Experience Level: All Levels

Learn the skills of improvisation, including scene creation and team dynamics at Improve Your Improv on Thursdays, Aug 21 through Oct 2 in the Music Barn.

Kyle Tasch returns to The Farms to teach this popular course, which will be jam-packed with improvisational fun that will use both short-form games and long-form scenes in its sessions.

This will not be a place to sit down, hear lectures, and take notes, as students will be performing as much as possible! It will be a get-up-and-perform kind of class. The class will emphasize the mechanics needed to act out an entertaining and meaningful scene on the spot with no script.

Students who have already completed this class are welcome to join again. Beginners and those experienced in improv are all encouraged to join! 

$100/person for the series or $25/class. Register for the entire series by Aug 14 or the Monday before each subsequent class. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

About the instructor

Kyle Tasch is an improvisor, improv teacher, filmmaker, writer, actor, comedian and musician from the Chicago suburbs. He started performing improv in 2004 and has been improvising in front of audiences regularly since 2015.

He has also taught classes both in-person and remotely at Westside Improv in Wheaton, Illinois. He performs live across the state in various comedy and music acts and has produced hundreds of videos and songs.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basics of painting with acrylic paint at Intro to Acrylic Painting on Wednesday, October 8th from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio. 

Instructor Kari Keller will teach students the basics of sketching out guidelines, color selection, color mixing, and brushing techniques. Students will create a colorful fall scene on an 8" x 10" canvas to take home with them. 

$75/person. Register by Oct. 8. All sales are final.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Kari Keller has been a Champaign/Urbana resident since 2008, originally hailing from the tiny community of St. Anne. Illinois. She has had a passion for art since she could hold a crayon and loves to experiment with many different styles, rarely sticking to one theme for long.

Keller has dabbled in cartoons, acrylic pouring, zentangles, patterns, logo design, pottery painting and other art forms. Her influences include Alphonse Mucha, HR Geiger and the art of Northwest coastal Native Americans. She also has a thriving side business as a face painter.

Kari is happiest when immersed in a new project and can’t imagine life without art!

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, outdoor education, science, storytelling, and wellness. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

Ready to be a kid again?! Camp Lost Garden might just be the place for you! Disconnect for a weekend and take time for good old-fashioned fun, relaxation, and adventure!

Campers will enjoy classic camp activities like arts and crafts, group games/races, campfires (with stories and s’mores!), nature hikes, and more! In some cases, these kid-inspired activities come with an adult twist (e.g., bloody mary bar, cocktail crafting workshop, “boots and brews” hike, etc.)

Grab your gear and get ready for a packed weekend of fun! Whether you are an organization looking to boost team morale, a group of friends who want a good time, or an individual interested in meeting new people while finding time for self-reflection, there is something for all to enjoy!

We wouldn’t be a real summer camp without some ground rules! Be sure to check them out here.

PRE-REGISTRATION will be open through March 28, 2025. Campers are able to secure their spot with a non-refundable deposit of $175 during this time. The remaining balance will be due one month prior to camp arrival. After March 28, camp fees will be due in full at the time of registration.

$350/camper. All sales are final.
Registration includes all activities, meals, snacks, and drinks.

Overnight accommodations must be purchased separately:

— Hotel rooms are available at a discounted rate of $80/night + tax. Please call us at 217-333-3287 to make your reservation.

— Tent camping is available on the Bowling Lawn adjacent to the Mansion. Communal showers will be available on the third floor of the Mansion. You can sign up for a primitive tent camping spot ($50) as an add-on when registering for camp.

Interested in being a camp counselor? Fill-out an application here.

If you will need disability-related accommodations in order to participate, please email jmgiffor@illinois.edu.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn the basic mechanics of using a spinning wheel to make your own yarn at Learn to Spin Yarn on Wednesday, Oct. 29 and Thursday, Dec. 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio. 

After a brief introduction from instructor Stephanie Block, students will have time for hands-on spinning practice and the opportunity to spin alpaca fiber into yarn using Ashford scotch tension Traditional or Traveler wheels. Discussion of fiber production and preparation methods will also be included.

$130/person. Registration closes one week before each course begins, or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Stephanie Block is the co-owner of Sundrop Alpacas near Bement. She has been producing popular yarn from her own alpacas for more than nine years. Stephanie’s spinning style is self-taught, and she is continuously learning so that she can share that knowledge with others.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn to weave wherever you are at Flat Loom Weaving on Sunday, Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Mansion Library.

Whether you are at home, on a road trip or relaxing in a café, this portable weaving technique is perfect for turning downtime into productive, mindful crafting. Instructor Danielle Reed will cover basic weaving techniques, how to set up your loom, color mixing and finishing touches — all using compact tools that fit in your bag!

Students will leave with their own unique weaving, plus the confidence to keep creating at home!

$70/person. Registration will close Oct. 30 or when capacity is reached. All sales are final.

Learn more about the space where your course will take place here. If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Danielle Reed is a long-time art lover who resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. She has had her hands in fiber since a young age and loves to learn new arts and crafts.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn a unique art form at Introduction to Stained Glass on Wednesday, November 12 from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio.

Kari Keller will teach students how to cut, shape, and assemble a stained glass butterfly suncatcher in Introduction to Stained Glass. All students will take home a butterfly refrigerator magnet at the end of the workshop.

$90/person. Register here by November 5. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Kari Keller has been a Champaign/Urbana resident since 2008, originally hailing from the tiny town of St. Anne, Illinois. She has had a passion for art since she could hold a crayon and loves to experiment with many different styles, rarely sticking to one theme for long. Kari enjoys teaching acrylic painting, mosaic, and stained glass. She also has a thriving side business as a face painter. Kari is happiest when immersed in a new project and can’t imagine life without art!

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, health & wellness, history, nature & outdoor education, or science. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.

Experience Level: Beginner

Learn a unique art form at Introduction to Stained Glass on Wednesday, December 3rd from 5 to 8 p.m. in The Studio.

Kari Keller will teach students how to cut, shape, and assemble a stained glass butterfly suncatcher in Introduction to Stained Glass. All students will take home butterfly refrigertor magnet at the end of the workshop.

$90/person. Register here by November 26. All sales are final.

If you will need disability-related accommodations to participate, please email Olivia Bunting at owarren@illinois.edu.

By attending, you consent to your image being used in Allerton marketing, social media and publications. Please alert the photographer or videographer if you do not want your image taken.

About the instructor

Kari Keller has been a Champaign/Urbana resident since 2008, originally hailing from the tiny town of St. Anne, Illinois. She has had a passion for art since she could hold a crayon and loves to experiment with many different styles, rarely sticking to one theme for long. Kari enjoys teaching acrylic painting, mosaic, and stained glass. She also has a thriving side business as a face painter. Kari is happiest when immersed in a new project and can’t imagine life without art!

About The Farms

The Farms: An Allerton Folk School, offers classes, workshops, and gatherings focusing on art, health & wellness, history, nature & outdoor education, or science. All experiences value hands-on, experiential teaching and learning, and are facilitated by and for the members of the community.