Grades: 1– 8
This 90 minute program is offered free to schools, in your classroom, and is funded by the Oakville Community Foundation. Launching January 2026!
Oakville Galleries, which has been helping emerging artists create books and publications since the late 1980s, invites you to bring the world of artists’ books into your classroom. In this hands-on workshop, students will learn step by step how to design and build their very own accordion book.
Led by our professional art instructors, the session begins with a warm welcome and an introduction to the world of artists’ books, including examples of accordion books and zines for inspiration. Students will be guided through demonstrations on folding and gluing their book structure, then explore how to develop characters, themes, and page content using grade-appropriate prompts.
The workshop is carefully paced with instructional moments followed by lots of making time, so students can learn new techniques while expressing their own creativity. They’ll experiment with collage and drawing to bring their books to life, with opportunities to share ideas and reflect on their progress.
By the end of the session, each student will have a unique, handmade artist’s book to take home!
