About Our Creative Minds Summit
Artistic Artifacts began our Creative Minds Summit in 2023 to provide our talented and enthusiastic customer base with exclusive fiber & mixed media classes taught by nationally known instructors in an immersive, collaborative environment.
Registration is now open for our 2025 edition, taking place Thursday, April 24 through Sunday, April 27, 2025 at our shop in Alexandria, Virginia.
This year Artistic Artifacts owner Judy Gula is joined by the following talented fiber & mixed media artists: Julie Booth, Kecia Deveney and Leighanna Light. We can’t wait to welcome them — and you!
“Loved it all! Great venue! Lovely people who own & staff the store. Great experience.” — 2024 Summit Attendee
Visit our Workshops & Events page to register for your choice of Summit classes. Our class/event listings are in chronological order. Each Creative Minds Summit class is listed separately — look for the SUMMIT flag. Single day classes have a $159 registration fee or $318 for a two-day class.
Each class listing provides details on the class content, supply list, kit fee, and information about the acclaimed mixed media artists making up our faculty. Please note the cost of your kit fee, which is payable to your instructor the morning of your class. Many materials are supplied for you and most student supply lists — included in the class description — are minimal. Please review the supply lists for your selected class in advance.
It’s important that you use an email that you check frequently (including reviewing promo/spam/junk folders or tabs) when you register for any Artistic Artifacts class. Add sales@artisticartifacts.com to your email’s safe list, or otherwise approve it (check your own email provider information) to ensure receiving all communications about the Summit and more.
“I love in-person oohing & aahing and being able to brainstorm & share” 2023 Summit Attendee student
Frequently Asked Questions
What is covered in the registration fee? Your registration fee ensures your seat in class — Summit instructors prepare kits for their classes, which vary in cost. Your kit fee is separate and must be paid to your instructor the morning of your class. Your registration fee includes the following:
- Lunch is provided to attendees each day. Registrants will be notified in advance of the Summit regarding the available lunch selections*.
- ‘Swag bag’ with fiber & mixed media products, ephemera and other fun goodies!
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Special Summit student discount of 15% off all store purchases (Excludes gift card purchases, future class registrations and BERNINA sewing machines).
- You may start a hold ‘basket’ of items you wish to purchase, including items you will be using in class. We ask that your purchases be completed by the end of the day, or each day if you are attending 2-day or multiple classes (i.e., not all held until the last day)
I’m from out of town: do you have hotel recommendations? We enjoy welcoming out of towners for the Summit — it’s an event that’s worth traveling for! If you’re flying, choose Reagan National Airport (DCA) as your destination. The Visit Alexandria website details more about our wonderful city and offers many hotel options in the area.
The following are located just minutes from our shop and have hosted previous students and instructors for Artistic Artifacts:
- Courtyard by Marriott
- Holiday Inn Alexandria - Carlyle
- Comfort Inn & Suites Alexandria Van Dorn Street
Times & Locations? All classes are held at our store in Alexandria, VA. Each class description lists its location — some classes are in our second-floor space, with access via stairs only.
- Creative Minds Summit classes are scheduled from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, with one hour for lunch.
- For the Summit, Artistic Artifacts opens at 9:30 am (30 minutes before class) to allow time to register/check in and settle in the classroom.
Are there opportunities to connect before the Summit? Artistic Artifacts maintains a private Creative Minds Summit Facebook Group:
- Click to visit our private Facebook Group page and request to join. When asking to be let into the group**, please email us if your Facebook name is different than the name/email address which you used for registration.
- This private group — reserved for registered participants in the Summit — is an opportunity for attendees to collaborate and share information and requests, such as seeking to car pool to our shop.
- For out of towners staying in hotels, considering noting which one you are staying at in the Group’s comments — if other attendees are also staying there, you can ride share, plan dinner together, etc.
“My first time at the Creative Minds Summit! Well organized, great classroom, very nice lunch was included. Appreciate the shopping discount.” — 2024 Summit Attendee
More on our location: Alexandria is one of the Condé Nast Top 3 Best Small Cities in the US and features preserved 18th- and 19th-century architecture in its Old Town district, which is just minutes away from our shop. Old Town Alexandria features acclaimed restaurants; wonderful shops & boutiques and a vibrant arts culture, including the Torpedo Factory Art Center, which nationally recognized as one of America’s Top ArtPlaces.
Our shop in Alexandria also a quick trip to Washington DC, with its exceptional lineup of museums, monuments and more. Plan a trip with family and friends and make either city your home base — they’ll be happily occupied while you’re attending the Summit! Visitors can get around the area without a rental car by exploring the robust Metrorail (subway) system that covers the metropolitan DC, Maryland and Virginia area, with a stop approximately 10 city blocks from our shop. (Alexandria, VA map courtesy of VisitAlexandria .com
“Love you folks and this place so much. You’ve nourished my creativity for more than a decade & I am eager for more.” — 2024 Summit Attendee
* Because of the size of this multi-class event, we cannot accommodate special menu requests or substitutions. If you need to bring your own lunch, Artistic Artifacts has a refrigerator and microwave available for your use.
** Check your Facebook notifications for confirmation of approval as a member of the Creative Minds Summit private Facebook group. We’ll approve Summit registrants as soon as possible after your request to join, but since this is not an automated process, please allow up to 24-36 hours.
