Events
Fall of Freedom Walk
The Creative Bond collaborates with collage artist Rich Garr for a unique walking tour centered around local sites and stories of the Gowanus neighborhood and the freedoms under attack for those who live there.
Possible sites and stories are currently being collected. Submit them (gothamsidewalks@gmail.com / @gothamsidewalks on IG) by November 15th for consideration. All ideas welcome!
Get your tickets here!
Drag Story Hour
Drag Artists for Expression is hosting a story hour at St. Lydia’s as a launch event for a beautiful campaign! A bilingual (English and Spanish) story hour will feature stories about self-acceptance, imagination, friendship, family and more. Guests of all ages are welcome to join, and donations of any amount are appreciated!
Creative Bond: The Artist’s Way Meetup
The Artist’s Way is a book/program to overcome creative blocks and reconnect to the artist within. Through writing prompts and exercises like morning pages, artist dates, creative clusters, and spiritual practices, this journey helps to reignite creativity regardless of your artistic background.
The Creative Bond is excited to begin an informal Artist’s Way discussion group, with its first three gatherings set for October 8, November 12, December 10. Whether you’re a long-time practitioner, reading through it for the first time, or just curious about getting started, you’re welcome to join in the discovery and community!
Waffle Church: Christmas Pageant!
Sticky faith for friends and families! Everyone gets a part in this annual Christmas pageant.
Creative Bond: Work in Progress
Calling all creatives: bring your WIPs, your projects, drafts, and dreams! Once a month on the second Sunday (between Waffle Church and Dinner Church) Creative Bond hosts a casual time to make progress on your art (whatever medium!) in the company of other creatives. You’re welcome to bring a snack or bev to share!
Creative Bond: The Artist’s Way Meetup
The Artist’s Way is a book/program to overcome creative blocks and reconnect to the artist within. Through writing prompts and exercises like morning pages, artist dates, creative clusters, and spiritual practices, this journey helps to reignite creativity regardless of your artistic background.
The Creative Bond is excited to begin an informal Artist’s Way discussion group, with its first three gatherings set for October 8, November 12, December 10. Whether you’re a long-time practitioner, reading through it for the first time, or just curious about getting started, you’re welcome to join in the discovery and community!
Creative Bond: Work in Progress
Calling all creatives: bring your WIPs, your projects, drafts, and dreams! Once a month on the second Sunday (between Waffle Church and Dinner Church) Creative Bond hosts a casual time to make progress on your art (whatever medium!) in the company of other creatives. You’re welcome to bring a snack or bev to share!
Dinner Church
All Saints Day is centered on the remembrance of loved ones who have died, especially in the past year.
Share stories, share the meal, work together.
Block Party: Día de Todos Los Santos
🌸 Día de Todos Los Santos Block Party – A Family Celebration of Life & Community 🌸 Join us for the first annual Día de Todos Los Santos Block Party, hosted by St. Lydia’s and Cafecito Social—right here in Gowanus! Inspired by the Guatemalan traditions of Día de Todos Los Santos and Día de los Muertos, this free, family-friendly event celebrates life, remembrance, and community through art, food, and culture.
✨ What’s Happening:
• Kite-Making Workshop with Powerhouse Arts — build your own colorful kite, a cherished Guatemalan tradition 🪁
• Community Altar — a shared space to honor loved ones and celebrate memory 🕯️
• Drag Artists for Expression NYC — storytime and (maybe!) a playful makeup tutorial 💄
• Arts & Crafts Zone for kids and families 🎨
• Live Music and neighborhood fun 🎶
Come connect with neighbors, celebrate Brooklyn’s diversity, and share in a day full of color, creativity, and love. Hosted by St. Lydia’s and Cafecito Social (your local Guatemalan coffee shop), with support from Powerhouse Arts, Drag Artists for Expression NYC, and more.
💛 All are welcome — come celebrate life, culture, and community with us!
Creative Bond: Mere Mortals Club Game Night
Mere Mortals is a CreativeMornings NY Club co-presented by Here to Honor, Life and Soul, and Creative Bond at St. Lydia’s. The club’s aim is to bring folks together to explore different facets of mortality, exploring monthly themes and prompts.
You do NOT have to be already comfortable with the conversation around death and mortality. This is a place for folks who don’t have the opportunity to discuss these things regularly.
October’s theme: Mortality-minded Game Night with Here to Honor!
Creative Bond: Mending Circle
Calling all knitters, crochet-ers, menders, craftspeople, or just folks who want to learn to mend, darn, and repair! The Creative Bond offers a monthly Monday evening mending circle at St. Lydia’s.
Gowanus Open Studios
This October 18th-19th, St. Lydia’s is participating in the 29th Annual Gowanus Open Studios! Hosted by Arts Gowanus, Gowanus Open Studios is Brooklyn’s biggest celebration of local art and artists; hundreds of artists across dozens of venues in the greater Gowanus neighborhood will open their doors, giving the public a rare glimpse inside the former factories, warehouses, and studio buildings of this vibrant neighborhood. This year, our space will feature artists from the Fulton Art Fair (and maybe a few Lydian artists as well!).
There will be printed maps of the event available across the neighborhood, but if you want to start planning in advance, you can find a directory of participating artists here. Hope to see you there!
Saturday: 12-6pm
Sunday: 12-3pm
Creative Bond: Work in Progress
Calling all creatives: bring your WIPs, your projects, drafts, and dreams! Once a month on the second Sunday (between Waffle Church and Dinner Church) Creative Bond hosts a casual time to make progress on your art (whatever medium!) in the company of other creatives. You’re welcome to bring a snack or bev to share!
Creative Bond: The Artist’s Way Meetup
The Artist’s Way is a book/program to overcome creative blocks and reconnect to the artist within. Through writing prompts and exercises like morning pages, artist dates, creative clusters, and spiritual practices, this journey helps to reignite creativity regardless of your artistic background.
The Creative Bond is excited to begin an informal Artist’s Way discussion group, with its first three gatherings set for October 8, November 12, December 10. Whether you’re a long-time practitioner, reading through it for the first time, or just curious about getting started, you’re welcome to join in the discovery and community!
Creative Bond: It’s Your Funeral
Another gathering of the Mere Mortals Club, led by Here to Honor, Life and Soul, and Creative Mornings.
Creative Bond: Jeff Hiller Talk & Book Signing
As a progressive, queer-affirming church, St. Lydia’s is delighted to host Jeff Hiller (“Somebody Somewhere”), an artist with a nuanced outlook on faith and community. On Sept 17th, St. Lydia’s Creative Bond program spotlights Jeff to discuss his new book — “Actress of a Certain Age,” available for purchase at the event — with Brooklyn Rail journalist Billy McEntee before signing copies for guests. To join this free evening of conversation (and bubbles!) RSVP by emailing creativebond@stlydias.org!
Creative Bond: Live Art Career Q&A
Victoria Fry is hosting an Art Career Q&A on Wednesday, September 3 at St. Lydia’s in Brooklyn. Join us at 6pm for an evening of support and guidance! 🫶
We’ll kick things off with a guided journaling exercise, followed by group discussion and Q&A. Bring all of your questions about navigating your art career!
🗓️ September 3 @ 6pm
📍 St. Lydia’s, 304 Bond St, Brooklyn NY 11231
This will be a donation-based gathering (sliding scale—give what feels right via Zelle or PayPal upon arrival), and all proceeds will go directly to St. Lydia’s.
Creative Bond: Reclaiming Freedom Within
A spiritual abolition workshop led by Vie Darling.
Creative Bond: Grief After a Significant Loss
led by the Mere Mortals Club: Here to Honor & Life and Soul.