Weirdo Art School Is in Session at Oakland’s Bathers Library

Bathers Library founder Justin Carder describes his venue as “a rogue art school.”

The library/classroom/event space opened in downtown Oakland late last year, on Telegraph Avenue between Beeryland and Johansson Projects. Since then, the library has established itself as an eclectic gathering space matching the welcoming vibe of Carder’s earlier endeavor, E.M. Wolfman Books.

A small sampling of recent activities includes figure drawing sessions with live models, a “Radio for Emergencies” workshop hosted by the Lefty Radio League (a local group that helps leftists learn how to build and use ham radios), and an open studio with a library artist in residence. Events are announced on the Bathers Library Instagram in a signature graphic style: bold colors, big text, a healthy dose of fluorescence.

Next week, Bathers will host its largest and most complex series of events to date: a summer symposium running Aug. 20–24.

Carder says over half the presenters were previously unknown to him. “It’s fun to meet them and be like, ‘Hey, I don’t know, let’s do this,’” he says. “That’s been a lot of the energy around the project, a lot of new folks.”

The symposium will consist of approximately 43 events, by last count. They include an opening night conversation between Headshot author Rita Bullwinkle and KQED Forum host Alexis Madrigal about writing and intense physical activity; a waffle-fueled clothing swap; a workshop that promises to help you finish writing that song; and a history of gay and lesbian solidarity with the Sandinista revolution.

“Things got really wild and fun,” Carder says of the response to his requests for proposals. The symposium is inspired by his experience with free schools, and closer to home, the Oakland Summer School program, which ran 2018–2020.

Passes for the entire symposium start at $50, single-day tickets will be available at the door, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Individual workshops have their own sign-ups and registration fees, set by the facilitators.

Carder hopes to provide a $250 honorarium for each session, depending on how pass sales and donations go. The weekend will close with a group visit to Good Hot, the Bay-adjacent sauna at Richmond’s Point San Pablo.

“David Wilson is going to do a closing something,” Carder says. “I don’t know yet what it is, but it’s going to be great.”

This is the Bathers Library way: start with an ambitious structure, add an abundance of energy, have faith that the fine details will work themselves out. What’s important is what happens in the moment, to all those willing to share their time, thoughts and skills in this enthusiastic experiment.

Bathers Library’s Summer Symposium takes place Aug. 20–24 at 2310 Telegraph Ave. and other participating venues. Find tickets and more information here.