October in NYC: Autumn Is For Resting, Relaxing, and Rebuilding Creative Energy

Welcome to The Creativity Digest, a monthly newsletter series from Akin! We’re bringing you some of the most interesting creative classes, workshops, events, and pop-ups around New York City every month so that you can find your creative community. It’s time to turn your local neighborhood into your creative playground!

Spend your time resting and reflecting on the year this October!

As sweaters come out and the leaves begin to change, New York City’s creative scene also shifts: more hands-on workshops, indoor art strolls, moody pop-ups, and intentionally seasonal gatherings. This season, we hope you have the opportunity to turn inwards and look at the opportunity to shed the leaves of this year’s activity.

October invites us to slow down and reconnect with ourselves. It’s a month for cozy rituals, thoughtful making, and gentle resets and (SOUP!), a moment to rebuild creative energy without pressure. Whether that means picking up a new craft, visiting a local gallery, or simply gathering with others who love to create, autumn offers a chance to explore your artistic side with warmth and intention.

This month, we’re spotlighting art fairs, botanical dye classes, haunted gallery walks, and craft markets perfect for getting inspired (or just stocking up on your fall decor).

Photo by Kerstin Wrba on Unsplash

Calling all writers & community builders!

We’re looking for passionate, unique, and introspective writers who want to work on their creative journey with us! If you want to help others connect with their inner creative, please email info@discoverakin.com with a writing sample.

Become a regular at your favorite third place: Many studios offer punch cards or memberships — ask about multi-class discounts to save while you grow your skills, NYC Drawing Room will punch your card each time you drop in!

Never miss an event highlighted in this newsletter: Subscribe to get next month’s digest delivered straight to your inbox to plan out your weekly dose of creative events, workshops, and more! Share this newsletter with your friends 💗

---

Creative Happenings

Try something new with a workshop:

October 7th: Bundle dyeing – Learn the basics of extracting color from plants for accessible and sustainable naturally-dyed fabric. We’ll explore techniques of directly imprinting fabric with the petals, leaves, and roots of dye plants to create beautiful patterns. Materials will be provided, but feel free to bring along some light colored natural fabrics to experiment with (cotton, linen, wool, etc)!($90) – Website! Textile Arts Center, Ridgewood

October 7th: Journaling Sunset Sessions – Join Emily Chertow for an evening of reflective writing, creative expression, and community connection. The evening will start with gentle, mindfulness-based journaling prompts related to the changing seasons, allowing participants to explore themes of renewal, letting go, and new beginnings. (FREE) RSVP. Domino Park, Brooklyn

October 10th: NYC Halloween Film Festival – Join us for an evening of chills and thrills as we showcase the creative visions of killer up-and-coming filmmakers. Early access for filmmakers and Q&A session included! Link ($33.85) Anthology Film Archives, East Village

October 14th: Matchbook shadowbox – Born from their love of custom shadowbox by Behind The Matches, this workshop transforms your collection of matchbooks into tiny works of art. ($88) – The Craft Nook, Williamsburg

October 16th: Candle Making Experience – Experience the scientific art of candle making at our speakeasy! You’ll get to choose from a variety of jars, fragrances, and pour your own luxury candle. We provide all materials so you can focus on having a good time. Buy tickets here ($75) – Bushwick, Brooklyn

October 18th: Vegan soap making workshop with autumn scents — create 4 bars using natural ingredients and essential oils. We’ll discuss lye safety, oil, scents and add-ins, and make soap together in small groups. You’ll get to take home a few soaps to continue curing and use after a few weeks. ($40) – Brooklyn Brainery, Prospect Heights

October 18th: Halloween Smoke & Sketch Figure Drawing — A 2-hour Halloween-themed figure drawing session with smokable items. Materials included. Raffles and surprises, too! Buy tickets ($39.19) Bushwick, Brooklyn

October 23rd: Zines 101 — A monthly creative workshop for adults to learn the art of zinemaking. Participants will receive lessons about the history of zines and their contribution to self expression and political engagement. Through the use of simple materials, create a meaningful impact. No experience necessary, imaginative spirit encouraged! More information here. (FREE) - New York Public Library, Bronx

Up-level with a class series:

October 6th–20th: Intro to woodcarving series — Learn knife safety, whittling patterns, grain reading, and finishing techniques across three hands-on sessions. You’ll carve your own wooden spoons from start to finish, plus learn how to maintain your tools. All materials included, and you’ll take home creations! Great for beginners with zero experience. Site ($175-$560) – Makeville Studio, Gowanus

