Hands-on Creativity for Everyone
If you love making things with your hands, this is your happy place.
Whether you’re 8 or 80, our Making & Craft stream at Camp Creative is all about getting stuck into visual and tactile workshops. Work with clay, print your own designs, discover cultural craft techniques, and maybe even start a new hobby that lasts long after the week in Bellingen.
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into a mix of visual arts, textiles, ceramics and traditional crafts. These workshops are about slowing down, connecting with your materials, and enjoying the satisfaction of making something real.
12-16 January 2026 Bellingen
Creative Expression
Channel your mood and identity into layered self-portraits with oil pastels, charcoal, cardboard and more, and walk away with art that’s colourful, bold and truly you.
Ages 13-17
Explore Ikebana with Shan
Move beyond typical bouquets and learn to form elegant, mindful floral arrangements that reflect nature’s rhythm and your own style.
Ages 18+
Explore Mixed Media Craft
Dive into a week of playful craft making—try your hand at monoprinting, polymer clay and felting, and head home with layered artworks and three unique creations.
Ages 16+
Hand Embroidered Earrings
Craft a unique pair of hand-embroidered earrings, exploring various stitches and techniques, and finish with sterling silver hooks made by your tutor.
Ages 18+
Intro to Art for Beginners
Dive into the basics of art—explore color theory, shading, perspective, and acrylic painting, all while building confidence and creativity in a supportive environment.
Ages 16+
Intro to Wooden Toy Making
Craft your first wooden toy from scratch—learn to safely use tools, choose the right timber, and create a keepsake that’s both fun and functional.
Ages 16+
Japanese Bead Embroidery
Learn the art of Japanese bead embroidery, creating a scissor keeper, key tag, Christmas decoration, or purse using traditional techniques and materials.
Ages 18+
Make & Learn to Play a Marimba
Craft a marimba from scratch using Jon Madin’s guide, chiselling hardwood bars for pitch and tone, then jam together as a group on your new instrument.
Ages 12+
Paint Your Pet’s Portrait
Capture the unique personality of your pet—be it a dog, cat, rooster, or cow—by learning simple, stress-free techniques to create a heartfelt portrait to cherish or gift.
Ages 16+
Textile Art: Underwater Seascapes
Dive into creativity by transforming fabric into a textured underwater seascape, using free machine embroidery, water-soluble fabrics, and embellishments to bring your oceanic vision to life.
Age 18+
Wild Woolly
Craft a life-sized lion head sculpture using Aussie wool and advanced felting techniques to create a striking, realistic piece.
Ages 16+
Looking for other creative ideas?
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Want to see everything, including all of the sold out courses?
See it all here!
Our Making & Craft courses bring together artists, families and curious beginners to explore all kinds of creative crafts in Bellingen this January.
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into a mix of visual arts, textiles, ceramics and traditional crafts.
These workshops are about slowing down, connecting with your materials, and enjoying the satisfaction of making something real.
All ages are welcome — from little makers through to experienced creatives looking to try something new. It’s relaxed, hands-on, and full of those “look what I made!” moments.
Whether you come solo, with friends or as a family, you’ll go home with new skills, new ideas and maybe a few clay smudges to show for it.
“I love the vibe of the camp but particularly the camaraderie of the class. I think the program for the week is excellent and I love Bellingen - the community, the scenery and the restaurants.”
“I love the vibe of the camp but particularly the camaraderie of the class. I think the program for the week is excellent and I love Bellingen - the community, the scenery and the restaurants.”
“Camp Creative is fun, inclusive and allows you to be your authentic creative self in a supportive environment.”
“Camp Creative is fun, inclusive and allows you to be your authentic creative self in a supportive environment.”
“Such a great week, excellent tuition and connecting with likeminded creative people is such a special opportunity.”
“Such a great week, excellent tuition and connecting with likeminded creative people is such a special opportunity.”
Camp Creative acknowledges and pays respect to the past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of the Gumbaynggirr Nation. We acknowledge the value, diversity and integrity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait island art, culture and expressions as an integral part of Australian heritage. We acknowledge the important role that art has played on these lands for thousands of years and feel privileged to work alongside artists continuing the creative practice of one of the world’s oldest surviving cultures.
Camp Creative Incorporated is a non-profit organisation
ABN 23162507663 - PO Box 561, Bellingen, NSW 2454, AUSTRALIA
Artwork by Crystal Tate
Print media design by Ben Eckersley | Website build by Nicole Ruigrok
Photo Credits: Stuart Scott - James Lander - Nilmini De Silva - Rachel Wright - Mark Townsend - Steve Mogridge Robert Hopping -Brian Beesley - Michael Hoyle - Sheridan Blayney
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