Drop-in, pay-what-you-can starting at $1, all ages welcome!

Come get creative with us at Drop-in Trash Art - let's turn trash into art together!

Drop-in between 1-6pm at Sparrow Artspace for an eco-friendly and creative event where you can turn trash into art! Everyone is welcome (all ages) to create their own trash art creations with artists-in-residence, "r u home collective," Nyx Orr and Abigail Monarrez. As the artists work on their own trash art pieces they want to encourage other creators to come in and experiment with creating with recycled materials. No experience necessary - just bring your imagination and enthusiasm!

Drop-in, pay-what-you-can starting at $1, all ages welcome!

Come get creative with us at Drop-in Trash Art - let's turn trash into art together!

Drop-in between 1-6pm at Sparrow Artspace for an eco-friendly and creative event where you can turn trash into art! Everyone is welcome (all ages) to create their own trash art creations with artists-in-residence, "r u home collective," Nyx Orr and Abigail Monarrez. As the artists work on their own trash art pieces they want to encourage other creators to come in and experiment with creating with recycled materials. No experience necessary - just bring your imagination and enthusiasm!

Drop-in on April 22nd any time from 1pm-6pm to celebrate Earth Day with the r u home yet collective at Sparrow Artspace. Tickets by donation starting at $1

We love the world we live in, and we want to encourage everyone to take time to think about how they can protect it. Do you have an excess of recycling? A collection of single use plastics gathering dust? A bunch of snack wrappers piling up? All of that can be reused and made into art! Join us in our drop in Earth Day event to reinvent your recycling and create something beautiful to celebrate our wonderful world.

April 22 is also the one year anniversary of the start of the r u home yet collective so along with our Earth Day celebration come eat some birthday treats in honour of our first year of art and theatre making!

We hope to see you there! All ages welcome. Materials will be available but please feel free to bring in your own recycling and found material as well!

$45 per parent/child; $20 per additional family member

* Children must be accompanied by a caregiver. Recommended for ages 5+

Let your creativity soar as you explore found objects and recycled materials to create a flying bird puppet! Led by experienced multidisciplinary artist and teacher, Jenny Dale Stables, this family workshop invites you to rediscover ordinary materials and transform them into something magical.

Found Feathered Friends is one of the events featured in Nyx Orr and Abigail Monarrez's residency, "r u home yet" at Sparrow Artspace. Throughout the month of April they will explore junk materials while creating community through visual and performing arts.

This family workshop is suitable for ages 5 and up. Children must be accompanied by a caregiver.

Jenny Dale Stables is an experienced mixed-media artist and art educator. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Art (2001), a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education (2005), and a Certificate as a Therapeutic Arts Practitioner (2021). She has over 20 years of art education experience including creating community programs for children and adults at the Medicine Hat College, the Visual Arts Centre in Montreal, the Okotoks Art Gallery, and Calgary Arts Commons. She has held positions as an art educator and classroom teacher with the Calgary Board of Education, and currently works as an Artist in Residence for schools throughout Calgary and surrounding areas. Jenny's artwork includes paintings, sculptures, book illustrations, public art installations, and puppets, which she shares through her business, Jenny Dale Designs. She has written and/or illustrated 20 books and is actively expanding her work to include puppet and mask production and performance.

Drop-in, pay-what-you-can starting at $1, all ages welcome!

Come get creative with us at Drop-in Trash Art - let's turn trash into art together!

Drop-in between 1-6pm at Sparrow Artspace for an eco-friendly and creative event where you can turn trash into art! Everyone is welcome (all ages) to create their own trash art creations with artists-in-residence, "r u home collective," Nyx Orr and Abigail Monarrez. As the artists work on their own trash art pieces they want to encourage other creators to come in and experiment with creating with recycled materials. No experience necessary - just bring your imagination and enthusiasm!

Do you knit, felt, crochet, or embroider or do any textile art? Bring a project to work on or learn how to felt a Gnome or wee people with Jamie from the General Bean! Join us for an evening of creativity, craft, and fellowship at Sparrow Artspace!

Tickets are by donation starting at $1. If you will not be felting and bringing your own project OR the donation is a barrier - please register by sending an email to sandra@sparrowartspace.com. This workshop is for adults and teens 14+

Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a beginner, this event is perfect for everyone. You'll have the opportunity to meet fellow craft enthusiasts and share skills while working on your own piece or felting a gnome wtih Jamie from the General Bean. Bring your own supplies or get some new locally sourced supplies at https://thegeneralbean.com/ Supplies will be provided for the felted gnomes. We will also have recycled materials courtesy of this month's artists-in-residence "r u home yet" collective (Nyx Orr & Abigail Monarrez), for you to make a wee gnome home.

