Renewal Society repair events & RE-ART project
Greening Greenfield
Greening Greenfield loves collaborations and is celebrating and funding the synchronicity of two partner organizations who wanted to put on repair / reuse / repurpose-type events this year:
Redistro / Renewal Society project
Redistro is a mutual aid collective dedicated to building community locally through the redistribution of our shared abundance. Their community members are planning a series of 10 focused workshops building on the very popular repair fairs that have been held from time to time in Franklin County. What if people could not only have their household items repaired, but learn how to do it themselves? This vision is actualized in THE RENEWAL SOCIETY project, which focuses on re-using and reclaiming through the art and craft of repair. Participants will learn specific skills to extend the life of their own household belongings.
LAVA Center / RE-ART project
The LAVA Center is a community arts and humanities space / arts incubator / black box theater that is presenting RE-ART, a series of 6 sessions creating art from reclaimed, repurposed and reused materials
All events take place at The LAVA Center, 324 Main St in Greenfield on Saturdays.
Renewal Society workshops will begin promptly at 9:30am*, with doors open at 9:15; and will run until 11:30. Check back later for more information & remaining registration links, as they become available. See also Renewal Society LinkTree.
RE-ART workshops will run from noon until 2:00 on the same every-other-week schedule for the first 6 Saturdays, followed at the end of the series by drop-in art-making, a RE-ART wall display, and a closing reception. For more information see the LAVA website.
*9-11am on 11/7 & 12/19
This table is best viewed on a larger device, though the content can be seen on a phone.
August 15, 2026
Fans: Join Redistro organizer Michael Hulbert for a hands-on workshop about how fans work, how to keep them running, and how to troubleshoot common problems. Register.
Exploratorium: Join us for the Launch! Lots of materials. Lots of empty frames. Plenty of possibilities. No registration needed.
August 29, 2026
Leather Care & Repair: Join Redistro organizer Rhys McGovern for a hands-on workshop about how to care for, maintain, and repair leather goods. Bring a leather item if you have one. This workshop is for educational purposes. Rhys will do their best to help you assess and work on your leather item, but we can’t guarantee that it will be fully repaired by the end of the workshop. Register.
Creations from cardboard packaging and other found materials with Alyson Arnold. Register.
September 26, 2026
Intro to Soldering: Fiona Teich. Ever wondered what’s involved in building or repairing electronics? Two Ghost Cafe’s resident audio equipment repair wizard will lead us in a hands-on introduction to the art and craft of soldering, an essential skill for repairing circuit boards and other electronics. Fiona will teach us the basics using a practice board so you can get a feel for it in a low-stakes activity. All materials and safety equipment will be provided.
This workshop is for educational purposes. There will not be time in this workshop for repairing personal electronics; however, if you bring a small object you’re interested in fixing on your own time, Fiona will do their best to diagnose and advise if time allows. Register.
Yarn scraps to art and jewelry with Dylan Bertucco. Register.
October 10, 2026
Mending: Miranda Kingfisher. Join Miranda, @barnburnermending on IG, for an open-ended workshop on clothing mending. Bring a garment you love or want to experiment on and play with patching, darning, and more, by hand or machine. Absolute beginners and experienced menders alike are welcome. Register.
Plarn: turning plastic bags into baskets and more with Ash Goverman. Register.
October 24, 2026
Lamps: Kevin French. Need some light in your life? Kevin will help you brighten your morning in this workshop about fixing your lamps that have been lost to the dark side. Bring a lamp that is having an issue or not functioning and learn how your lamp works, and if it can be fixed. Go home with a working lamp, or an understanding of your best next steps. Register.
Paper, acrylic, magazines with Allen Fowler. Register.
November 7, 2026
NOTE: From 9:00 to 11:00
Reusable menstrual pads: Jess Rigollaud. Want to cut out the pink tax entirely and reduce your waste? Learn how to make your own reusable menstrual pads from old t-shirts and other upcycled materials. Leave with a new skill and your first pad. Supplies will be provided, but if you have absorbent or waterproof material you’d like to use, bring it along. Register.
No LAVA RE-ART regular workshop, but see 11/21 below.
November 21, 2026
Textile mending: Elsa from Swanson’s Fabrics Stash House. Mending is for everyone, no sewing experience required! Come to this workshop if you’re interested in sewing, sustainability, creativity, and prolonging the lives of your textiles. Bring 1-3 items of clothing or other textiles that need repairs and learn how to mend them with support from the Swanson’s Fabrics Stash House teaching staff. Register.
LAVA RE-ART Closing reception 11:30 to 2:00: A reprise of the opening Exploratorium with inspirational video clips, plenty of materials to play with, and samples of RE-ART already on display.
If you’ve made something in one of our workshops or at home that you’d like to offer to the display, bring it by and a LAVA staff member will display it on our RE-ART Wall.
