CLAREMONT, N.H. – Join the River Valley Community College (RVCC) community by attending one or all of these creative Arts in April workshops. These free, 90-minute sessions will be held on Zoom throughout April 2026. No prior experience is needed, and all are welcome. The goal of Arts in April is to provide accessible arts programming to RVCC students and members of the local community. Throughout the workshops, participants will explore themes and topics related to a variety of courses offered for credit at RVCC. Preregistration is required at www.rivervalley.edu/artsinaprilform-2.
Session 1: “Six-Word Memoirs”
Memoir is a branch of narrative nonfiction focused on personal experiences. Many people find memoir writing cathartic, validating, and enjoyable, even if they would not normally consider themselves writers. The six-word memoir is a relatively recent adaptation of the genre that echoes the ways in which brevity and conciseness have become embedded in our day-to-day communication. However, the six-word memoir challenges us to consider that brevity does not preclude depth of meaning. This subgenre of memoir writing asks authors to consider a single experience, or their life as a whole, and distill it down into six deliberately chosen words. In this make-and-take workshop, participants can drop in to create their own six-word memoirs.
This program is presented by Cara Chanoine, a poet and the program director of RVCC’s English department. Her most recent poetry collection, “Philosopher Kings,” was released by Silver Bow Publishing in January 2023, and her multimedia chapbook “The Sad Girl Mix Tape,” won the 2024 Deanna Tulley Multimedia Prize. Her creative work has appeared in Mantis, Lumina, and other publications.
Materials are provided. This is a “make-and-take” workshop where participants can drop in and create a piece of writing on their own schedule using the provided materials, from April 1-30. In-person stations are set up at the Claremont, Keene, and Lebanon RVCC campuses. Participants may display their work, take it home, or create one to display and one to take away.
Session 2: “Creative Careers”
Creativity can lead to more than personal expression – it can also lead to meaningful and sustainable careers. This engaging panel discussion brings together professionals working in a range of creative fields to share how their artistic training translated into real-world career opportunities.
This session will explore how studying the arts can build valuable professional skills, such as creative problem solving, communication, collaboration, and entrepreneurial thinking. Panelists will discuss their career journeys, the role their education played in shaping their paths, and the diverse opportunities available in creative industries today.
Attendees will gain insight into the many ways artistic skills can be applied in professional settings, learn about potential career paths in the arts, and have the opportunity to ask questions about education, portfolio development, networking, and entering creative fields. Whether you are considering studying the arts, or simply curious about how creativity connects to careers, this panel will highlight how artistic passion can evolve into impactful and rewarding professional work.
Participants include Alisa Andrusiak, group manager, creative operations; Cara Chanoine, poet and RVCC English department program director; Jay Chanoine, comedian; Heidi Lorenz, artist and arts educator; Nick Paradis, muralist and arts educator; and Amy Regan, owner and curator, See Saw Art; cofounder, Rochester MFA.
This workshop will be held Wednesday, April 22, from 6-7:30 p.m., via Zoom. You will receive a Zoom link when you register.
Session 3: “Brenda Phillips: Nature Abstract Exhibit Gallery Talk”
Join presenter Eric Sutphin, RVCC projects gallery manager, for a discussion of the life and work of the late Plainfield, N.H.-based artist Brenda Phillips, whose “Nature Abstract” series is on view in the RVCC gallery through May 29. The event will include a virtual walkthrough of the exhibit, and will introduce participants to Phillips’ work and discuss it in context. Phillips was a visionary artist, and this exhibit is an opportunity to experience and discuss her inventive, joyful work.
This workshop is scheduled for Thursday, April 30 from 6-7:30 p.m., via Zoom. You will receive a Zoom link when you register.
Learn more and register for any of these workshops at at www.rivervalley.edu/artsinapril.