Crafternoons

Crafternoons are back at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery this Friday 22 October, from 12:00 to 16:00. It's a weekly, free, drop-in social session run by the museum for teens, young adults and adults who finish work or university early on a Friday, so it's as much about the company as the making.

The idea is simple: you turn up and get stuck into a craft or art technique. If you've never picked up a brush or a needle, it's a chance to try something new; if you've already got a practice, it's a space to work on it in a calm, social environment. The activities change, and you'll find things like sketching museum objects, making decorations or learning a new printing technique. The sessions are often themed around a gallery or a show on at the museum, so what you're making usually ties back to what's on the walls around you.

Because it's a drop-in, there's no need to commit to the full four hours. You can pop in for a quick hour's distraction over your lunch break, stay for the whole afternoon, or just drift in and out. It's a social setup, so you'll be working alongside other people rather than off in your own corner. If you're a teen or a young adult, it's one of the few museum sessions that doesn't feel like it's aimed at children or older adults, and since it's on a Friday, it works if you've finished your week early.

It's free, drop-in, and no booking is required, so you can just show up at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery between 12:00 and 16:00. If you're around the city on a Friday and fancy a bit of making, it's a low-pressure way to spend the afternoon.