10 Fun Workshops and Classes for Adults in Boston [01/15/23]

When you’re a kid, lunchtime and recess are the best parts of school, the whole studying part not so much. But as an adult you might find yourself wanting to learn new skills or explore passions in a classroom environment. We’ve got you covered. At these local spots you can take adult ed classes to learn everything from coding to watercolor.

1) Cambridge Center for Adult Education (pictured)

Where: Harvard Square
When: Winter term begins January 9, enrollment for spring term opens February 14
Info: The Cambridge Center for Adult Education is incredibly comprehensive. They host classes in cooking, cocktails, woodworking, handcrafts, fitness, history, languages, technology, and many other subjects. You can take a course just for a night or commit to a multi-week intensive session.
Featured Class: Shake up your meal plan by taking a Caribbean Cooking class. You’ll learn about the different influences on Caribbean cuisine, taste the flavors most often utilized, and then cook five different Caribbean dishes to feast on.

2) Boston Area Spanish Exchange

Where: Downtown
When: Winter courses begin the week of January 17
Info: BASE is a teacher-owned and run language school that specializes in Spanish but teaches 10 total languages. They offer a number of learning options including in-person and online, structured classes, and more informal conversations. Best of all you can choose from an extensive variety of scheduling options for what day and time works for you.
Featured Class: Básico Spanish is the best way to kick start your journey in learning español. You’ll learn the fundamentals of the language and how to have entry-level conversations. They offer classes daily.

3) Museum of Fine Arts

Where: Fenway
When: Winter courses begin January 4
Info: It turns out the MFA doesn’t just offer the opportunity to admire master painters, you can become one yourself! The museum holds 8-week studio art classes for artists and newcomers of all levels. From traditional media like drawing and oil painting to art history and fashion illustration, your every artistic passion can be pursued.
Featured Class: Drawing in the Galleries gives you the best of both worlds. You can spend significant time with the works of the MFA’s collection and then practice your own drawing fundamentals in recreating those works.

4) Cheese School at Curds & Co.

Where: Brookline Village
When: Winter courses begin January 13
Info: Yes, you read that correctly. You can attend Cheese School and it’s just as delicious as it sounds. Curds & Co. cheese shop is passionate about education and they host multiple courses a week to make cheese lovers feel comfortable and informed about the food.
Featured Class: Cheese Plate Personality is part of what Curds & Co. calls their core curriculum, it’s the perfect place to start. Here you’ll get a comprehensive overview of different types of cheese, their flavors and origins, and how to pair them in a masterful cheese plate.

5) Film School at the Coolidge Corner Theatre

Where: Coolidge Corner
When: Winter courses begin January 11
Info: The Coolidge Corner Theatre is one of Boston’s most beloved historic theaters and they take their role of screening new and old films and educating the public about them very seriously. In their education program you can take a one-day seminar related to a specific film or a multi-week course focusing on a specific filmmaker or theme.
Featured Class: Godard in the ‘60s examines filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard’s style over the course of five films. You’ll watch the movies then discuss with the instructor.

6) GrubStreet

Where: Seaport
When: Winter courses begin January 6
Info: GrubStreet is Boston’s creative writing hub, offering courses in everything from personal essays and novel writing to screenplays and memoir. This is where you tease out that great American novel you’ve been ruminating on for years.
Featured Class: Intro to Fiction helps students tell the story they've been wanting to tell, but had no idea where to begin. By the end of the class you’ll have made significant progress towards a full first draft and learned a lot about the craft along the way.

7) French Library

Where: Back Bay
When: Winter courses begin January 11
Info: Prepare yourself for that journey to Paris, or just to properly order a croissant at Tatte, by learning French at the French Library in Back Bay. They offer online and in-person courses to fit your schedule and learning style and host lots of fun events at the library where you can practice your technique.
Featured Class: Beginner French 1 is the best starting place to get your feet wet in the new language. The “Short Track” version is only 6 weeks instead of 10, a lighter time commitment but with just as much instruction packed in.

8) Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts

Where: Jamaica Plain
When: Winter courses begin January 9
Info: Get immersed in a new craft or learn how to make furniture, books, clothing, and more by hand at the Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts. Though you can study fine arts like painting and drawing here, the greater focus is on applied arts, learning skills like woodworking that can be applied to many different areas of life.
Featured Class: Take a Basic Woodworking class to learn about choosing and working with wood, managing power tools, cutting stock, and assembling basic joinery. At the end of the class you’ll have a wooden box made from your own hands and license to take more advanced classes like furniture making.

9) Brookline Center for Adult Education

Where: Brookline
When: Winter courses begin January 10
Info: Like its Cambridge counterpart, the Brookline Center for Adult Education is a fantastic place to learn a wide range of new skills, from cooking and sewing to welding and data analysis. They offer multi-week courses, single-day or short-term workshops, and even certificate programs.
Featured Class: In the UX Design class you can earn a Google Certificate in UX Design by taking this self-paced online course. BCAE partnered with Google on a number of these courses so you can learn a variety of employable tech-based skills on your own time.

10) Boston Ballet Adult Dance Program

Where: Downtown
When: Winter courses begin January 24
Info: If you’re going to learn to dance, why not learn from the best? The Boston Ballet offers multi-week workshops, masterclasses, and even open dance hours when adults can learn the fundamentals of ballet technique. Don’t worry, no experience is required for these courses.
Featured Class: Foundations of Ballet 1 teaches all the essentials of ballet technique from posture and vocabulary to mechanics like arm and leg placement. The 18-week course is intended for absolute beginners.

10 Fun Workshops and Classes for Adults in Boston

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10 Fun Workshops and Classes for Adults in Boston

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