Going Out - Walking as Creative & Community Practice (Winter 2025)
Walking is basic and beautiful. Especially when it's cold, dark and in the throes of winter. The perfect time to walk with others!
In this six-part winter workshop, we will explore every angle of Rebecca Solnit's book Wanderlust: A History of Walking by walking, reading, talking about walking and then walking some more.
"Like eating or breathing, it can be invested with wildly different cultural meanings, from the erotic to the spiritual, from the revolutionary to the artistic." ~ Rebecca Solnit
Moving at 3 miles per hour will be a tangible means to further explore wandering, the art of slowness and re-connecting with our public spaces.
Part book club, part walking club and a roaming community workshop, we will meet 6 times in February and March to break through those Winter Blues. Four Tuesday nights and two Saturday mornings.
We will take on a variety of walks - Frick Park walks, Homewood Cemetery walks, residential neighborhood walks and Main Street/business district walks.
As a class we will be using Are.na to collect our weekly thoughts. Texts, images, PDFs and quotes having a bit or a lot to do about walking. Wanderlust will be our main reference point, but other books and writers will be incorporated into class discussions.
Chas Wagner (co-founder of Paper & Dirt) will be leading the Tuesday Night walks and discussions, but will be joined by walking artists and friends along the way. Walking, reading and outdoor movement are an integral part of Chas's creative practice.
What You Receive in Signing up for the 6-part Series
- 1 copy of Wanderlust by Rebecca Solnit
- 1 copy of a lined MD Notebook (A5 size) for collecting thoughts, bodily sensations and walking dreams
- Invite to Are.na Group for content sharing outside of the inbox and social media
- 2 Saturday Field Trips (complimentary coffee at partner cafes during these walks)
- 4 Tuesday night rambles
- Visiting Walker and Facilitator for both Saturday field trips
- Supportive community of walking artists and creative practitioners
Schedule
- Tuesday, February 18th 530pm-730pm
- Tuesday, February 25th 530pm-730pm with Jen Bannan
- Saturday, March 1st 9am-1pm with David Bernabo (Walking Tour: The Work of Architect Art Lubetz)
- Tuesday, March 4th 530-730pm
- Tuesday, March 11th 530-730pm
- Saturday, March 15th 9am-1pm with Kim Beck
Tuesdays
530-730pm at Paper & Dirt. 60-75 minutes of walking. 45-60 minutes of discussion from select Wanderlust readings and reflection on the walk.
Saturdays
9am-1pm on Saturdays. Covering 6-10 miles and multiple Pittsburgh neighborhoods, we will stop halfway for coffee and/or tea, based on the routes. We will practice flaneuring, rambling, traversing and walking as artistic practice through our city streets, parks and paths.
Resources
Syllabus, participating teachers and walking routes will be provided in early February.
Cost
Full Series
Early Bird (until January 24th, 2025) $150
Normal Pricing (ticket sales end February 14th, 2025) $200
Couples series passes are available for $250 Early Bird or $350 Normal Pricing. Discount applied at checkout when purchasing 2 or more passes.
Individual Sessions
Early Bird - Tuesdays $20, Saturdays $40
Normal Pricing - Tuesdays $25, Saturdays $45
***The individual sessions do not include a physical copy of the Wanderlust book, the lined MD notebook or access to the group Are.na channel.
Financial Assistance
Two scholarships for the full series are available for 50% off class admission. Please apply here.
Location
7105 Reynolds Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15028 (Point Breeze)
Class Size
Max of 12 participants.
FAQ
1) What about inclement weather? In the case of icy roads and sidewalks, freezing rain or heavy snowfall, classes will be cancelled. For Saturday field trips, we will make the call by Friday at 9pm and for Tuesday classes, we will make the call by Tuesday at 1pm.
2) What kind of gear do I need? For Tuesday nights before Daylight Savings (Sunday, March 9th, 2025) we strongly recommend a headlamp and any reflective gear. For Saturday walks, we recommend a backpack, water, hat, gloves and snacks to stay fueled throughout the day.
3) What is the expected terrain? The first three Tuesday nights (Feb. 18th, Feb. 25th and March 4th) will be on streets, sidewalks and paved paths for better visibility and safety. The last Tuesday night (March 11th) will be on park trails and rougher terrain due to an extra hour of daylight!
4) What are the benefits of signing-up for the whole series, rather than individual sessions? Tangible benefits include a physical copy of the Wanderlust book, the MD lined notebook and access to the Are.na channel. The intangible benefits are continuity with a dedicated group of walking enthusiasts and the opportunity to build close relationships over the course of the six sessions.
5) What is the rain and make-up date for cancelled classes? Tuesday, March 18th is the make-up for any cancelled Tuesday night classes. Saturday, March 22nd is the make-up date for a cancelled Saturday field trip.
6) What are the community benefits?
- Meet new friends outside of a traditional classroom experience
- Gain a better understanding of the Point Breeze, Squirrel Hill and Shadyside neighborhoods by navigating on foot
- Exposure to a wider network of Pittsburgh individuals and community organizations where walking is part of their practice and programming
7) Is there a refund policy if I need to drop out of the class before it starts?
If you let us know at least 7 days before the class starts on February 18th, you will receive a 100% refund on your registration fees. Within 7 days of the class start, you will receive a 50% refund. No refunds once the class begins on February 18th, 2025.
8) What will class discussions focus on? Walking and psychogeography - the study of how a geographical location affects a person's emotions and behavior. How moving on two feet through specific Pittsburgh locations; such as Frick Park, the Homewood Cemetery, the neighborhood of Point Breeze and the business district of Squirrel Hill affects our mood and connection to this specific place in the world.
9) What if I can't attend all of the classes if I sign-up for the series? Obviously, we hope you can make every session and get your money's worth, but understand life, work and family can get in the way of long walks in Pittsburgh. Please let us know in advance which sessions you won't be able attend and we'll do our best to provide you with all print and digital material from that particular meet-up.
10) Is there a class deliverable or output? No tangible output is required at the end of our six weeks together. It is optional in the last class on Tuesday, March 11th for participants to share a quick presentation of a current/upcoming project or writing piece they have compiled during the class.
Questions We'll Be Exploring
1) What does it mean to walk in 2025?
2) How is walking in Pittsburgh different than walking in other places you've lived or walked in?
3) What is the most memorable walk of your life?
4) What walking practice or project would you like to incorporate into your life or in your community?
5) How can walking save the world?
6) How can walking not save the world?
7) Is walking a counter-cultural statement?
8) How slow or fast should humans move? Is walking an appropriate pace?
Still Have Questions & Concerns
Please send an email to hello@paper-dirt.com for any questions on accessibility, course material or date conflicts/scheduling.
All participants will have to sign a waiver before taking part if any of the walks.