Drop-in Sessions

August 23, 2025
-
Dec 19, 2025
Saturday Arts Social is a multi-arts programme and morning tea designed for our 60+ community. We gather every Saturday morning for a broad programme of events including concerts, art workshops, dance/movement classes and artist talks. Next event: Saturday 23 August, 10:30am - 12:30pm
Upcoming Programmes:
23 August - Lino Printing with Emily Murnaghan from Notions Creativity
Join us for a relaxed and creative morning of lino printing with the talented Emily from Notions Creative. Whether you're new to printmaking or haven’t touched lino since school days, this session is the perfect chance to reconnect with your creative side. Emily will gently guide you through the process of designing, carving, and printing your own artwork.
About Emily Murnaghan:
Emily from Notions Creative holds weekly craft workshops at Folk and Art Studio, specialising in Macrame and Lino Printing, driven by her love for creativity and the joy it brings. Her workshops serve as a supportive environment to encourage individual expression.
30 August - Film Screening: Taste of the Land - Emergence Magazine
Taste of the Land, invites us along with filmmaker Kalyanee Mam as she returns to her native Cambodia, exploring landscapes marred by deforestation and development, and rediscovering her ancestral bond to land and memory.
Emergence Magazine is a multimedia platform exploring the intersections of ecology, culture, and spirituality. Through storytelling they invite reflection on our relationship with the living world.
6 September - Turn Up The Music Showcase
Celebrate the musical learning of a section of the Turn Up The Music students. Expect everything from beginners to intermediate students and some exciting talent! Stay on after the concert, as Wakatipu High School will continue presenting free performances by their fabulous music students until 4pm. Stay as long as you want, or pop back any time during the afternoon.
13 September - Collaborative Clay Sculpting with Shannon Courtenay
In this session, participants will explore the art of connection and collaboration through a hands-on clay sculpture activity. Guided by artist Shannon, each person will create a unique hand-shaped clay form using clay. Together, the group will assemble these pieces into a balanced sculptural column that celebrates individuality while forming a collective whole. This calm, meditative workshop focuses on shape, texture and the joy of creating something meaningful together.
About Shannon Courtenay:
Shannon Courtenay is a ceramic artist based in the Cardrona Valley. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Elam School of Fine Arts, where she began exploring the intersection of sculpture and slow, intentional making. Her work draws on the raw beauty of the natural world, with forms and textures that invite quiet attention. Through hand-built sculpture and functional pieces, Shannon explores themes of stillness, connection, and the passage of time. Her work has been exhibited across Aotearoa and was recently featured in Art Edit magazine.
20 September - Modern Jive Introduction and Tea Dance with Dance Social
Join us for a fun and relaxed introduction to Modern Jive, an easy-to-learn partner dance where one person leads and the other follows. With simple footwork (it’s really just walking!), enjoy a welcoming atmosphere where smiles and laughter are encouraged. There'll be time to dance, sip tea, and connect with others.
About Emma Dagg:
Emma Dagg is the teacher and owner of Dance Social and has been teaching Modern Jive for over 23 years. A lifelong lover of music and movement, Emma found in Modern Jive a joyful, accessible way to bring dance into people’s lives. Alongside fellow teacher Alexey, she creates relaxed, welcoming spaces where everyone can experience the fun and connection of partner dancing.
27 September - 'The Artist' Talk with Julia Holden
In this talk, participants will discover how place and community have shaped Julia's unique artistic journey from traditional painting to collaborative Performance Painting. Julia will share stories of how living in post-earthquake Christchurch transformed her approach to art-making, leading her to work directly with people rather than just painting them. Participants will explore how different locations - from Christchurch's rebuilding to making work while on residency at Whanganui and then last year at Dunedin School of Art, where she shaped The Artist and why she is continuing that project here in Queenstown. The session will reveal how personal circumstances and local communities can become the driving force behind an artist's evolving practice.
About Julia Holden:
Julia Holden is a multidisciplinary artist whose distinctive practice centres on collaborative portraiture and the hidden dimensions of creative work. Through painting, performance, and social engagement, she explores labour, materiality, and the profound connections that emerge when art becomes a shared experience. Her participatory methods were honed during her time in post-earthquake Ōtautahi Christchurch, where creating art in response to crisis and community shaped her collaborative approach.
Holden's ongoing projects The Artist (2024–ongoing) and I'm Your Fan (2014–present) interrogate the invisible aspects of creative practice, inviting participants to become co-creators rather than passive subjects. Her work merges traditional painting with sculpture, performance, photography and new media, encouraging interaction and exchange rooted in community dialogue. This innovative approach has earned her recognition through several national art awards and exhibitions at prestigious venues including the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, City Gallery Wellington, and Sarjeant Gallery.
_______________
Drop-in sessions, registrations are not required. Free for ages 60+.
For further information, please call 027 180 02868 or email hello@teatamira.nz.
Thank you to Central Lakes Trust for their support in bringing creativity to our community.

