- 28 May -28 June 2026
- For Writers
- Workshop
The Art of Playfulness – A writing workshop for aspiring children’s authors
Sade Fadipe
The Art of Playfulness
Saturday 30 May 2026, 1.30pm – 3.00pm
Museum of Chelmsford, Oaklands Park, Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, CM2 9AQ
A writing workshop for aspiring children’s authors inspired by Kes Gray’s Oi Chelmsford! exhibition.
Come along to a hands-on workshop that will inspire you to craft your own stories. Delivered by Sade Fadipe (author of prose, poetry and playscripts) who was first inspired by the Quentin Blake’s playful style, during an Author visit to a school she taught at many years ago. Sade’s narrative and unusual journey into authorship is enough to motivate anyone with dreams of one day becoming published!
Tickets: £20 / £15 concessions (students, under 27s and unwaged) includes entry to Museum of Chelmsford
Museum of Chelmsford Members can use still use their 10% off discount benefit when booking online. All members will have received a promocode in a recent email, but if you haven’t received this, contact them direct on museums@chelmsford.gov.uk or by calling 01245 605700.
This event is part of Oi Chelmsford! – a day of family storytelling, and artist and writing workshops at the Museum of Chelmsford set against the fabulous backdrop of the exhibition Oi Chelmsford! Kes Gray: Chelmsford Born and Read – a celebration of the work and life of Chelmsford-born bestselling children’s author, Kes Gray.
Event Information
☕ The Hive Cafe will be open and serving drinks and food.
🚗 There is limited free parking at the venue.
♿ The venue is wheelchair accessible. There are disabled facilities on site. Find out more at chelmsford.gov.uk/museums/accessibility/.
📸 We will be taking photos at this event. If you do not want your photo taken please let a member of the team know on arrival.
🌐 Find out more about visiting the venue at chelmsford.gov.uk/museums/visit/museum-of-chelmsford/.
Sade Fadipe
Sade’s memories of her early rural life in Rolvenden, Kent, with her English foster mother, and of later accompanying her parents to live in Nigeria, remain deeply rooted experiences that have shaped her understanding of culture and belonging. She holds a first degree in English Linguistics, a postgraduate qualification in Primary Education, and a Master’s degree in Creative Writing and Publishing.
Her interest in writing was sparked in 1996 when guest author Sir Quentin Blake visited a school where she was teaching. Her debut book, A Fun ABC (Cassava Republic Press, 2016), followed by the US edition, A Visit to Grandad (2019), was nominated for the Mock Caldecott Awards and also chosen as one of the 50 Best Family Literacy Books in Pennsylvania in 2020. She is also the author of the middle-grade book Snowy Joy, a tale of refuge adapted into a play and co-produced twice at Colchester Arts Centre in 2025. She currently serves as programme director at CALFEvents CIC, a platform celebrating multicultural books for children.
Website: sadefadipe.com/