Drop-in, pay-what-you-can starting at $1, all ages welcome!

Come get creative with us at Drop-in Trash Art - let's turn trash into art together!

Drop-in between 1-6pm at Sparrow Artspace for an eco-friendly and creative event where you can turn trash into art! Everyone is welcome (all ages) to create their own trash art creations with artists-in-residence, "r u home collective," Nyx Orr and Abigail Monarrez. As the artists work on their own trash art pieces they want to encourage other creators to come in and experiment with creating with recycled materials. No experience necessary - just bring your imagination and enthusiasm!

Get your tickets on Eventbrite: $35 per parent/child; $15 per additional family member; PWYC option available
Families (beginners): ages 5+, children must be accompanied by an adult

During this in-person event, families will have the opportunity to create their own animal mask puppet. With the guidance of artist, Jenny Dale Stables, you'll learn how to bring your animal character to life. From lions to beavers, let your imagination run wild as you design and decorate your unique maskpuppet. This workshop encourages both children and adults to collaborate, bond, and unleash their inner performers.

Participants will enjoy a reading of the book, The Zoo Inside Me, written by Kelly Miller and Illustrated by Jenny Dale Stables, and each family will take home a copy of The Zoo Inside Me (one book per family). Additional books will be available for sale.

Drop-in, FREE, all ages

Discover the boundless possibilities of puppetry at our handson Puppet Lab with Jenny Dale Stables. Unleash your creativity as you explore a range of materials including cardboard, wood, wool, wire, and found objects. Craft your own unique puppet and bring it to life at our interactive puppet stage. With new materials to explore each week, this family-friendly offering is a unique experience for adults and children alike.

Tickets on Eventbrite: $35 per parent/child; $15 per additional family member; PWYC option available
Families (beginners): ages 4+, children must be accompanied by an adult

Join multidisciplinary artist, Jenny Dale Stables, for a magical day of puppetry fun at Sparrow Artspace in Calgary. Inspired by the book, The Teeth of the Lion, families will explore the power of stories and traditional tales and learn how to how to bring those stories to life through puppetry. Each family will receive a copy of this magical book to keep! Presented in partnership with the Festival of Animated Objects, and funded by Calgary Arts Development, this workshop is a wonderful way to make memories together as a family.

Get your FREE tickets! This workshop is for adults.

Come learn with local animators Chantal Beaulne and Sacha Michaud as we learn about the basics of stop-motion animation!

Participants can look forward to creating their own main character out of plasticine and easy-to-source materials and composing their own animation on their cell phones.

Drop-in, FREE, all ages

Discover the boundless possibilities of puppetry at our handson Puppet Lab with Jenny Dale Stables. Unleash your creativity as you explore a range of materials including cardboard, wood, wool, wire, and found objects. Craft your own unique puppet and bring it to life at our interactive puppet stage. With new materials to explore each week, this family-friendly offering is a unique experience for adults and children alike.

Tickets on Eventbrite: $35 per parent/child; $15 per additional family member; PWYC option available
Families (beginners): ages 6+, children must be accompanied by an adult

Tia DeLauria will guide participants through the process of shape building and create more complex pop-up book mechanisms. Participants will also be given the chance to create a story that carries over multiple spreads, and learn how problem solving and experimenting can help them bring it to life. All materials will be provided and basic pop-up knowledge is recommended.

Get your tickets! Pay-what-you-can options available. Workshop for adults.

Create your own shadow puppets with artist Monica Ila.

Shadow Puppets have been around for over two millenniums. They are an impactful and environmentally friendly medium to share stories. In this workshop you will create your own puppet, learn about common mechanisms, and have a brief show and tell with some of Monica’s creations.

All materials will be provided and no previous experience is necessary. 

Contact cosmo@puppetfestival.ca for more information. 

Wheelchair Accessibility: with assistance

Get your tickets: Pay-what-you-can options are available—workshop for adults.

Create your own story and bring it to life in a miniature Crankie Theatre.