Previous Sessions (Saturdays):
2023
15 April - Concert – Pianist Louis Koopman
22 April - Art Workshop - Colours of Autumn with Raquel Tamara Carter
29 April - Movement workshop with Theresa Swain
6 May - Film - Hip Hop-eration
13 May - Concert - Turn Up The Music students
20 May - Art Workshop - Exploring drawing with Raquel Tamara Carter
27 May - Tea Dance with Dance Social
3 June - Feldenkrais awareness lesson
10 June - Still Life Collage
17 June - Piano Recital with Mark Wilson
24 June - Film Screening - Ever the Land
1 July - Weaving working with Roka Cameron
8 July - Sculpting Poetry with Nataysa Zambri
15 July - Art Workshop with Raquel
22 July - Film Screening - Te Matakite O Aotearoa / Māori Land March
29 July - Concert - Turn Up the Music students
5 August - Origami Workshop with the Japanese Origami Club
12 August - James and Isey - Film Screening
19 August - Tea Dance with Emma Dagg
26 August - Mark Wilson Piano Recital
2 September - Pottery with Raquel Carter
9 September - Turn up the Music concert
16 September - Mindful Movement with Sunny Sky
23 September - Painting Poetry with Natasya Zambri
30 September - Portrait Art workshop with Raquel
7 October - At the World's Edge festival dress rehearsal
14 October - Meet the artist: Abhi Chinniah
21 October - Macrame Workshop with Emma Peers
28 October - Embrace the process art workshop with Queenstown Art Society
4 November - Origami workshop
11 November - Angklung performance
18 November - Mindful Movement with Sunny Sky
25 November - Turn Up the Music Concert
2 December - Christmas Decoration Workshop
9 December - Christmas Tea Dance
2024
10 February - Feldenkrais with Nicky Tompkins
17 February - Colour therapy with Sunny Sky
24 February - Phone photography with Scott Kennedy
2 March - Mark Making with Muireann
9 March - Mark Wilson piano recital
16 March - Kristin O'Sullivan Peren printmaking workshop
23 March - Turn up the Music Concert
30 March - South Georgia: Tales from Tegan Allpress's Expedition
6 April - The Heart Dances Film Screening
13 April - Irish Music Circle
20 April - Poetry Workshop with Bethany Rogers
27 April - Chinese Calligraphy with Eric Lim
4 May - Charcoal exploration with Raquel Carter
11 May - Creative Collage with Lizanne Knights
18 May - Drawing Workshop with Emma Theyers
25 May - Singing Workshop with Margaret O'Hanlon
1 June - Angklung Music workshop
8 June - Music with Mark Wilson & Friends
15 June - Dance with Nina Hermanns
22 June - Turn Up the Music Recital
29 June - Origami Workshop
6 July - Korean Drumming Workshop
13 July - Guided Tour of Te Whare Pora with master weaver Roka Hurihia Ngarimu-Cameron
20 July - Collage your life story with Lucas Rodriguez
27 July - Exploratory Drawing with Emma Theyers
3 August - Guided preview of A fire that blackened the rocks
10 August - Exploring Sashiko (Slow Stitching) with Diane van Brandenberg
17 August - Drama Workshop with Amelia Glydon
24 August - Artists Tour of Le Satauro with Lyle Penisula
31 August - Exploring Polynesian Carving with Ana Teofilo
7 September - Singalong and Harmonize with Natasha Wilson and Lizzie Green
14 September - Turn Up the Music Recital
21 September - Sketching Techniques to Find Inspiration in Everyday Life with Kasia Hebda
28 September - Artist Tour of Lyrics and Lines with Arts Laureate John Reynolds
5 October - At The World's Edge Festival Rehearsals
19 October - Remarkables Park Wellbeing Expo x Saturday Arts Social - Chair Yoga with Eric
26 October - Mark Wilson and Friends Concert - with Janelle Aston and special guest Emma Wilson
2 November - Queenstown Writers Festival - Is it Getting Better? with Emma Wehipeihana (Espiner) and Jacinta Ruru
9 November - Introducing Resident Artist Emma Peers
16 November - Raranga Workshop
23 November - Morsels of Music with Mark Wilson and friends
30 November - Christmas Cardmaking Workshop with Tina
7 December - Mobile Phone Christmas Photography with Scott Kennedy
14 December - Wasabi Christmas Concert
21 December - Pauli Antoine Concert
2025
15 February - Concert with Mark Wilson and Friends
22 February - Pueblo de Tambores Artist Talk with Kadambari Raghukumar
1 March - Wool Felting Whenua of Otago with Molly Timmins of Corban Estate Arts Centre
8 March - Experimental Paper Collage with Lucca Rodriguez
15 March - Dance and more with DanceProNZ's Nina Hermanns
22 March - Five Films For Freedom
29 March - Turn Up The Music Concert
5 April - Alta (2016-2024) Artist Talk with Marc Blake
12 April - Batik Painting with Ika Willett
19 April - Start Your First Novel with Lizzy Dent
26 April - Stitch a Coaster Workshop with Tikki Studio
3 May - Bird Song of the Whakatipu - A Talk with Dawn Palmer
10 May - TDC69 and TypeHere Artist Talk with Kaan Hinni, Lloyd Osborne and Shabnam Shiwan
17 May - Belly Dancing with Bee Sadalah
24 May - Love Notes: In Conversation with Ed Cruikshank
31 May - Pin Stitch with Notions Creative
7 June - Singing Workshop with Margaret O’Hanlon
14 June - Exhibition Opening - Meet The Artists
21 June - Turn Up The Music Concert
28 June - Sketchbook Session with Rowan Giselle Holt
5 July - Introduction to NeuroArt with Jenny Geelan
12 July - Storytelling Session with Julian Noel
19 July - Acting for the Screen with Amalia Remus
26 July - My Tree of Strength Art Therapy with Dani Peel
2 August - Mark Wilson and Friends - Winter Warmer Concert
9 August - 'The Object and the Memory' Collage & Ink Exploration with Lucca Rodriguez
16 August - Abstract Art Painting with Grace Ramsey