Wickham Works: 'Best wishes for a creative New Year'

Thanks to our community for your support and interest.
Wickham Works is celebrating another successful year. The aim of our non-profit is to enrich the community by producing grassroots arts events, sharing art supplies and knowledge and building a makers lab where new and experienced makers can learn, collaborate, offer workshops and spark new business opportunities.
• Our third annual Treecycle kicked off the 2018 season in April. With the help of a Community Arts Grant from Orange County Arts Council, seven area artists created tree sculptures using material salvaged from the waste stream.
The event, held at Stanley Deming Park, teamed up with the much-appreciated materials exchange, Too Good To Toss, under the banner of Warwick Earth Fest.
Crowds were able to drop off used household items and shop for free. There was also a makers market and entertainment provided by young performers and musicians.
• In preparation for Earth Fest, Wickham Works volunteers facilitated workshops with members of the Change Makers club at the middle school and the Green Cub Club at Sanfordville Elementary. The students created their own “Message in a Bottle” art projects using recycled material. The students then visited classrooms at the elementary school to teach the younger kids about the importance of reusing and reducing waste.
The Teen Advisory Board at Warwick Public Library, and the Youth Advisory Board at the Warwick Valley Community Center also volunteered, helping the Treecycle artists create parts for their sculptures.”
• Wickham Works brought their making to the School District’s STEAM fair, and student volunteers joined them in June to help decorate floats and store windows with colorful peace flags for the Warwick Pride Parade.
• Interactive Noise Collective continued their collaboration with Wickham Works, staging monthly Doc Fry Music Sessions at the Warwick Community Center, featuring area bands, some from local high schools, and providing a drug and alcohol free space for teens and youth.
• August saw the first Battle Candle (War-wick) music festival, sponsored by Wickham Works and produced by Interactive Noise Collective against the stunning backdrop of Wickham Lake. Thirty-three young bands played their hearts out, while the audience drawn from all over the Tri-State area danced and browsed local vendors, food trucks and interactive making stations.
• In October more than 50 teens racked up community service hours while having a blast performing in the annual Haunted House produced by the Wickham Works scare masters at the community center. They created a creepy abandoned underground bunker for those who dared to venture in, and a Monster Mash party for the younger crowd.
• This year demand from local artisan businesses for space at the Thanksgiving Love Local Holiday Market was so high, we moved the event from Wickham Manor to the community center. The festive atmosphere and quality goods on display drew record crowds.
• One strand of our learning and collaborating is screen printing. Bringing together artists, graphic designers, musicians, and those eager to learn, we have created multi-colored posters for many community shows and festivals.
• To continue to fund our making, celebrate local makers, and build skills, we’ve produced a limited edition 12-month calendar for 2019. Each month is hand drawn by a local artist. This 12 x 24 inch calendar has a print run of only 125 and is for sale at Wickhamworks.org.
We’ve had a really rewarding year, seeing folks of all ages participate in our events.
We’re very grateful to the numerous volunteers who came out to have fun, learn new skills, earn community service hours, and share creative experiences.
And we couldn’t have done it without the support of local businesses who kindly hung posters and helped get out the word.
Best wishes for a creative New Year,
Melissa Shaw-Smith
Creative Director, Wickham Works