Crankies are a traditional storytelling method that have been used for thousands of years around the world. They allow you to limit snippets of what you want your audience to see, one frame at a time. Work with Monica Ila to learn about this unique way of sharing a visual tale over a series of minutes. 

All materials will be provided and no previous experience is necessary. Wheelchair Accessibility: with assistance.

Contact cosmo@puppetfestival.ca for more information.

Tickets on Eventbrite: $35 per parent/child; $15 per additional family member; PWYC option available
Families (beginners): ages 6+, children must be accompanied by an adult

This fun filled workshop will take place at Sparrow Artspace, located on 4 Street Northeast, Calgary, AB, Canada. During the workshop, you will learn how to design and build your very own robot puppet using wood and found objects. No prior experience is required, just bring your enthusiasm and imagination!

Drop-in, FREE, all ages

Discover the boundless possibilities of puppetry at our handson Puppet Lab with Jenny Dale Stables. Unleash your creativity as you explore a range of materials including cardboard, wood, wool, wire, and found objects. Craft your own unique puppet and bring it to life at our interactive puppet stage. With new materials to explore each week, this family-friendly offering is a unique experience for adults and children alike.

Get your tickets on Eventbrite: $35 per parent/child; $15 per additional family member; PWYC option available
Recommended for ages 5 and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Fuzzy Friends: An Extraordinary Sock Puppet Workshop for Families

Join us at Sparrow Artspace for a fun-filled day of creativity and imagination! In partnership with the Festival of Animated Objects and sponsored by Calgary Arts Development, our extraordinary mouth and rod sock puppet workshop is perfect for families looking to have a blast together. Get ready to bring your fuzzy friends to life!

At this in-person event, parents and children will design and create their very own "worry monster" sock puppet. Whisper your worries into your sock puppet's ears, or tuck them into their pocket, and let them go! Your new Fuzzy Friend will hold onto them, so you don't have to. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones while making adorable sock puppets.

Be sure to check out the other puppet workshops by Jenny Dale Stables, Tia DeLauria, and Monica Ila at Sparrow Artspace throughout the month of March.

Please Register: $35 per parent/child; $15 per additional family member; PWYC option available
Families (beginners): ages 6+, children must be accompanied by an adult

Pop-up books are an excellent way to bring paper and images to life! Learn the basic techniques to making your very own pop-up books! In this workshop you can learn the foundations of building shapes. Participants will create a take-home reference guide and find out how to create their own pop-up puppet show. All materials will be provided and no previous experience is necessary.

Tickets are by donation starting at $1. If you will not be felting and bringing your own project OR the donation is a barrier - please register by sending an email to sandra@sparrowartspace.com. This workshop is for adults and teens 14+

Do you knit, felt, crochet, or embroider or do any textile art? Bring a project to work on or learn how to feel a Monster Puppet with Jamie from the General Bean! Join us for an evening of creativity, craft, and fellowship at Sparrow Artspace!

Whether you're a seasoned crafter or a beginner, this event is perfect for everyone. You'll have the opportunity to meet fellow craft enthusiasts and share skills while working on your own piece. We will also have some supplies for felting a monster puppet and Jamie from the General Bean will take you through step-by-step instructions.

This event is led by Jamie from The General Bean! Bring your own supplies or get some new locally sources supplies at https://thegeneralbean.com/

Drop-in, FREE, all ages

Discover the boundless possibilities of puppetry at our handson Puppet Lab with Jenny Dale Stables. Unleash your creativity as you explore a range of materials including cardboard, wood, wool, wire, and found objects. Craft your own unique puppet and bring it to life at our interactive puppet stage. With new materials to explore each week, this family-friendly offering is a unique experience for adults and children alike.

Register for a ticket: $35 or PWYC, adults and teens (ages 14+)- Beginner class

Join us for an exciting hands-on workshop where you can unleash your creativity and bring your own adorable animal tabletop puppet to life! Led by artist and puppeteer, Jenny Dale Stables, this beginner-level workshop is designed as an introduction to createing tabletop puppets from wood.

