We are closing our doors, but will be weaving new patterns via partnership click here to learn more
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Free Community Workshops

Everything we do at ArteSana affirms the central role of creativity and the arts in community and personal development.handwoven, sustainable, women, empowerment, upcycle, pillow, throw pillow, table runner, table linen, ethical, style, interior decor, interior design, home, comfort, color, and texture

 

 

 

 

 

Free Creative Workshops
 
We started teaching the art of weaving to women in Holyoke in 2014. We've offered free drop-in workshops weekly on an ongoing basis since then, prioritizing access for women disadvantaged by systemic inequalities who live in Holyoke and surrounding communities. The workshops have a fiber arts focus, but expand to other mediums.  Come join us every Tuesday 10am-12pm at our workshop at 362 Dwight Street!

We’re currently planning a new workshops series we are super excited about focusing on financial literacy tailored specifically for supporting women impacted by intergenerational poverty. More soon!



Free ESOL Classes

ArteSana ESOL classes were offered Fall 2015 to Spring 2016 and were multi-level and responsive to the personal and professional interests of students. They were taught by a certified ESOL teacher with decades of experience and a commitment to supporting the unique needs of adult learners. We aren’t offering these classes anymore; as a small and new nonprofit organization we’ve had to concentrate our resources elsewhere. We’d love to offer ESOL again in the future - contact us if you want to learn about our approach or have any possible collaboration opportunities!

Why did ArteSana offer ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) classes? One of the best things about Holyoke is that it is a bilingual city - 50% of residents are Hispanic and over 90% of these belong to the Puerto Rican diaspora - bringing a density of cultural richness that's uncommonly found in small cities. Among the Spanish speaking community there are many non-English speaking adults, who experience much more limited opportunities. And yet, in Holyoke there is a persistent unmet demand for ESOL classes for adults; every program in the city has a long wait list, especially for beginner level classes.