Hands-on Workshops & Classes in Chennai

Weekend workshops are one of the easiest things to book in Chennai, and they run in studios and cafés across Adyar, Besant Nagar, Alwarpet, Nungambakkam and Anna Nagar. Pottery and wheel-throwing, acrylic and watercolour painting, resin and candle-making, baking, coffee brewing and photography are the staples. The city's own crafts are worth seeking out: kolam drawing, especially during Margazhi, Tanjore painting, kalamkari, block printing and handloom weaving. DakshinaChitra at Muttukadu on the ECR runs craft workshops and hands-on activities alongside its heritage houses, and Kalakshetra in Thiruvanmiyur maintains a craft centre for weaving and kalamkari. Before Navaratri and Pongal, look for golu-doll painting and pot-painting sessions for children. Most workshops include materials and take small groups, so book a few days ahead.