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Gem of an Idea: Free monthly workshops and meet-ups in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce

From documentary screenings to hands-on workshops, all the events are free with registration on the Benny Library’s website.
Rana Liu · CBC Communications ·
Written title 'A Gem of an Idea' with the Benny Library and CBC Montreal logos to the bottom left. To the right, a hand holding a lightbulb with the CBC gem in it.
(Kerry Ho/CBC)

CBC Montreal is partnering with Benny Library in ​​Notre-Dame-de-Grâce to host Gem of an Idea — a series of free monthly events dedicated to sparking new ideas and conversations through a mix of information and interactive activities.

Our upcoming events:

From documentary screenings to hands-on workshops, all the events are free with registration on the Benny Library's website. 

Our schedule:

Photo of the Benny Library's first floor, with bookshelves and people sitting and walking around the space
Benny Library in NDG has a library, stage, outdoor space and a makers space (Photo from Benny Library)

Past events

Tuesday, Dec. 5 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Best in Miniature: Come create your dream kitchen miniature using 3D modeling and printing with show-and-share guest speaker and miniature artist Tamar Cohen. All ages. Registrations now closed

Saturday, Jan. 20 | How to tell your story: An in-person interactive workshop to learn about what journalists look for in a good story and get tips and insight on how to pitch yours. Adults. Registrations now closed.

Saturday, February 17 | Spice Club: Spice up your cooking! Kick-off Benny Library's new Spice Club with CBC Montreal's Sonali Karnick, who really likes to mess around in the kitchen, as she puts it. The Spice Club will be a place to experiment with global spices and blends, turning cooking into an adventure. The launch - to be aired in part on All in a Weekend -  is a collaboration with Bienvenue à NDG and the Depot Community Food Centre's Saveurs du Monde program. All ages. Listen to the episode here. Registrations now closed.

Sunday, March 17 | Screening of Absolutely Canadian documentary Woods Music & live music concert with Gráinne (Maison de la Culture Pavillon Botrel): Celebrate St. Patrick's Day by diving into the history of Irish music at the Pavillon Botrel with a special screening of Woods Music and a live music performance by Gráinne. All ages. Registrations now closed.

Wednesday, April 3 | Screening of Absolutely Canadian documentary Champions (Maison de la Culture Pavillon Monkland): Montreal filmmaker Helgi Piccinin follows his younger brother, Stéphane, who has autism, on a three-year journey to the 2019 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Abu Dhabi. All ages. Registrations now closed.

Saturday, May 4 | How to tell your story: An in-person interactive workshop to learn about what journalists look for in a good story and get tips and insight on how to pitch yours. Adults. Registrations now closed.

Sunday, April 21 | Screening of The Nature of Things episode Curb Your Carbon: To celebrate Earth Day, let's find ways to protect our planet to make it a happier, healthier place to live with a special screening of Curb Your Carbon, narrated by Ryan Reynolds. Following the screening, Svens Telemaque, a spoken word artist, will lead participants through a workshop that use poetry to speak out loud about our climate anxieties. All ages. Registrations now closed.

Saturday, June 1 | Screening of Telling our Story/Laissez-nous raconter: To mark National Indigenous History Month in Canada, Benny Library and CBC/Radio-Canada will host a screening of the bilingual series Telling our Story/Laissez-nous raconter. Following the screening, artist Megan Leinen, who is Mi'kmaq from her mother's side, will be leading a Beading Circle. All ages. Registrations now closed.

Desks and tables of the Benny Library's Fab Lab. A 3D printer and tools are in the background.
Benny Fab Lab is a makerspace that has three 3D printers on site for users to experiment with. (Photo from the Benny Library)

Be sure to check out CBC Corner on Benny Library tablets to discover more CBC content.

Collab, CBC/Radio-Canada's partnerships program with public libraries, was created to engage more deeply with Canadians — especially those who are underserved and underrepresented.

Title of "A Gem of an Idea" to the left. In the middle, a hand holding a lightbulb with the CBC gem. Logos of the Benny Library and CBC Montreal to the right.

Share your experience online with us and your friends: #cbcmontreal

Keep in touch and stay social with us: @cbcmontreal

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rana Liu

Communications Officer

Rana Liu is a Communications Officer at CBC Quebec working in community engagement and outreach. She has previously worked in community development and education. She is looking for new ways to connect with underserved communities on the stories and issues that matter to them.

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