The Best Creative Classes in Hobart if You're Dying to DYI

While the Tasmanian capital is known for its top-tier restaurants and breathtaking natural scenery, Hobart is also an emerging arts hub – attracting creative types to its shores thanks to it being the home of MONA (the Museum of Old and New Art) and the Dark Mofo festival.

If you’re a budding artist yourself, there’s plenty of creative classes in Hobart to allow you to explore your own skills. From painting to photography, flower arranging to pottery, why not try everything to find your hidden talent?

Here’s all the best creative classes in Hobart to indulge your arty side.

Glazed & Confused Pottery

The fabulously named Glazed & Confused hosts two types of classes in its Hobart pottery studio. Build & Booze is a hand building session in which you’ll use coiling and pinch pot methods to create a small pot for a plant, a bowl or a vase during the class. In Wheel & Wine, you’ll be guided in using a pottery wheel for your clay creation. Just make sure you’ve got one hand free for your glass of complimentary wine! The studio offers more intensive courses as well, so jump online to explore all the creative classes on offer.

52b Bathurst Street, Hobart

Luke O’Brien Photography

Local lensman Luke O’Brien runs workshops all over Tasmania – which checks out when you think about how photogenic this state is. His Hobart-centric creative class runs for half a day and kicks off in the foothills of kunanyi / Mt Wellington, where Luke will help you snap the perfect pic of a Tasmanian waterfall. From there, you’ll make your own way across the Derwent River to the Eastern Shore to get a stunning sunset shot of the city. Cross your fingers for a clear and cloudless night!

Hobart, Tasmania

Phoenix Creations Wood Carving

Head down to the artsy enclave of Cygnet – about 45 minutes south of Hobart – for a creative class with a difference. Join David and Michelle of Phoenix Creations for a wooden spoon carving class, making your own timber utensil from scratch. The process of wood-carving is incredibly mindful, so you’ll find that it’s a relaxation session and workshop in one. The class includes a delicious morning tea and everything you need to turn a block of timber into your very own homemade wooden spoon.

31 Golden Valley Road, Cygnet

Pour n’ Sip Candle Making

Make the most of Tasmania’s beautiful local scents (like golden honey and cherry blossom) by hand-crafting your own soy wax candle. Run by Little Creations Co., which sells locally-made candles at loads of markets and homewares stores around Tassie, in this fun and creative class you’ll make two of your own hand-poured candles to enjoy. Held in the charming town of New Norfolk, about 40 minutes north of Hobart, take your friends and your favourite drinks and nibbles – it’s BYO, so no doubt you’ll be pouring a local Pinot as well as your wax.

Willow Court, The Avenue, New Norfolk

Painting at Archaica Schola 

Create your own masterpiece at Hobart’s very first paint and sip studio Archaica Schola. You’ll be armed with nothing but a blank canvas, artistic ambition and a full wine glass, of course! With classes running regularly in Hobart’s CBD, you can tackle a famous artwork (Vincent Van Froff or Froffies with Frida are just two of the booze-themed classes on offer) or pick a more modern piece to adorn your wall. While the quality of the artwork can’t be guaranteed, the good times can be. For something a bit more technical, Archaica Schola also offers painting courses if you really want to brush up on your skills.

2/121 Macquarie Street, Hobart

Lily & Dot’s Crochet Classes

Channel your nanna energy and learn the art of hooking and yarning with a Hobart crochet class held by local gift store Lily & Dot. You’ll get everything you need to learn the basic crochet stitches and be on your way to making your own full-size crochet blanket some day. There’s two different options to pick from: Hump Day Hook & Yarn, a one-hour beginners’ class held across the road at café Island Espresso or a two-hour Saturday crafternoon class at Lily & Dot where you’ll make your own granny square.

Island Espresso, 171 Elizabeth Street, Hobart 

Lily & Dot, 150 Elizabeth Street, Hobart

Earthenry Flowers

Just a 25 minute drive south of Hobart in the delightfully named Lower Snug is Earthenry, a flower farm offering seasonal creative classes in flower picking and arranging. During peak flowering periods, the farm has more than 100 varieties of flowers to (literally) pick from. Learn to make flower garlands, arrange your own bouquet, create a wreath and even how to decorate a festive table – all in the beautiful surroundings of Earthenry’s vibrant gardens.

3 Waldie Drive, Lower Snug

To wrap up your creative adventure in Hobart, why not dive headfirst into one of these inspiring art galleries? If you're visiting in the cooler months, there's also no shortage of winter activities in Tasmania to enjoy. Whether you're soaking up local art or embracing the season's charm, Hobart offers endless ways to fuel your creativity and make the most of your time in Tasmania.