Arts Cafe : January with Jean Mills

January guest artist: Jean Mills

We’re delighted to welcome Jean Mills as the first guest artist for Arts Cafe.

Jean is an artist and Arts for Health practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of creativity, wellbeing and community. She has spent many years creating welcoming, supportive spaces where making art becomes a way to connect, reflect and build confidence, particularly for people who may not see themselves as “artists”.

For this first Arts Cafe, Jean will be leading a hands-on Tetrapak printing session, offering a gentle introduction to the process and the chance to have a go yourself. Tetrapak printing is an accessible, experimental printmaking technique that encourages play, mark making and exploration rather than perfect results.

Alongside the practical element, Jean will share a little about her own practice and her experience working with art in community and wellbeing settings. The evening is informal and supportive, with space for conversation, questions and shared making.

No previous printmaking experience needed. Just curiosity and a willingness to give it a go.

Arts Cafe is a new monthly evening event bringing artists, makers and the wider public together in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

Some people may remember Arts Cafe as a much loved programme that ran in Shrewsbury years ago. We’ve long wanted to bring it back, and we’re excited to be relaunching it at English Bridge Studios as an artist led, community focused series.

Held on Tuesday evenings, Arts Cafe offers a chance to hear directly from artists about what they do, how they work, and what inspires them. Each session will feature an artist or maker sharing their practice through talks, demonstrations, informal discussions or hands on tasters. The format is intentionally flexible, encouraging conversation, curiosity and exchange rather than formal presentations.

Arts Cafe is open to everyone. Whether you’re an artist yourself, studying, thinking about getting back into making, or simply interested in creativity and culture, you’re very welcome. No prior knowledge needed, just curiosity and an interest in the arts.

We see this monthly event as a space for connection.

A place to meet others, share ideas, and feel part of a growing creative community in Shrewsbury and beyond.

Tickets £10

We’ve kept tickets affordable to make Arts Cafe accessible 🙌

Optional donations are welcome and help support the upkeep of the building, allowing us to continue running artist led events and care for this shared creative space into the future.

Parking is available nearby at Abbey Foregate car park.

Disabled access is possible by arrangement.

Interested in presenting?

We welcome expressions of interest from artists and makers who would like to take part in a future Arts Cafe. Formats can be informal and experimental, from talks and demonstrations to discussions or sharing work in progress.

Please get in touch via the studio website for more information.