Sip 'n' Paint

MK Gallery is running a series of Sip 'n' Paint workshops in its café, with sessions on Fridays at 7pm from 13 November to 19 November 2027. The whole thing is led by local artist Liddy Parry, who runs Something Less Boring. The name gives it away: you sip and you paint, and the gallery's café bar stays open throughout, serving hot and cold drinks while you work.

Parry's background is worth a mention if you're wondering who's guiding the session. She holds a BA Hons in Illustration and a PGCE in Art Teaching, and she's been teaching all ages across a range of disciplines for the past 12 years. She describes her own passion for art as having been ignited at an early age, so this isn't just a casual hobby for her — it's her professional life. That's the kind of person you'll have leading the room, which makes it a decent shout if you've never picked up a brush before and want someone who actually knows how to teach.

As for the practical side, the workshops are for ages 18 and over, and all the materials are provided, so you don't need to bring anything but yourself. You take your artwork home at the end, which is the best part — you leave with something finished rather than just a memory of the night. The café setting keeps it relaxed, and with the bar open the whole time, it's as much about the social side as the painting.

Sessions run on Fridays at 7pm from 13 November to 19 November 2027 at the MK Gallery café in Milton Keynes, with tickets priced between £12.50 and £25.