Radical Creativity Workshops
This page contains information regarding the workshops I offer for people of all ages. To see and register for upcoming scheduled workshops, check out my calendar.
I know first-hand just how transformative and life-saving poetry and art can be, and what’s why I want to share the joy of creation to everyone I can. Printmaking, zines, and poetry have been socially transformative mediums for everyone — especially the marginalized and neurodivergent — for centuries.
I’ve been facilitating workshops for nearly a decade to bring creativity through poetry, zine-making, and printmaking to adults and youth alike in Colorado Springs and across the country. In these workshops, I offer the participants technical and mental guidance to facilitate creative expression through accessible and embodied methods.
Below are some of the workshops I offer, but these can be modified to meet the needs of different groups. If you would like me to host a workshop for you and your students, employees, or friends, then fill out the interest form at the bottom of the page. I’ll then reach out to discuss details.
Workshops can also be included when booking me to perform for a package deal.
Endorsements
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For the last five years, the Youth Documentary Academy (YDA) has invited Nico Wilkinson into our classrooms to conduct story workshops with our students. Something magical (and not always easily describable) happens in those sessions. Many of our students come to the process motivated to locate a story from their own lived experiences and start to see themselves as access points to Story (with a capital S.) Nico facilities a process that is creative, catalytic and deeply personal. The creative writing prompts open a part of the brain that allow students to approach difficult topics through creative and poetic lenses. Sometimes painful, sometimes humorous -- in every case, students come out the other side with increased confidence and familiarity with what they most know. In every case they are able to better articulate their story with relatable and visual details.
We are incredibly grateful for the partnership with Nico and hope it continues for many years.
— Tom Shepard, Executive Director Youth Documentary Academy
Poetry For All - Unlocking Your Story
In this workshop, participants will learn how to utilize metaphor to better understand and craft their internal worlds through poetry. They will also learn a method to craft persona poems to see the world from other points of view. Participants will be guided through a brainstorming stage, before writing and sharing their poems with the group.
Workshop length: 1-2 hours
Workshop Capacity: Up to 20
Workshop Cost: $20 per person
The cost of the workshop covers:
My time and facilitation
A composition notebook for all participants
Writing utensils
Workshop handouts for all participants
Linoleum Carving and Printing
In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the art of relief printmaking, and will come from the workshop with prints of their design, as well as the tools and knowledge to continue printmaking at home.
Workshop Length: 3 hours or two 1.5 hour sessions
Workshop capacity: 10
Workshop Cost: $30 per person (added cost of travel outside of Colorado Springs)
The cost of the workshop covers:
My facilitation
One linoleum carving tool per participant
A linoleum block for them to carve their design into
Ink and paper for printing at the workshop
Linoleum is a fun and affordable way to print from home, with or without a press! This workshop is fun and gives participants a method of creative expression that they can continue to grow in, beyond the workshop.
Linoleum prints by past workshop participants.
Students exploring a selection of zines from my collection and starting to brainstorm the zines they’d like to make.
Zines for Personal and Social Change
In a time of algorithms, censorship, and shadow-banning this workshop seeks to bring back limitless possibility and joy to creating. Participants who have never even heard of a zine before will be captivated with the joy that comes with total creative freedom of expression — freedom that is at the heart of the zine medium!
I’ll bring a selection of age-appropriate zines for participants to explore, and I’ll share the history of zines in movements for social change. I’ll also provide a selection of art supplies, paper, drawing utensils, and magazines for collaging.
Participants will come away with a mini-zine, and the knowledge on how to continue their zine-making journey.
Workshop Length: 1 hour facilitation, 2 hours of work time and troubleshooting
Workshop capacity: 10
Workshop Cost: $25 per person (added cost of travel outside of Colorado Springs)
The cost of the workshop covers:
My facilitation
Paper
Art supplies for use during workshop
Staplers and book-binding supplies