✨ July events ✨: Mr Squiggle Puppetry, Art + Cake workshops, Dutch classes online and more!
Hi creative community,
There’s so much happening this winter at Access Art Academy – from delicious art nights and puppetry adventures, to cosy Dutch classes online. Whether you’re keen to pick up a brush, build a puppet, or learn a new language, now’s the time to jump in!
Here’s what’s coming up – with several events nearly full, we recommend booking soon. ✨
🇳🇱 NEW Dutch courses
Dutch 1 Beginners Course – Starts June 11
Dutch 1 Beginners course starts June 11
If you’ve been wanting to learn Dutch from scratch, this is your moment. Taught by the wonderfully warm and experienced Marion Verbruggen, a native Dutch speaker with over 30 years of teaching experience.
📅 Wednesdays 6–8pm, starting June 11
💻 Online via Google Meet | 8 weeks
🌱 Beginners welcome!
💡 Only 1 spot left!
✅ Supportive small group
✅ Fun, practical, and interactive learning
✅ Taught in English with plenty of Dutch practice
👀 Interested in intermediate or advanced Dutch?
📬 Join the waitlist
🎨 Art workshops July-August
Make Art – Eat Cake at The Front
New workshops listed: Make Art - Eat Cake
Art, cake, coffee, and great company? What more could you want?
Our cosy art & cake sessions in Lyneham have been a sell-out success, and we’ve just added NEW dates! Create a beautiful artwork while enjoying handmade cake from pastry chef Sofia, with all materials and a coffee included. Themes, topics and art mediums change every few sessions.
Final session for Cockatoo on a branch - printmaking & painting:
🍰 Thursday July 3, 6:30–8:30pm (only 4 spots left!)
New theme: ‘Sculpt your Pet’ - sculpting with air-dry clay
🍰 NEW: Sunday July 27, 3:30–5:30pm
🍰 NEW: Sunday August 10, 3:30–5:30pm
🍰 NEW: Friday August 29, 6:30–8:30pm
💡 Sculpting bookings open soon – join the waitlist to be first in!
Proud participants for Make Art - Eat Cake
One-Night Workshop: Abstract Still Life
Abstract Still Life workshop
🎁 Bonus $10 voucher included!
This fun, feel-good evening is the perfect taster. We’ll explore composition, colour and creativity in a relaxed and social setting. Works great as a bite-sized teaser for our full course ‘Paint and Chat’ - see below!
📅 Wednesday July 23, 6–8pm
📍 Gungahlin Community Centre
💰 All materials included
🎨 Great for beginners or returning artists
🎁 Get a $10 voucher to use toward the 4-week painting course starting the following week!
Paint and Chat – 4-Week Painting Course
New course: Paint and Chat
A creative series focused on wellbeing, social connection and art-making. Learn to enjoy the process, not just the result – with regular cuppa breaks and no pressure to be “perfect.”
📅 Starts Wednesday July 30
🕰 4-week course | Wednesday evening sessions
📍 Gungahlin Community Centre
👥 Small group, relaxed vibe
☕ Tea, coffee & conversation included!
🧵 Puppetry Workshops: July School Holidays
Puppetry @ BACA - July 10-11
Marianne creating a film from recycling
I’m thrilled to be returning to the Braidwood Academy of Creative Arts this July for a magical two-day puppetry workshop. This hands-on workshop invites kids to design, build and bring their own puppets to life – using sustainable, recycled materials.
Working with BACA is always such a joy – their dedication to nurturing young artists and supporting regional arts education is second to none. Whether you’re a local or visiting the region, this is a beautiful opportunity to get creative these school holidays.
Build, play and perform in a hands-on puppetry program using recycled materials!
Students bringing a recycled puppet to life
🎭 Day 1 – July 10: Puppet-Making
🎭 Day 2 – July 11: Performing & Showcase
🧒 Junior Session (ages 6–10):
• 1-hour daily workshops at 9–10am
👦👧 Senior Program (ages 10+):
• 10:30am–3:30pm daily with a lunch break
• Final day includes a performance for families
📍 BACA, Braidwood
🔗DETAILS & TICKETS
Puppetry @ NMA – July 14–18
To celebrate the magical new Mr Squiggle and Friends exhibition at the National Museum of Australia, Marianne will be leading a series of enchanting, hands-on puppetry workshops these July school holidays.
This collaboration is especially close to Marianne’s heart. From 2012 to 2017, she worked with the NMA on seven major public programs, sharing the art of puppetry with thousands of visitors through performances, installations, and interactive workshops. Returning in 2025 for the Mr Squiggle launch feels like coming home – and is made even more meaningful as Mr Squiggle himself was a huge inspiration to Marianne as a child.
These workshops include live marionette demonstrations, puppet-making, and performance techniques, all designed to spark imagination and joy.
Marianne teaching students marionette manipulation techniques
🧵 Make, Move, Perform (ages 5–9)
Learn basic puppet-making and see a marionette performance!
🗓 Monday July 14, 10am
🗓 Monday July 14, 11:30am
🗓 Tuesday July 15, 10am
🗓 Tuesday July 15, 11:30am
🗓 Wednesday July 16, 10am
🗓 Wednesday July 16, 11:30am
Marianne performing with a handmade marionette puppet.
🪢 Marionette Makers (ages 10–15)
Design, build and perform with your own string puppet in this 2-hour hands-on experience.
🗓 Thursday July 17 10am–12pm
🗓 Friday July 18 10am–12pm
📍 National Museum of Australia
🔗 BOOK NOW
Drawing by Marianne Mettes
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