December Happenings

Happy Holidays to You and Yours This December!

Holiday Bazaar

Saturday, December 3, 12-4 pm

Join us in the Ives Café and Café patio for a holiday bazaar! Previous participants of the Make to Sell cohort will be selling their goods and services. Finish up your shopping and support small businesses!

Exchange Events

Entrepreneur In-Residence

Rosalind 'Roz' Zavras is a non-profit operations expert with over 15 years of experience. Roz has created her own practice, Aropa Consulting, for small and growing nonprofits.

EIR Office Hours

Tuesdays, 10 am-12 pm

Wednesdays, 1-3 pm 

All office hours will be in-person in December.

Session 1: Building Sustainable Teams:

HR and Self Care Strategies to Create a Team That Lasts

Tuesday, December 13, 12-1:30 pm

We will delve into the complex and wonderful world of Human Resources in this session. We will review strategies to create a healthy employee lifecycle and weave self-care into your policies and practices so that you can create a thriving team that avoids burnout. This session will feature a special guest speaker: Barb Nangle. This program will be virtual only.

Session 2: Strategic Priorities for the Growing Non-Profit: How to Create a Strategic Plan and a Board That Works

for You

Monday, December 19, 5-6:30 pm

As we wrap up the year, let's start thinking about what's next! We will walk through how to build a basic strategic plan that will carry you into 2023 and beyond. A key part of your strategy will be board development! Bring any and all questions you have about how to grow, maintain, and manage your board of directors. This session will feature special guest speaker: Diana Essex-Lettieri. This program will be virtual only.

Recent Titles for the Exchange

Tinker Lab Events

The Tinker Lab provides the training and tools for experimentation and an introduction to the world of creating and making, an essential element of the 21st-century learner.

Creative In-Residence

Vicky Blume is a New Haven artist and web designer. This is her eighth autumn in the city. Blume has lit up community engagement for Artspace and Creative Arts Workshop. This August, she joined Fractured Atlas, a non-profit tech company providing business tools for artists.

CIR Office Hours

Mondays, 6-8 pm (IN-PERSON)

Tuesdays, 1-3 pm (VIRTUAL)

Logo Design Series: Concept Workshop

Wednesday, December 7, 6-7:30 pm 

Do you want your brand to shine? Start with a strong, eye-catching logo design. Join digital designer Alana Ladson and CIR Vicky Blume for an interactive logo design workshop, covering topics like logo concept development, color selection, and impactful shapes. Participants will be guided through a hands-on design exercise on paper, to focus on color, line, and shape. No computers will be used, and no design experience required! Refreshments will be provided.

Logo Design Series: Canva Workshop
Saturday, December 10, 1-3 pm 

Intimidated by Illustrator and Photoshop? We feel you. Join digital designer Alana Ladson and Creative-in-Residence Vicky Blume for an interactive logo design workshop using Canva. Participants will be introduced to the Canva interface and review logo ideas as a group before diving into a logo design hour. No design experience required! Refreshments will be provided. 

Your Artist Archive: Getting Organized
Saturday, December 17, 1-3 pm

(Rescheduled)
As artists, creating and organizing an archive of what you've created in your lifetime can feel daunting. Get organized with CIR Vicky Blume with relaxing music and coffee in Ives Squared. Bring your laptop, hard drive, or online storage and learn how to create a basic archiving system for their artwork—and then get to work! Non-artists are welcome to bring other archival projects.  

Your Artist Archive: Public Photobooth 
Tuesday, December 20, 6-7:30 pm

(Rescheduled) 
Have you been meaning to photograph your artwork, but something keeps getting in the way? Join CIR Vicky Blume for an artwork photo booth. Bring the artwork you would like to get photographed, and we will share files with you by email. This public photobooth features free coffee and a selection of art photography resources to explore and take home. 

DIY Holiday Ornaments
Saturday, December 10, 10:30 am-12:30 pm

The egg-bot is a cool new machine that allows

you to draw on round and egg-shaped objects

like golf balls. In this program, you will learn how to use the machine while decorating a one-of-a-kind holiday ornament to bring home with you! 

Registration is not required but recommended.

We are looking for new Skill Share participants!

Skill Share is a volunteer program where participants share their neat skills with others! From knitting to coding to folding paper lucky stars, nearly anything is possible!  Workshops can be single programs or a series, and volunteers can get community service hours for the time they are running the workshop!  Ives Squared will even provide the supplies (within reason).

If you are interested in joining Skill Share, you can ask for an application at the Switchboard desk or contact Rose Simpson at [email protected] for more information.

Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator Assistance

Make a one-on-one appointment to learn the basic skills of Photoshop or Illustrator. You can sign up here or email Abby at [email protected] for assistance with your project.

Learn the Tinker Lab Machines by Appointment or Online

If you are interested in learning the machines in Ives Squared, you can schedule an appointment here. If you are unavailable at any of these times, please contact Jennifer Gargiulo at [email protected].

You can now learn how to use our machines online!  Watch the training video for the machine you want to learn at your convenience.  When you are ready, call us to schedule your certification test!