The Joy of Making
Save the Date and join us for The Joy of Making: Artistry, Handicrafts, and Creativity in a Digital Age from July 25-27, 2024, in Wilmore, Kentucky!
Artistry, handicrafts and creativity in a digital age
The joy of making
Join us at our 2024 annual gathering from July 25-27, 2024, in Wilmore, Kentucky! This conference will be a time of exploration and growth as we unpack Charlotte Mason’s ideas on handwork, life skills, and the joy of making. We’ll study the impact of creative work and discuss how artistry connects to many areas of the feast, sometimes in surprising ways. Our sessions will honor the old and embrace the new, and of course, we’ll live out what we teach as makers of beautiful and useful things! We hope to see you there!
From Thursday afternoon to Saturday afternoon, we will gather to listen, discuss, and explore Mason’s thoughts on the joy of making in a number of diverse sessions, including keynote talks, practical immersions, workshops, and fireside chats.
The entire conference will be surrounded by the beauty of the Kentucky bluegrass, the local history and handwork, and the warmth of food, conversation, and community. (And, if you can't make it in person, we have plans for you too!)
Participants--including teens ages 13 and older! --will experience lively discussion and community throughout the conference and leave not only knowing and experiencing Charlotte Mason better themselves but also knowing better how to offer a Charlotte Mason education (including some fascinating handicrafts) to others.
"Again we know that the human hand is a wonderful and exquisite instrument to be used in a hundred movements exacting delicacy, direction and force; every such movement is a cause of joy as it leads to the pleasure of execution and the triumph of success. We begin to understand this and make some efforts to train the young in the deft handling of tools and the practice of handicrafts. Some day perhaps, we shall see apprenticeship to trades revived and good and beautiful work enforced. In so far, we are laying ourselves out to secure that each shall "live his life"; and that, not at his neighbor's expense; because, so wonderful is the economy of the world that when a man really lives his life he benefits his neighbor as well as himself; we all thrive in the well being of each."
~Charlotte Mason, Philosophy of Education p. 328
Speakers
Come join conversations on Charlotte Mason, handicrafts, creativity, artistry, and more in the beautiful Kentucky bluegrass. Interested in sharing your expertise? Submit a session proposal!





Schedule
We'll release the detailed schedule to attendees as the event gets closer. Until then, here is a general schedule for the conference:
Pre-Conference Events
2:30pm - Welcome & Keynote 1
5:00pm - Dinner
6:15pm - Keynote 2
8:00pm - Fireside Chat
7:00 - 9:00am - Breakfast
8:30am - Matins
9:00am - Keynote 3
10:30am - Breakout Round 1
12:00pm - Lunch
1:30pm - Breakout Round 2
3:00pm - Eve Anderson Tea & Lecture
5:00pm - Dinner
6:30pm - Keynote 4
8:00pm - Evening Activities
Artistry, Handicrafts, and Creativity in a digital Age
Conference Location



Travel & Accomodation
Plan your visit to the visit to the Kentucky Bluegrass! Conference activities will take place at Asbury Theological Seminary, which is less than a day's drive from much of the eastern and midwestern US and southeastern Canada. Travel, lodging, and local attractions are suggested here. Why not add a few days to your trip to explore the area? Meals options will be posted in the coming months.
Getting to Asbury
- Main Conference Location: Asbury Theological Seminary
- Closest Airport. Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, KY (LEX), closest airport, a 25 min drive to campus.
- Other Options. Louisville International AirportCincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport
Local attractions
Nearby Lexington is the perfect host city for a conference focusing on artistry and creativity, with many museums and local arts centers. Here are just a few of the places you won’t want to miss.
- Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center - is an arts and entertainment center located in the heart of Lexington featuring diverse galleries from local artists.
- University of Kentucky - Fine Arts Museum - with more than 4,000 items in their permanent collection, every art admirer will find something to behold.
- Take the Lexington Mural Challenge - discover all the street art Lexington has to offer, from high-profile commissioned artists to anonymous painters, you’re sure to find some thought-provoking pieces.
- Loudon House - a National Parks Historical Site in Lexington, gothic revival, home of the Lexington Art League.
- Take a one hour drive south to the Kentucky Artisan Center, a free museum where all artwork is locally made. Enjoy lunch in their cafe. Located in Berea, KY.
- Drive a bit over an hour to the Wendell Berry farm and Bookstore!
- Drive about two hours to visit the Red River Gorge or Mammoth Cave National Park!
- Three hours away is the UNESCO Cultural City of Paducah, KY - the quilting capital of the US and home of the National Quilt Museum.
Lodging
- On-Campus Lodging. Due to summer renovations, we have a limited number of apartments available on campus, with priority given to guests from flying into town to join us. Fill out this interest form for more details.
- Comfort Inn, Nicholasville, KY - Double Queen and King rooms available. Free hot breakfast included. 10-15 minute drive to campus. Call to reserve your room, and mention the CMI Conference at Asbury Seminary for a special rate of $69/night.
- Holiday Inn Express. Nicholasville, KY -Double Queen and King rooms available. Full buffet breakfast included. 15-20 minute drive to campus. Call to reserve your room, and mention the CMI Conference for a special rate of $141/night.
- Shaker Village Inn, Harrodsburg, KY - We have blocked the East Family Dwelling for our guests in this beautiful historic village ~15 minutes from Asbury - please call to reserve your room, rates of $147/night.
Other places to stay
- The Hampton Inn Nicholasville - Brannons Crossing
- AirBnB has many beautiful options in the area, a particularly great option for groups.
- Check out these charming cabins and find other unique camping/glamping spots on hipcamp.com
- Outdoor lovers, adventurous spirits, and RVers might consider Cummins Ferry RV and Campground where you can bring your own camper or rent one of theirs, located on the beautiful Kentucky River (40 mins drive to campus).

more information
FAQ
We’d love it if you could join us at Asbury, but if you can’t, we still have something special for you. This year, in keeping with our theme of creativity, we are planning a “CMI Virtual Conference in a Box.” This will include recorded presentations from the conference in July, with digital access for 60 days as well as activities to delight all your senses. Sign up here to be the first to receive updates on this option!
Great! You can find information about accommodation options above on the conference page. If you are coming with a group, we recommend booking a local airbnb or reserving several hotel rooms near each other. If you are flying into town for the conference, we have limited apartment lodging available on Asbury's campus which you can apply for here. Reach out to conference@cminst.org with additional questions.
Yes! We'd love to have you as part of our team of volunteers! Whether greeting attendees at the door or helping with tech or photography, your presence and support would mean the world to us. You can fill out the volunteer application here!
If you are a teen or enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, you are welcome to attend at the discounted student rate! There are a limited number of teen registration available for the teen track at the conference.
Refund requests received by April 15, 2023 will receive a refund minus a $30 cancellation fee. After April 15, we are unable to provide refunds.Tickets are transferable as long as the transfer request is received by April 15.
We’re excited to hear of your interest. Please read through the Call for Proposals document and email conference@cminst.org with any further questions.
Meal options will be posted closer to the conference date. Many lodging options include a free breakfast, but we plan to share lunches and dinners together as these times for conversation are a critical part of the conference!
our sponsors
Interested in sponsoring? We love to highlight relevant organizations and individuals for attendees and the entire international community influenced by this conference. Reach out to conference@cminst.org for more information.
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