Keep visiting this page, as we will be updating it regularly
We have moved some of our links to our YouTube Channel so that you can see all of them together. We have a culture and creativity playlist, a reading playlist, and some favourite channels
You can view and book our programme of online events for adults and children here
Events and Activities
Creative Cafés
If you enjoy being creative, but feel you’ve lost your mojo why not sign up for one of our free 8 week creative cafés?
Expect to meet 2 experienced artists who will help you to try out all kinds of activities from working with clay, drawing, painting collaging, stitching, origami and printing.
Our creative café at The Centre@Burnholme starts on 26 April and will be every Monday from 1-3pm
Our creative café at York Explore starts on 12 May and will be every Wednesday from 10am-12 noon
The creative cafés are part of York Mind’s Mental Health and Well-being Activities Programme 2021. To enrol, please contact activities@yorkmind.org.uk, telephone 01904 643364 option 5, or visit their website
- Ilkley Literature Festival is holding its Spring Programme on 27 and 28 March. The events are online and will be available on demand until 30 April.
- York Dance Space has created some Mindful Movement audio sessions where people over the age of 55 can participate at their own pace and level in the comfort of their own homes.
- Ilkley Literature Festival have created a series of podcasts called Settee Seminars featuring short talks about a wide range of topics along with reading lists.
- York Mind has launched its Mental Health and Well-being Activities Programme 2020-21 with a range of virtual and in person activities.
- Throughout this year the National Railway Museum are hosting a series of free Climate Talks—panel discussions, Q&As and events connecting you with leaders, experts, activists and campaigners as they discuss how to tackle the problems facing our communities due to climate change.
- York’s Festival of Ideas went digital this year and recordings of some of the events are still available.
- York artist Mim Robson has created #CreativeDiaryClub on Facebook where people can share what they are creating, large and small, successes and failures.
- Join Chris Bartram at the virtual NCEM for feel-good Cuppa and a Chorus sessions every Monday.
- We have two online reading groups you can join,
- You can sign up to Goodreads and join Explore York Reading Group
- You can join our Share the Joy group on Facebook, just search for the group and ask to join.
- Collective Acts from York Theatre Royal including a Lockdown Legends Challenge
- Our downloadable colouring pack is for young and old alike. Using images of stained glass and original drawings from the archives of J W Knowles & Sons, there is something for all abilities.
- Virtual book events and reviews from the Bookseller’s BookGig
- How to Academy ongoing events, podcasts and videos
- Tiny Revolutions of Connection are activities to do at any time from Fun Palaces
Free e-books or online reading
- From Explore e-books and emagazines & newspapers
- A short history of Literary York
- Classics and books published before 1924 Project Gutenberg
Free e-audiobooks
- From Explore e-audiobooks
- BBC Sounds – Click on the latest episodes to find the whole series BBC Sounds audiobooks
- Audiobooks from LibriVox
Podcasts
- Thrilling tales – Seattle Public Library’s Storytime for Grownups.
- Women’s Prize for Fiction
- Penguin podcasts
- Damian Barr’s Literary Salon
- British Library podcasts
- The Spectator book club
Culture
- Google Arts and Culture – lose yourself for hours, also available as an app
- The Guardian links to 10 of the world’s best museum and gallery tour
- The Guardian links to 10 virtual tours of the world’s most famous landmarks
Music
- The Shows Must Go On – showtunes, backstage access and full performances from some of the best loved musicals in history..
- Ticketmaster’s guide to finding the best live-streamed gigs
Theatre and Dance
- National Theatre Home – full length live plays every Thursday at 7pm, available for one week.
- Sadler’s Wells Facebook Page – clips and links to ballet
- Northern Ballet – pay as you feel digital season
Learning
- Free online courses from the Open University, supported by free e-books on Kindle