Somerville Skillshare is a educational platform that organizes free, DIY classes in the Greater Boston area.
We started in 2014 with a huge kickoff event that featured over 40 classes and 800 attendees. Now, we’re hosting a monthly workshop series in the Somerville Armory Cafe, with more exciting stuff planned down the road.
It’s a way to learn new skills, jump-start new hobbies, and meet other people with similar interests, all in a fun and informal setting. And best of all, it’s completely free!
Why did we organize Somerville Skillshare?
We are all teachers. We are all students. Drawing inspiration from Skillshares that have happened in other cities (such as Brooklyn and Boston), we seek to create a communal, hands-on, learning experience that serves as a jumping-off point in the construction of an autonomous, nonexclusive, reciprocal learning community right here in Somerville.
We also want to empower local residents–artists, artisans, professionals, hobbyists, individuals–with a highly visible platform that allows them to showcase their unique talents to a broad community of learners. Read some of the Teacher Q&As we’ve conducted in the past to see what we mean.
Why Somerville?
Somerville has the second highest number of artists per capita in the United States (after NYC) and is home to a hugely diverse population from all walks of life. A Skillshare is where the creativity and craft of this 75,000-strong city all come together.
Want to help us organize a future workshop? Got an interesting skill you’d like to share with your community? We’d love to have you. Send an email to SomervilleSkillshare@gmail.com and say hello.
somervilleskillshare.org 
Hi,
Love what you are doing! Want to use your model to bring together specific neighborhoods (Fort Greene/Clinton Hill/Bed-Stuy, in Brooklyn) rather than city-wide. And to do it ongoing through out the year with individual SkillShares. Would like to speak to someone from your group — sure we can leave a lot from how you organize and promote. (Know about the Gowanus, Brooklyn SkillShare group and am also contacting them)
You can see the write-up of our SkillShare launch at http://www.wearebyfc.org
I’m best reached at 718-852-9342 in mornings. Or let me know who I might call.
Peace & future –
Trayce Gardner
Brooklyn Young Filmmakers
Hi Trayce,
Thanks for the message. Let’s chat the week of March 2nd, after our Skillshare has taken place. We’ll have more free time and more insight, too. In the mean time, good luck with the project!
– Skillshare team
Thanks for the response back. I look forward to hearing from you after your big event.
– Trayce
We’d like to offer an improv class next year or this year if you can squeeze us in!
I am sad to have backed your kickstarter and then not realize that an RSVP was necessary until now. I understand you didn’t realize you would get this response so you would need to cap registration, and I also understand the kickstarter was independent of attendance — still, if there is something you could do to allow people who donated for the event to be able to get in, that would be appreciated. The kickstarter project did not mention a cap on attendance and only briefly mentioned an RSVP.
hi Dawn! No worries about the RVSP, we only had to start a waitlist since the Armory can only hold so many people. Just get there early and you’re good to go! Thank you so, so much for your donation!!!
all the best and hopefully see you Sunday,
Camille
Awesome concept. Wow, so good to see this. My best wishes from India.
Warm regards,
Anupam Rawat