Centauri Arts Academy Blog
Planning a Novel or Memoir. April 12 2025
Hybrid – join us on Zoom or in our Bloor West Studio Saturday 12 April 2025. 2pm to 4.30pm EST Open to adult writers, and teen writers 16+ Join us for a lively workshop on the process of plotting and planning a novel or memoir. We’ll cover Five Act Structure, the Three Peaks Method, Inciting Incidents and Character Transformation. We’ll also look at what makes a satisfying protagonist, how to choose your point of [...]
2025 arts classes start January 27th at Centauri Arts, Bloor West Studio.
After-school and weekend classes for kids and teens in Creative Writing, Acting, Film-Making and Fine Art start January 2025 in our Bloor West Village studio in Toronto and online! Creative Writing Classes for kids and teens Creative Writing Salons In our Bloor West Village Studio: Saturdays, 11.15am-12.45pm for ages 12-17: Tuesdays 5.00pm-6.30pm Ages 9-13 or Virtually, on Zoom: Wednesday, 7pm-8.30pm (ET) Our Creative Writing Classes bring together young people who love to write, and [...]
The Business of Writing. March 29 2025
Hybrid – join us on Zoom or in our Bloor West Studio Saturday 29 March 2025. 2pm to 4.30pm EST Open to adult writers, and teen writers 16+ Join us for an intensive workshop on the business of getting published. Learn how to prepare a manuscript for publication, and explore the options open to you once your book is ready. We will look at sample query letters and learn how to make your letter [...]
The Joy of Words: An Adult Writing Salon
Saturdays 9.30am-11.00am, ages 18+ only, Hybrid: In our Bloor West Studio or Virtual 5 weeks, starting Saturday 1 February Leave the cares of the world behind and reconnect with your creative self! There’s something in this writing workshop for everyone – seasoned writers hoping to rediscover the joy of writing, curious beginners and anyone who feels they have a story to tell. We’ll gather over morning coffee to write, laugh and share. Each week [...]
Reflecting on Our Creative Writing Retreat in Mexico
It is difficult to imagine a city more perfect for a creative writing retreat than Merida in Mexico. This was our fourth year running a writing retreat here, and it was spectacular. Our Creative Writing Workshops Each morning we began our writing workshops on a glorious, colourful terrace in our lovely boutique hotel, surrounded by flowers and greenery. As the sun rose over the walls ninety minutes or so into our writing workshops, we [...]
2025 Winter classes start in January at Centauri Arts.
Weekly after-school and weekend classes for kids and teens in Creative Writing, Acting, Film-Making and Fine Art start January 2025 in our Bloor West Village studio and online! Film Classes Film Production and Performance Ages 11-17, In our Bloor West Village Studio: Thursdays, 5pm – 6.30pm AND 7.00pm-8.00pm Learn – or review – the basics of film making: storyboarding, directing, camera operation, audio, lighting and production design. Each hands-on film course begins with a [...]
Suggested Reading and Great Book Gifts for the Holidays!
Over the years, Centauri Arts has worked with dozens of artists. Many of them have taught for us, offered guest classes, or advised our young writers. Here’s a selection of gift ideas, all of them with Centauri connections: Julie Hartley Her Secret Soldier. A World War 2 novel filled with mystery and adventure. 19-year-old Rose’s life is transformed forever when she stumbles on an injured German spy in the ancient forest behind [...]
Fabulous Fabric Arts
In our Bloor West Village Studio: Wednesdays 7.00pm to 8.30pm, Ages 11-17 Semester 2 (14 weeks) 29 January- 14 May (students can enroll for semester 1, or 2, or the full year) Instructor: Micah Chu Make original art with fabric in this exciting new program! Learn to knit, sew, embroider and weave… or if you have tried these before, take your skills to the next level. Explore natural dyes, up-cycle clothing and paint on [...]
How to Raise an Introvert
For too long in our society, introverts have played second fiddle to the extroverts among us, and even in 2024, many people still see introversion as something to counteract. Is your child an introvert? If so, what does that mean? Read on to find out. What is an introvert? Being introverted is not the same thing as being shy! Introverts are often confident people. They can be terrific public speakers, and great leaders. So what [...]
How to Raise a Reader – 7 Tips for Parents
How do you raise children who see the value in books? It’s harder than ever these days, with so much technology out there to distract. Reading is an immersive activity that requires attention over a significant period of time, allowing a person to spiral down into an imaginative world. There is enormous value in reading; young people who read have better vocabularies, do better in school, have empathy for the experiences of others and deepen [...]
