During a visit to the Monadnock region, take the opportunity to make beautiful things in beautiful surroundings. There are countless studios, makerspaces, and art centers dedicated to all kinds of crafts for this very purpose. Look out for beginner-friendly craft and beers, paint and sips, hands-on classes for all levels, or boldly take the stage at an open mic in front of the most neighborly crowd you’ll ever have the pleasure to meet.
Have you ever blown air into molten glass through a pipe? No? Try it on your next visit to the Monadnock region! The Hot Glass Art Center is a state of the art glassblowing, flameworking, and education facility in Marlborough. Check out their gallery of blown glass items when you walk in! In Temple – home to northern New England’s first glass factory – New Temple Glassworks uses lampworking and glass fusing techniques in addition to traditional glassblowing. Slightly different to blowing glass, flameworking is the art of using flame to shape rods and tubes of glass. Visit Terrapin Glassblowing Studio to try it in Jaffrey! No matter the experience or skill level, anyone can jump right into learning to make functional and decorative glass objects in private or group lessons. Try your hand at blowing a pumpkin, ornament, vase, drinking glass, and more!
Inaugurated as Monadnock Art X Tech in Peterborough, MAXT Makerspace is where the region’s tinkers and makers gather together over shared tools, resources, and hands-on education in various crafts. If you like working with your hands and are looking to try something new, check out one of their workshops in jewelry, textiles, wood and metal working, repair skills, and more!
Newly incorporated in Dublin, the MAXT Sharing Arts Ceramics Center is the namesake of a highly beloved and now closed arts space. The center, with the salvaged kiln and community, thrives through workshops and classes for all ages and skill levels.
Local breweries and wineries have gotten onboard with the region’s craftiness – try a craft & sip event that’s all about fun and not necessarily about the result! One-off craft & beer or art & wine workshops with interesting themes like gemstone tree making, bookbinding, and junk-robot making make a great date night. Check out local beer and wine destinations like Frogg Brewing, Peterborough’s Post & Beam and diVINE on main. Even Everglow Wellness, a fitness studio in downtown Keene, hosts paint & sips!
The Summit Winery in Westmoreland hosts not only wine tastings and tours, but artisan markets and arts workshops. Twice a year, once in the spring, and once during the holiday season, the Rabbit Ridge Artisans host a several-week pop-up marketplace for visitors to enjoy wine and fine New Hampshire-made one of a kind crafts. Throughout the year, artists from the collective offer workshops in jewelry making, needle felting, blacksmithing, knitting and more!
More of a writer, musician, or comedian? Restaurants, libraries, arts venues, community centers and more all welcome artists to show off their stuff. The Hungry Diner in Walpole has hosted Irish Sessions on weekday nights. Locally renowned contra-dance and Irish session multi-instrumentalist Randy Miller leads the group. On the third Saturday of the month, the Dublin Community Center (affectionately known as The DubHub) organizes evening open mic coffee houses with featured performers. Comedy? Take it over to The Park Theatre in Jaffrey on second Wednesdays, where all creations are welcome to be shared. If you’re a writer or a poet looking for some feedback and support, local publication Monadnock Underground holds open mics at the Peterborough Town Library. (Did you know libraries are awesome accessible places for events and classes of all kinds? The Monadnock Region definitely makes the most of what we’ve got!)