October 16th–Nov 6th: Darkroom photography course — Step away from digital and learn traditional film development and black & white printing across 4 immersive sessions. Cover film loading, chemical processing, contact sheets, and enlarger techniques in a fully equipped darkroom. You’ll develop your own rolls and print your favorite images to take home. Bring your film camera! Enroll in the course now! ($695) – Gowanus Darkroom, Brooklyn

October 10th-December 5: Ceramics + Glassblowing — In this uniquely designed 8 week course, students will explore an exciting exchange between ceramics and glass through the slump molding and fusing process. Once the glass is slumped into the molds the clay will be glazed to make a separate finished object. This experimental process allows the exciting opportunity to see projects completed in both ceramic and glass! Buy now ($850) – UrbanGlass, Brooklyn

Attend a fun creative event:

Every Saturday 10 AM - 5PM: Dumbo Flea — vintage goods, handmade jewelry, and artisan foods scattered across a sun-dappled schoolyard. Grab a coffee and wander through the vendors of treasures. Website (Free entry) – Dumbo, Brooklyn

October 9th-12th: New York Comic Con — massive pop culture convention with artist alley, cosplay competitions, celebrity panels, and exclusive merch drops. Book tickets early! (Tickets required on Comic Con Website) – Javits Center

October 10th: Gallery Ghost Walk — a guided evening tour through haunted Chelsea galleries, uncovering artist lore, mysterious disappearances, and unexplained art world mysteries. Your guide shares spine-tingling stories of cursed paintings and supernatural studio happenings. Costumes encouraged, flashlights provided! End the night with drinks at a speakeasy. Website ($23.18) – Chelsea

October 14th: NYC Queer Zine Fest — independent publishers, DIY culture, and self-published work all day long. Browse hundreds of zines, comics, and artist books from makers across the country. (Free entry) Instagram – Public Hotel, Lower East Side

October 17th: Halloween Cult Classic Drag Night — Expect thrilling Halloween-inspired drag performances by Phaedra and her queens, DJ LEIF spinning spooky beats, raffles with killer themed prizes, haunting decor, and a few chilling surprises along the way. (FREE) RSVP here

October 17th–19th: Open House New York Weekend — free access to NYC’s most fascinating architectural spaces, design studios, and normally off-limits buildings. Explore everything from historic churches to contemporary high-rises. (Free, registration required) – Launch party is on the 19th! Website. Citywide

October 17-19th: Sunset Park Art Walk — gallery crawl through Brooklyn’s emerging art district with openings, artist talks, and studio visits. Discover this under-the-radar creative neighborhood with open arms! (Free) – Sunset Park, Brooklyn

October 19th: Artists & Fleas Regeneration Vintage Market — rotating weekend market with vintage fashion, art prints, handmade goods, and local designer pieces. Open Saturday and Sundays but especially buzzing in the afternoons! Website (Free entry) – Williamsburg

October 25th: Kimera Festival — Music, storytelling, and food celebrating Upper Manhattan’s creative community. A unique opportunity to partake in global unity in Morningside Heights. Come in costume! (Free) – Morningside Heights, Harlem

October 25th: City of Gods — This immersive and enormous Halloween party is created in partnership with 10+ Burning Man camps and creative visionaries – Buy your tickets here! ($99-$199) Industry City

October 27th: Village Halloween Parade — NYC’s legendary costumed march through the West Village, featuring giant puppets, marching bands, and thousands of creative costumes. Join the parade or watch from the sidelines — either way, it’s unforgettable! Halloween (Free) – Greenwich Village

October 19th: Halloween Howl at Tompkins Square Park —costume contest for dogs (yes, dogs!) with prizes, treats, and lots of tail-wagging fun. Bring your pup in their best costume or just come for the cuteness overload! Website *(*Free) – East Village

November 1st: Día de los Muertos Art Market — celebrate with traditional crafts, face painting, altar-building workshops, and authentic food vendors. Honor loved ones and learn about this beautiful tradition. (Free) – East Harlem

---

Support Us!

Do you know of a community-driven creative studio, art cafe, third place, or maker space that isn't on our directory? Are you a business owner of a space where people can discover new hobbies, develop skills, or connect through creative activities?

Fill out our form to get the business added to our directory! We're expanding our listings to include all kinds of places where curiosity and learning thrive—from pottery studios and art cafes to cooking schools, music spaces, dance studios, woodworking shops, and more.

Submit a Business here!

Follow us on Instagram & Tiktok @discoverakin for the most up to date news & exclusive content. Tag us whenever you do something creative to be featured on our page! Email us at info@discoverakin.com for questions or comments!

---

Happy creating and thank you for joining us on this creative journey!

Visit Akin to access the directory and learn more about us.

Until next time,

Your Creativity Guides 👨‍🎨