For the artists and creatives, here's your list of outlet activities in Cape Town. From baking and stitching, to painting and crafting, there's so many ways to get creative in the MotherCity.
The Pottery
‘Living life creatively’
Located in Camps Bay, this establishment allows you to select and paint your very own Wonki Ware. Artists of all ages and abilities can choose from the selection of ceramics items and getting crafty while tucking into the incredible food and enjoying the sounds of the Camps Bay strip. For those that love retail therapy too, be sure to check out the shop; supporting slow fashion and local entrepreneurs, you’ll find eco-conscious beach, urban and surf labels.
📍: 41 Camps Bay Drive
⏰: 07:30-17:00 (07:30-19:00 Friday & Saturday)
🗓: On Wednesdays, kids paint half price and parents are rewarded with a complimentary drink too. On Fridays and Saturdays, painters can enjoy Happy Hour between 17:00-18:00, and there is live music twice a month too!
Paint at Art Jamming
‘Bringing you the joy of paintertainment’
Suited to any age and level of painter, the studio provides the perfect place to play, paint, sponge and splat any and every of the 45 colors available. It’s about putting on an apron, facing a blank canvas and letting your creativity flow freely. For those that would like a helping hand, qualified artists are available to assist, teaching you skills that would make Bob Ross beam. This is a great space for larger gatherings like team building and family bonding, to intimate solo expeditions and creative daters.
📍: V&A Waterfront
⏰: 09:00-18:00, Monday-Sunday
Sweet LionHeart
What started as a dark kitchen bakery, has evolved into an institution known for it’s cute cakes and incredible workshops. Based in Maker’s Landing, Sweet LionHeart hosts cake decorating and assembling workshops to refine your decadent design skills. From royal piping and isomalt sculptures, to fresh floral arrangements and slanted tiers, the courses range in creativity and type making each class a unique learning opportunity. Get a taste of the experience here.
📍: Maker's Landing, Cape Town Cruise Terminal
⏰: 09:00–18:00 Thursday – Sunday (retail)
🗓: The next workshop, focused on two-tier fresh floral and buttercream cake decorating, is scheduled for Saturday, 25 June
Craft Club at The Ladder
Established with the goal of nurturing an appreciation of traditional arts, the Ladder is the beautiful union of coffee and craftsmanship. Through workshops, exhibitions and events, the Bree Street coffee shop provides the perfect spot for local artists and creatives to get crafty and learn, together. For example, the first two Wednesdays of every month, the Cape Town Craft Club gathers at The Ladder (18:00-21:00) - the bimonthly sessions provide a sociable and fun alternative to making art at home.
Other events, like 'Painting with Coffee' and 'Watercolor Workshops' are held often, and provide an awesome after-work activity. Be sure to look at their social media for updates.
📍: 136 Bree Street, Cape Town
Gin Mixing at Distillers Union
Whether you fancy yourself a top-notch bar tender, or simple a loyal taster, you can be both at Distiller’s Union. With their Gin-making and Gin-tasting events, hosted regularly from Thursday to Saturday, you can get creative with your tastebuds while learning the 'art of alcohol'. While your distilling knowledge is already a great take-away, the Gin-Making course allows you to custom make a 500ml bottle of gin, and hand designed label, to enjoy after too. The workshop also let's your line your stomach and order pizza from Sweet River Brewery.
📍: 156 Victoria Road, Woodstock
⏰: secure your slot online, Thursday - Saturday
Xhosa Art Workshop
Learn the art of traditional South African handcraft. Meet authentic amaXhosa handcrafters. Here we deepen into centuries old skills; understand the indigenous plants used and become a part of understanding the meditative, creative and communal practice of creation with just your hands.
Choose this fun filled morning or afternoon in which you have an option to create you very own ingobozi (basket) or ikhuko (mat). These are two very symbolic cultural crafts that you are invited to embrace.
The lesson will be held by our teachers who love sharing their cultural stories and joy of handcrafting. A true bonding human experience through creativity.
Meet a community and be apart of a cultural revival. A gift to you from a rich South African cultural history.
Clay Cafe
HOUT BAY:
With two locations in the Mother City, Clay Cafe offers two oases for ceramic creatives. The 2.5 acre property in Hout Bay provides the ideal spot for families: with an innovative playground laid on lawns of grass, the painting area allows the little ones (and older ones too) to enjoy the outdoors and paint their hearts out. Click here for a preview of the process.
📍: 4080 Main Road, Hout Bay
⏰: 09:00-17:00
BREE STREET:
The Bree Street branch, on the other hand, gives adults the peace and quiet to paint while enjoying the buzz of the city late into the night. It’s a great place for friends, colleagues and daters to gather.
📍: 199 Bree Street, CBD
⏰: 10:00-17:00 Monday-Tuesday
10:00-22:00 Wednesday- Saturday
09:00-18:00 Sunday
Graffiti Art in Muizenberg
Express your inner artist and create your very own urban masterpiece with our Graffiti and Street Artist, SergeOne. After a few years of painting graffiti styled lettering he now explores nature and includes the aesthetics of graphic elements and is inspired by our natural world. In this unique experience you will get to learn from him, and paint an artwork on a wall, outdoors amongst the fynbos in Muizenberg. It's a unique and awesome experience to try, especially since so much of the Mother City is decorated with wall murals and urban art.
📍: Muizenberg
⏰: 2 hours, book online
🗓: To see some of his art, take a look at Serge One's instagram.
Bo-Kaap Cooking Lesson
'We offer more than food, we offer a Bo-Kaap cultural experience.'
From rolling rotis and frying chilli bites, to cooking curry and wrapping samoosas, Faeeza’s Home Kitchen is a fully interactive session. The cooking classes are designed to suit all tastes, including vegetarians and vegans, making it a great way to bond with friends whilst experiencing something new. Aside from the tried-and-tested tricks and techniques of Malay cooking, Faeeza strives to convey the passion for her culture by making it accessible to all.
The cooking class always ends with an intimate lunch or dinner at my dining table.
📍: Bo-Kaap
⏰: 2.5 hours, book online
🗓: If you havent already seen 'Somebody Feed Phil' on Netflix, take a look at the Cape Town episode for Faeeza's feature!
