Design and Create Kente Patterned Necklaces

This Black History Season, Camden Libraries invites families to join artist Nicola J Reid for a vibrant, hands-on creative workshop inspired by the bold patterns, colours, and symbols of Ghana’s traditional Kente cloth.

Kente is more than fabric – it’s a language of colour, identity, and storytelling. Every pattern carries meaning: gold for royalty, green for growth, black for strength, and red for sacrifice. Using this tradition as inspiration, participants will explore how colour and symbols can express who they are and what matters to them.

Together we’ll design and make personalised necklaces that carry each maker’s unique story. With stickers, paint sticks, pencils and markers, families will experiment with their own patterns and colour combinations to create something meaningful and beautiful. The activity encourages self-expression, cultural learning, and joyful creativity – while celebrating one of Africa’s most iconic art forms.

This is more than a craft workshop – it’s an opportunity for children and adults alike to learn, share, and connect through art, heritage, and imagination.