your own digital journey.

Spend a creative day with Andrew exploring the exciting possibilities of mixed media. Discover how to combine pen with watercolour, inks, pastels, and gouache to create vibrant, expressive artworks. With step-by-step guidance, Andrew will share his process, tips, and techniques to help you experiment confidently and bring your ideas to life.

Interested in classes at our Auckland pottery studio? Have you ever wanted to work with clay, but not known where to start? Join our beginner pottery class and learn a range of essential clay techniques. Whether you're a complete novice or have some experience, this pottery course will help you develop key skills, including hand-building and clay molding. Come and join Matt McLean, one of New Zealand's top award-winning potters and learn a range of hand building and wheel throwing techniques.

Join us for two days to experience the wisdom of the world’s five major religions and develop your own spiritual resources.

We all want to grow the freshest, healthiest and juiciest vegetables and fruit but the cost of setting up and growing can be off-putting. This workshop will take you through all the simple tricks to save costs beginning with planters and gardens to what is the most cost effective soil to use and on to how to collect your own seed and propagate your own plants. Cost need not be a barrier to producing great vegetables and fruit from your own garden.

Come and learn from an expert how to maximise the features of your camera - get more out of your investment! This course is suitable for those who know the basics of using their camera already.

Wanting to record your travel experiences whether exploring New Zealand or travelling further afield? Learn how to put these experiences into words for a blog, an email, a journal or for publication.

This workshop, facilitated by memoir teacher Dr Deborah Shepard, offers an opportunity to explore your family stories through writing and recording people's stories. Deborah will open with some memoir/ autobiographical writing exercises to assist you to settle into your voice and then lead you through the writing of biographical/family stories. Please bring any family photographs, heirlooms, domestic items, taonga to use as creative triggers. Recording the stories of family members and significant others.

Learn about characterisation, setting, dramatic arcs and emotional arcs. You'll come away with a concrete understanding of what makes fiction work on the page.

Unlock your inner artist in this one-day workshop, where you'll learn to paint a beautiful shell using oil paints

Learn the art of beautiful lettering for gifts, cards and envelopes in this beginner-friendly calligraphy course.

Curious about AI but don't know where to start? In this short course for beginners, you will discover which A.I. tools work for you through hands-on exploration. You'll test-drive the top AI assistants (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity), creative and productivity tools for both personal and professional use.

Through a combination of online learning and hands-on practice, learn about espresso and learn to make popular espresso coffees. A course fee subsidy applies for permanent residents of NZ (conditions apply).

Come to this workshop for an introduction to organic gardening and permaculture.

Learn the basics of this exquisite embroidery technique using beads and sequins.

Learn the art of folding books to form beautiful art.

Always wanted to write a picture book? This course will teach you tips and techniques for developing your ideas, organising them into a story, polishing them into a finished manuscript and submitting them to publishers and competitions.

Art can feel intimidating if you haven’t studied it, but it doesn’t have to be. This four-week class provides simple and engaging strategies to help you feel more confident discussing art and will conclude with a visit to the Art Gallery to put your new skills into practice.

Join us for an immersive, hands-on four-night pasta course where you'll master the art of making fresh, homemade pasta from scratch!

Take a virtual tour up the Nile from Cairo to Aswan and learn about the history of Ancient Egypt. Step back in time and discover the many ancient sites of Egypt while gaining an understanding of Egyptian art, religion and society.

Discover Greek locations steeped in history and mythology as we travel (metaphorically!) around the Greek mainland and islands, discovering the events that shaped a great civilization. We will admire the ruins of impressive temples, the art that remains, and cover the culture that still influences Western ideology today.

Come and learn from a qualified naturopath abut 6 medicinal plants that you can easily grow at home.

The talk details Niki Harré’s year as a priest without God. A year does not last forever, but it is long enough to get a sense of what it is to see, and live in, the world differently from how you did before.

Create the best from your small courtyard or garden and create another room for modern living.

Join us for a central city walk of art which will embrace sculpture, murals and commissioned art and the influence it has on public spaces. 10am - 12pm

Creative Exploration Station: Engage with hands-on art stations where you can try out new mediums and discover which form of creative expression resonates most with you.

Creative Mindscapes - Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. This two-hour workshop introduces candle-making as a mindful practice to promote calm.

Creative Mindscapes: Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Join Ashley Ruth Stirling in this two hour workshop. suitable for beginners, to explore the use of watercolour painting as a meditative practice.

Creative Mindscapes - Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Join Jo Luker for this introduction to the meditative art of mosaic.

Creative Mindscapes: Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Join Karen Balmer for a two-hour intro to the gentle art of sashiko stitching.

Creative Mindscapes - Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Explore the joy of turning old books into art pieces.

Creative Mindscapes - Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Join EK Dimieva for this two hour workshop to explore abstract patterns.

Creative Mindscapes- Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Join Dinny di Nicola for 90 minute meditative art practice.

Creative Mindscapes - Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Explore the use of visual journalling as a tool for mental health.

Creative Mindscapes: Exploring Art for Mental Wellbeing. Join Anne Toth for an introduction to the mindful art of Zentangle drawing.

Join textile artist Lesley on this fun workshop and learn how to create your own wooden printing blocks and explore ways to transfer your creativity onto a surface of either paper or fabric.

Have you got an idea for a storybook character? Learn techniques to create and develop your very own storybook characters. Join us for a full weekend to learn the process of illustrating, developing and producing a children's picture book. Bring your own materials. Read more below. Please contact the office for last minute registrations.

Explore the beauty of natural dyeing on wool and silk. Participants will learn to prepare the fibre to receive the colour and to extract the colour from natural plants.

Join experienced apiculture teacher Greg Harrington for this intensive introduction to beekeeping. You'll leave this course with enough knowledge to manage your own beehive including queen rearing and how to split a hive.

Come along and spend a day being introduced to the art of calligraphy and learn techniques to achieve beautiful lettering for stationery, invitations, signs and cards. Materials included and you'll take home a starter pack. Please note this is an adults course and is not suitable for children.

Our Job Seekers course is held over consecutive Saturdays. The course is for learners with Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced English skills who are looking for work in NZ. Course fee $30/$122

Yeah. Nah. Sweet! Eh. It's raining cats and dogs. She'll be right! Join Cathie for a fun weekend course (over two days) to understand idiomatic Kiwi English. Suitable for Intermediate level English learners and higher.

Join us for an exciting one-day hands-on baking workshop where you will learn to create some iconic continental cakes including the rich and indulgent Black Forest Cake and the velvety, decadent Chocolate Mousse Cake.