Events at this location

Create change in the world with this inspiring guide to social activism, using art as a vehicle for creative resistance and community building, written by Shannon Downey – the artist and craftivist behind Badass Cross Stitch.

Shannon Downey will discuss her new book Let’s Move the Needle with Jessica Thomas from Handiwork. Attendees can expect to listen and learn, but will also have a chance to get crafty with a hands-on cross-stitch activity.

Craftivism, or the space where art and activism meet, is a powerful, ever-evolving social justice movement that continues to grow and diversify as more voices and mediums take part in it. In Let’s Move the Needle, Shannon Downey, an outspoken voice in the craftivist movement for over a decade, provides a roadmap and accessible toolkit for burgeoning art activists.

Filled with self-reflective activities, exercises, prompts, and stories, Let’s Move the Needle educates and empowers creatives to center their art around collective action in service of political, social or community issues they are most passionate about; affirming that everyone can be a changemaker and that change-making can be generative, enjoyable, and a bit sassy!

Free to the public. Registration is required.

Learn more and register here.

In discussions about the arts and humanities, the phrase “it’s a grind” often highlights the immense physical and emotional labor dedicated professionals invest, frequently without enough rest or essential support (financial, communal, childcare, etc.). What if we could change that?

Join us on Thursday, October 10th, for a presentation and conversation on radical hospitality in the performing arts with Michèle Steinwald, a versatile dance artist, writer, and arts advocate with a rich background in performance and education. Passionate about dance as a practice, she has collaborated with notable figures like American choreographer Deborah Hay. As an independent dramaturg and community organizer, she focuses on social justice in the arts, enhancing cultural conversations. This session will explore the dramaturgy of belonging and aesthetics of engagement.

Approximately 90 minutes. Registration is required. Pay-what-you-can.

Learn more and register here.

Join hosts Marco Soulo and Signature MiMi for an evening where all artists and makers are welcome to share their creations and be in community with other poets, musicians, artists, crafters, and thinkers.

Monthly on the 3rd Wednesday of the Month!

Described by the Boston Globe as “a sonic plein-air painter… [using] his piano as a paintbrush,” Ben Cosgrove has performed in every U.S. state except for Delaware, collaborated with groups ranging from rock bands to research scientists, contributed music to several radio and film projects (including the recent Ken Burns documentary The American Buffalo), and held residencies and fellowships with institutions including NASA, the National Park Service, the National Forest Service, Harvard University, Middlebury College, the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and the Sitka Center for Art & Ecology.

Learn more & purchase tickets here. 

Ben’s music has been called “beautiful and fascinating” (The Maine Edge), “deeply impressive” (Independent Clauses), and “immediately evocative and fully arresting… brim[ming] with technical mastery and emotional capital” (Seven Days). His newest record, Bearings, is a collection of improvisation-based music reflecting upon the relationship between movement and place.

Ben is also known to Maine audiences for his work collaborating with other local acts like Ghost of Paul Revere, GoldenOak, Connor Garvey, Max García Conover, and many more

Tickets are $20 in advance and $23 on the day of the performance.

Saturday, October 16 at 7:00 PM (Doors 6:30 PM) approximately 60-75 minutes, no intermission

On October 30th, step into an evening where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, blending literary enchantment with celestial celebration. Dress as your favorite literary character or beloved author and get ready to dance until the witching hour.

The night begins with spine-chilling New England ghost stories from Rebecca Turkewitz’s new book, Here in the Night. Following this, enjoy a captivating reading from Mira Ptacin’s latest novel, The In-Betweens, which explores the history of Mysticism and Mediums in Maine. Psychic Medium Julie K. Gray will provide fascinating insights and will invite guests to our mysterious fourth-floor clerestory for an exclusive Divination with Pendulums session.

As the evening unfolds, local DJs will keep the dance floor alive, Cocktail Mary will serve refreshments, and guests can experience additional surprises, including tarot readings in the library. Join us for a night of enchantment, mysticism, and revelry!

Proceeds from this event support literary programming at Mechanics’ Hall and the restoration of our building.

Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Join hosts Marco Soulo and Signature MiMi for an evening where all artists and makers are welcome to share their creations and be in community with other poets, musicians, artists, crafters, and thinkers.

Monthly on the 3rd Wednesday of the Month!