Heritage Art Workshops
Collab with Elevate OTC
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027
Register Today!
Explore traditional folk arts, heritage crafts, and handmade traditions from around the world through this nine-part workshop series led by Megan Shirley-Ross, Artistic Director of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center.
Each workshop explores a different cultural tradition, material, or technique. Participants will learn about the heritage and symbolism behind each project while creating a handmade piece to take home. The series alternates between Elevate OTC in Perham and the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center, bringing hands-on cultural arts programming to both communities.
Each workshop is $30 per person. Participants may register for individual workshops through Elevate OTC.
About the Instructor
Megan Shirley-Ross is the Artistic Director of the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. An artist and teaching artist, Megan brings experience in fine arts, fiber arts, sewing, embroidery, and hands-on community arts education to her workshops.
Through the Heritage Art Workshop Series, Megan invites participants to explore the materials, techniques, traditions, and stories behind handmade arts from a variety of cultural traditions.
About the Partnership
The Heritage Art Workshop Series is presented through a partnership between Elevate OTC in Perham and the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. The series brings hands-on cultural arts programming to both communities, with workshops alternating between Elevate OTC and the Cultural Center.
2026-2027 Heritage Art Workshops Series
- Wednesday, September 9 - Kinusaiga Sunflowers
- Wednesday, October 14 - Vintage Halloween Banner
- Wednesday, November 11 - Slavic Folk Dolls
- Wednesday, December 9 - Gingerbread Heart Ornaments
- Wednesday, January 13 - Woven Scandinavian Stars
- Wednesday, February 10 - Embossed Metal Sacred Hearts
- Wednesday, March 10 - Ukrainian-Inspired Painted Wooden Eggs
- Wednesday, April 14 - Boro-Inspired Textile Wall Hanging
- Wednesday, May 12 - Finnish Soul Bird (Sielulintu)
Come learn with us this season! To register for each session, visit https://my.elevateotc.org/eventcalendar.
Kinusaiga Sunflowers
Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Location: Elevate OTC, Perham
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Discover a traditional Japanese Kinusaiga-inspired no-sew fiber art technique using a variety of cotton fabrics. Participants will create a colorful sunflower design by fitting fabric into a patterned form, exploring texture, color, and composition without sewing.
Register for Kinusaiga Sunflowers Workshop!Vintage Halloween Banner
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Create a whimsical vintage-inspired Halloween banner with a folk art feel. Participants will combine fabric, painted foam balls, wooden beads, acrylic paints, and other decorative elements to create a festive handmade banner featuring playful texture and old-fashioned charm.
Register for Vintage Halloween Banner Workshop!Slavic Folk Dolls
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2026
Location: Elevate OTC, Perham
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Explore the rich symbolism of traditional Slavic folk dolls, handmade figures associated with wishes for prosperity, health, protection, and well-being. Participants will create their own fabric doll using fabric, yarn, thread, natural materials, and symbolic elements while learning about the traditions behind these meaningful handmade objects.
Register for Slavic Folk Dolls Workshop!Gingerbread Heart Ornament
Date: Wednesday, December 9, 2026
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Create a charming set of gingerbread-inspired heart ornaments with a cozy, handmade holiday feel. Using felt, thread, ric-rac, pom-poms, and other craft materials, participants can create ornaments to keep, decorate with, or give as handmade gifts.
Woven Scandinavian Stars
Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2027
Location: Elevate OTC, Perham
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Explore the simple beauty of Scandinavian-inspired woven star ornaments using reed. Participants will learn the fundamentals of this traditional-style weaving technique while creating a beautiful winter decoration with natural materials.
Embossed Metal Sacred Hearts
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2027
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Create a decorative embossed-metal heart inspired by the rich visual traditions of Mexican folk art and the symbolism of sacred hearts. Participants will emboss metal to create texture and dimension, then decorate their pieces with alcohol ink and acrylic paint
Ukrainian-Inspired Painted Wooden Eggs
Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2027
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Create a decorative embossed-metal heart inspired by the rich visual traditions of Mexican folk art and the symbolism of sacred hearts. Participants will emboss metal to create texture and dimension, then decorate their pieces with alcohol ink and acrylic paint.
Boro-Inspired Textile Wall Hanging
Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2027
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Explore the Japanese tradition of Boro, which developed from the practice of repairing, patching, and layering textiles to extend their usefulness. Participants will work with pieces of fabric, stitching, and layers to create a small decorative wall hanging inspired by the beauty of visible mending and Japanese textile traditions.
Finnish Soul Bird (Sielulintu)
Date: Wednesday, May 12, 2027
Location: New York Mills Regional Cultural Center
Time: 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Cost: $30 per person for this workshop
Registration: Register through Elevate OTC
Explore the Finnish sielulintu, or "soul bird," a bird associated in Finnish folk belief with the soul and its journey. Participants will create a small layered felt appliqué wall hanging inspired by Finnish folk-art forms, combining colorful felt shapes, simple stitching, and decorative details to create a meaningful bird design.
We hope you can join us for these meaningful arts and culture experiences, in collaboration with Elevate OTC.
Questions? Contact the Center at 218-385-3339 or email info@kulcher.org.
These activities are made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through an operating support grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
