Academy Archives - Centauri Arts

Book Recommendations for Teenagers

Our Semester 2 arts classes are now underway, and in our first Creative Writing Class we asked our teens to recommend a great book they had read recently. I am sharing their list here. Some of these books (like Sophie’s World) are classics really, while others are young adult novels. One writer recommended a book they read as a young child that stayed with them, and there are a couple of dense and challenging reads on this list as well. Hopefully this list will be useful to anyone hoping to inspire a teenager to read, or introduce an avid reader to new authors. Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake The Silent Patient by Alex Michaellides Friends for Life by Andrew Norriss Mortal Instruments by [...]

February 19th, 2025|Academy, books|

Announcing Julie Hartley’s New Novel: The Promise She Made.

Julie Hartley is co-director of Centauri Arts, and in addition to leading our creative writing workshops, camps and retreats she is also a successful author, writing historical fiction for Bookouture UK. While her books are marketed for adults, all content is suited to young adult readers too. We are thrilled to announce that her latest novel is out now in print and as an e-book. The Promise She Made It’s September 1940, and with the Blitz underway 18-year-old Ruby is determined to protect her little sister from the bombs – after all, she promised as much to their mother, just before she died. So, Ruby books passage for them both on the SS City of Benares, to safety in Canada. However, her plan backfires [...]

February 16th, 2025|Academy, books|

2025 Summer Art Camps in Bloor West Village, Toronto

Registration Now Open for 2025 Summer Art Courses! Intensive, week-long fine art and digital art camp programs for kids and teens ages 9-17. Camps run throughout July and August, virtually and in our Toronto arts studio in Bloor West Village, close to Etobicoke, Swansea, High Park and the Junction. We are close to both Jane and Runnymede subway stations. Summer art programs run for four hours each day, and all courses are led by experienced arts professionals. Immerse yourself in fine art this summer! While we call these ‘day camps’, they focus only on the arts – and they are designed for middle and high school students. Our summer programs run for 4 hours a day, in 2 blocks: 10am [...]

February 16th, 2025|Academy, Bloor West Village|

2025 Summer Writing Camps in Bloor West Village, Toronto

Registration Now Open for 2025 Summer Writing Courses! Intensive, week-long writing camp programs for kids and teens ages 9-17 throughout July and August, virtually and in our Toronto arts studio in Bloor West Village, close to Etobicoke, Swansea, High Park and the Junction. We are close to both Jane and Runnymede subway stations. Summer writing prgrams run for four hours each day, and all courses are led by experienced arts professionals. Immerse yourself in the creative writing this summer! While we call these ‘day camps’, they focus only on the arts – and they are designed for middle and high school students. Our summer programs run for 4 hours a day, in 2 blocks: 10am to 2.30pm and 3pm to [...]

February 14th, 2025|Academy, Bloor West Village|

2025 Day Camps in Bloor West Village, Toronto

Registration Now Open for 2025 Half Day Camps This Summer! Intensive, week-long day camp programs for ages 9-17 throughout July and August, virtually and in our Toronto arts studio in Bloor West Village, close to Etobicoke, Swansea, High Park and the Junction. We are close to both Jane and Runnymede subway stations. Summer Programs run for four hours each day, and all courses are led by experienced arts professionals. Immerse yourself in the arts this summer! While we call these ‘day camps’, they focus only on the arts – and they are designed for middle and high school students. You choose your activity! Our summer programs run for 4 hours a day, in 2 blocks: 10am to 2.30pm and 3pm to 7.30pm. We’re offering [...]

February 3rd, 2025|Academy, Bloor West Village|

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 view and ways to keep your writing ‘in-scene’. Bring along your questions, ideas or works-in-progress, and prepare yourself for a fast-paced overview of plotting and planning All ages 16+ are welcome! Special Discounted Rate: $29+HST CLICK HERE TO REGISTER CLICK HERE to find out more about Julie Hartley, the instructor [...]

January 15th, 2025|Bloor West Village, workshops, Writing Advice, writing classes for adults|

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 experienced writers who have the skills to teach, nurture and inspire. Beginner and experienced writers are welcome! Young writers explore plot, character, setting, structure and editing as they build community, discover their writer’s voice and experiment with form and style. Projects are varied and include poetry, play writing, screenwriting, fantasy [...]

January 7th, 2025|Academy, Bloor West Village|

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 to an agent or independent publisher stand out from the rest. We’ll compare print and digital publishing houses, self-publishing with traditional routes, indie with international, and examine the process you must go through if you want to see your book published by one of the ‘big five’. If you love [...]

January 3rd, 2025|Bloor West Village, workshops, Writing Advice, writing classes for adults|

The Joy of Words: An Adult Writing Salon

Saturdays 9.15am-10.45am, ages 18+ only, Hybrid: In our Bloor West Studio or Virtual 6 weeks, starting Saturday 5 April (5 Apr, 12 Apr, 26 Apr, 3 May, 10 May, 17 May) 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 we will meander through 2-3 creative writing prompts, mining our lives for story and exploring everything from poetry to memoir, fantasy to flash fiction, open letters to journalling. We’ll discuss techniques – but our main focus will be [...]

January 3rd, 2025|writing classes for adults|

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 took a break and then moved indoors to the cool interior of this converted Hacienda. Our writing workshops always include creative prompts, a range of tips and techniques, plus an opportunity for writers to share their work for feedback. The writers in attendance this year declared the workshops a huge [...]

December 8th, 2024|Retreats, Writing Classes for Teens, writing holiday, writing retreats|