Newbury’s LoLA (Lots of Lovely Art)

Liz Nicholls

Activities & Events, Alton, Ascot, Berkshire, Caversham & Sonning, Community & Charity, Cookham, Fleet, Hampshire, Hungerford, Newbury, Petersfield & Villages, Round and About, Streatley & Pangbourne, Twyford & Woodley, Warfield & Binfield, Windsor, Wokingham & Winnersh

Inside a jolly yellow building on Newbury High Street, Alara & Selina are on a mission to spread the joy of creativity with LoLA including some Christmas workshops coming up

Alara and Selina (mums and sisters-in-law) feel passionate about the arts and art education.

They are on a mission to spread the word about process-based, artist-inspired experiences which help children to develop problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, self-confidence and to have fun!

Unfortunately two-thirds of primary schools in England receive less art education now than they did a decade ago. Over the past five years Alara and Selina have built up LoLA (Lots of Lovely Art) into a successful company that creates magical educational art boxes, sketchbooks and art-activity booklets to support children of all ages to be creative at home. LoLA boxes and sketchbooks are sold in retail spaces such as Harrods, Molly Meg, Conscious Craft, the Science Museum and online.

Wanting to create a space for hands-on art children’s classes, they have now developed the LoLA Creative Space and Café in Newbury. As well as a warm welcoming café, the space offers a wide variety of classes for everyone. All ages are welcome, from Little Ones (ages two to four) to after-school classes, home-education options, workshops for young adults and weekend sessions for the whole family.

Upcoming Christmas workshops include a This is Me Art Journal session (scrapbooking & expressing emotions), 10.30am-12pm on Saturday, 23rd November and a Make Your Own Advent Calendar, 1.30-2pm on 23rd & 10.30a-12pm on Sunday 24th. 10.30am–12pm on Saturday, 30th November you can make a recycled reindeer head decoration inspired by Picasso and 1.30-3pm, tree decorations inspired by folk art. 10.30am-12pm on Sunday, 1^st December, there’s Christmas gift-making. The same time on Saturday, 7th December, you can make an arty wreath inspired by Andy Warhol and, 1.30-3pm, Christmas cards, gift tags and wrapping paper. On Sunday, 8th December, 10:30am-12pm you can make painted giant stockings. On Saturday, 14th December, 10.30am- 12pm make angel tree toppers and 1.30-3pm make mini Christmas trees inspired by Ai Weiwei. And, 10.30-12pm on Sunday, 15th December you can make snowflakes, stars and garlands. 

While teaching workshops are not being held, head along to the café for a coffee while your child gets freely creative! Open Studios are offered nearly every day at the studio where projects and materials are offered on the art table. One ticket includes a hot drink and one space for a child to create at the workshop table.

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