Free, drop-in

Join us as Joy and Jennifer engage in conversation, explore materials, and create side by side. With Joy's expert guidance, visitors are invited to participate in meaningful discussions, explore various materials, and bring their own unique and expressive art doll to life. Joy Kirkwood graduated with her B.F.A. from Mount Allison, N.B. in 1977. Experienced in a diversity of mediums including: drawing, painting, Chinese brush painting, papier mâché and fibre arts, Joy has been involved in arts and education for adults and children for over thirty years. In 2008 to 2009 Joy also taught Expressive Art classes at Wellspring Calgary, an innovative cancer support centre in Alberta. Joy is well known for her mixed media figurative art dolls and for her Personal Journey Doll Workshops. Since 1995 Joy has presented her workshop at various artistic, therapeutic, educational, and spiritual centres, and privately. Joy taught a course called “Symbology and the Doll” at ACAD, Calgary, AB in 2006-2007. Her work has been showcased by HGTV for their show “That’s Clever” and on City TV. Joy Kirkwood’s Artist Statement: “Each poetic, enigmatic figure created is an expression of a feeling or idea rather than a lifelike portrayal of a human and is formed intuitively; playfully. My intent is to fuse my creative imagination with my artistic skills to enchant both adult and child alike.”

Please Register: $35 per parent/child; $15 per additional family member: PWYC option available
Recommended for ages 4 and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Join us for this Puppet Building Workshop with artist-in-residence Tia DeLauria. Puppetry is so wonderfully expansive and this workshop dives into how easy and simply someone can get started in their puppet journey with objects they already have around them. Participants may bring materials if they wish but materials will be provided and no experience is necessary.

Drop-in, FREE, all ages

Discover the boundless possibilities of puppetry at our handson Puppet Lab with Jenny Dale Stables. Unleash your creativity as you explore a range of materials including cardboard, wood, wool, wire, and found objects. Craft your own unique puppet and bring it to life at our interactive puppet stage. With new materials to explore each week, this family-friendly offering is a unique experience for adults and children alike.

Drop-in, FREE, all ages

Magic Motion and Make Believe: A Grand Opening Celebration! Meet the artists, Jenny Dale Stables and Tia DeLauria, and immerse yourself in a world of puppetry, story, and play. Join us for an enchanting evening of conversation and material exploration at our hands-on puppet lab, and learn about the exciting workshops taking place throughout the month.

Drop-in, FREE, all ages

Discover the boundless possibilities of puppetry at our handson Puppet Lab with Jenny Dale Stables. Unleash your creativity as you explore a range of materials including cardboard, wood, wool, wire, and found objects. Craft your own unique puppet and bring it to life at our interactive puppet stage. With new materials to explore each week, this family-friendly offering is a unique experience for adults and children alike.

Free, drop-in

Drop in to Sparrow ArtSpace to see what Exposure Photo Festival artists in residence Stephanie Jager and Julya Hajnoczky have created during their residency.

Join us for a fun and interactive beginner's workshop on Métis fingerweaving taught by Matt Hiltermann. Discover the art of fingerweaving and learn how to create beautiful patterns using just your fingers. No prior experience is necessary - this workshop is perfect for beginners!

Matt Hiltermann is a Métis historical interpreter, researcher, and artist and is one of 11 artists in the wasakamapiwak wearable art collective who did a residency at Sparrow Artspace from Dec 7 to Jan 31.

Wasakamapiwak is a collective of Indigenous artists living and working in Treaty 7 territory. ᐊᐧᓴᑲᒪᐱᐊᐧᐠ wasakamapiwak is a nehiyawewin (cree language y-dialect) word, meaning "they all sit in a circle".

We are a varied group, but the thread which binds this collective is an engagement with creating wearables; either in part or wholly. Our collective aims to bring a diverse group of artists together to connect and learn from one another, finding new ways to collaborate and incorporate new techniques into our own practices. We are committed to diverse representation across indigenous cultures, age, training and discipline. We believe in the strength and growth which emerges from the gathering of different perspectives and experiences.

Get your ticket for Thursday Feb 15, Friday Feb 16, or Sat Feb 17 and drop-in between 11am and 6pm. Tickets are by donation starting at $1*
Ages 16+

Drop by Sparrow Artspace for the Let It Blow, Brr-Bonuschill activity to conquer stress, facilitated by Sparrow Artspace's artists-in-residence Stephanie Jager & Julya Hajnoczky. Craft your own snowflake cyanotype, capturing the cold beauty of winter-themed objects in striking blue and white contrast, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation. This activity will take about one hour.

This event is in collaboration with CRATE art therapy’s “Let it Blow” events through the Chinook Blast Festival and also part of the Exposure Photography Festival!

*If you need a FREE ticket or can't get a ticket via Eventbrite, please email sparrowartssociety@gmail.com