Love to learn with the WEA

Our languages and culture courses span the length and breadth of England and Scotland, with the option to study online or in person at a time that suits you. Whether you’re looking to learn a new language and immerse yourself in another country, or you simply wish to indulge in your love and fascination of film, we have the course for you. 

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Our creative writing courses will nourish your inner writer, providing you with a platform to develop your love of poetry, non-fiction or script development. If literature courses are more your kind of thing, then you’re in luck too, as there are a wide range of topics to choose from.  

Literary greats and great periods in history

Our language courses offer you the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a completely new culture, developing your skills so that you can speak confidently in countries right across the world. German, Italian and Greek are just a few examples of the language courses we have to offer, with many others taking place throughout the year.  

As you’d expect, literary greats such as Agatha Christie and Shakespeare feature regularly. There’s also the option to examine other time periods in English literature too, helping you develop your critical reading and analysis skills - perfect whether you’re a beginner or more experienced in the subject.  

If you prefer history then you’ve got a choice too, from courses on subjects you’d expect such as the first world war, or art history and studying the works of iconic painters such as Salvador Dali. 

Support and guidance

Whatever course you choose, you'll learn in a supportive environment where the class sizes are small, ensuring you get the attention you deserve, with an experienced and qualified tutor on-hand to guide you through your learning too.  

A lot of our cultural learning is delivered by our branch network: learn more here.

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Beginners Spanish

Do you want to learn Spanish? ¡Vamos! Let’s go! Study Spanish for beginners to learn the essentials to get by in Spain. These basic Spanish courses will immerse you into the vibrant cultures of Spanish-speaking countries while you daydream about your next trip. In this basic Spanish language course, you’ll learn essential grammar and vocabulary to start communicating right away. It’s ideal if you want to dip your toe into the language.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 04/06/2024 -
Tue 09/07/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Bullion Hall (Chester le Street)
South Approach
Bullion Lane
Chester le Street
DH2 2DW
Tutor:
Ignacio Gonzalez
Course code:
Q00015419
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Creative Writing: Explore Your Writing

This five week series of workshops will explore your creativity. We will concentrate on writing drawn from personal experience, writing poems and short stories. Each session will concentrate on one specific aspect of inspiration and technique, and at the conclusion of each session students will have created enough material to be in a position to write the first draft of a piece of prose or a poem. We will explore how to develop personal experience and transform it into writing. We will also explore narrative shapes of the short story: causative situations, rising action, climax and denouement versus alternative strategies, plot construction: how to build convincing narratives. We will discover characterisation, how to develop psychologies for your evolving characters and traditional and contemporary techniques for poems. Each workshop will be self-contained but taken together will establish the main elements of writing short stories.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 04/06/2024 -
Tue 06/08/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00014816
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Creative Writing: Describe It To Me: Descriptive Writing

Competent in creative writing but lacking in confidence or experience? This 6 week course aims to explore several key concepts in relation to utilising description in our stories. Following a warm welcome into a studious and supportive classroom community, a variety of engaging activities – both solo and collaborative – will help you improve skills, gain confidence, and achieve your goals. A range of multimedia references and utilities will be implemented throughout the course, complimenting a weekly extracurricular routine and active learning environment. You will also receive feedback and constructive critique from the tutor and your peers per the exercises and your desired guidance as well as support toward publication upon request.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 05/06/2024 -
Wed 10/07/2024
Times:
7:15pm - 9:15pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Shaun Kennedy
Course code:
Q00014486
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Introduction to Intermediate Spanish

Build up your knowledge of everyday Spanish and gain confidence communicating on your next trip. This is the introductory course where you will start your journey on an intermediate Spanish lessons and it will boost your language skills so you feel comfortable communicating in everyday situations. Order food and drink, ask for directions, and understand basic instructions. After this introductory course you can join the longer intermediate Spanish language course in September, or else you might feel confident enough expressing yourself in Spanish after the short course.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 05/06/2024 -
Wed 17/07/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
7 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Andrea Ostapski
Course code:
Q00015106
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £51.80

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

Literature: A Short Introduction to Feminist Writing

Take up an opportunity to sign up for a short course on a general introduction to feminist literature. Sessions will look in detail at female authors. We will examine what is feminist writing, and its seminal characteristics, through discussion and lecture. And also examine and learn about its contribution to literature and the relevance of their work today.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 05/06/2024 -
Wed 19/06/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
Kate Delamere
Course code:
Q00015274
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £34.50

Literature: Rediscovering Women Authors: Two comic novels by Stella Gibbons

In this course we will read and discuss two books by Stella Gibbons, an author whose reputation as a comic writer rests on one well-known satire of popular novels about rural life: Cold Comfort Farm (1932). In fact she wrote more than 30 novels, though most have been out of print until recently. We will be focusing on two of Gibbons’ comic novels with contrasting settings: rural Sussex in Cold Comfort Farm and suburban Hampstead in Westwood (1946). Through friendly and accessible discussions of both texts, we will learn more about their stories, characters and themes, and consider the nature of their author’s distinctive comic voice.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 06/06/2024 -
Thu 11/07/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kim Shahabudin
Course code:
Q00013753
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Creative Writing: Return of the Writer’s Roulette Workshops

The return of this fun, friendly and structured approach to aid you in finding inspiration, putting pen paper and get writing as we let fate guide us! We let the 'hand of fate' take us on a fresh approach to finding & maintaining that vital spark of inspiration, motivation to write fiction. A spin of the wheel will decide the subject area for the week in a fun and friendly chance to meet and share ideas with others, exploring useful tricks and tips - whilst importantly gaining some knowledge in he ways of story craft, developing some genuine writing skills and getting writing!

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 06/06/2024 -
Thu 04/07/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Stephen Joseph Theatre (Scarborough)
Westborough
Scarborough
YO11 1JW
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00013838
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

Music Making: Advanced Songwriting

Express your musical creativity and develop your songwriting skills in a supportive online group. This course will explore how to put together multi-track songs using recording software. Learners can choose to use their own recording software, or create an account for SoundTrap, a free online recording platform. During the course we will also analyse different song genres and learn to identify different instrument parts within an existing song. Please note: This is an advanced level course and requires existing skills in order to take part.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 06/06/2024 -
Thu 25/07/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Lorna Poole
Course code:
Q00015242
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Music Making: African Drumming Workshop

A great way to spend a Thursday morning! Whether you are a seasoned drummer or just curious to have a go, this practical workshop in African drumming will inspire you with music and culture. Our experienced tutor will guide the group to play the Djembe drums to create simple beats and harmonies. Let go of stress and end the morning on a high note!

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 06/06/2024 -
Thu 06/06/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Easington Lane Community Access Point
Easington Lane
Houghton - le- Spring
DH5 0LE
Tutor:
Mark Barfoot
Course code:
Q00015398
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Art Appreciation: The Art of Diplomacy- Behind the doors of the Government Art Collection

Go behind the scenes of the Government Art Collection, a less well-known national art collection, with Chantal Condron, a former curator at the Collection. Discover the fascinating origins of its history, and the people and events that have shaped its past. Explore how and why artworks are acquired or commissioned and discover some of the locations where they have been displayed. We explore works across a range of media from paintings to film, by artists from the 16th to the 21st centuries, including Marcus Gheerhaerts the Younger, Thomas Phillips, Bridget Riley, Michael Armitage and recent Turner Prize winner, Jesse Darling.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 07/06/2024 -
Fri 05/07/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Blue Beetle Room (London)
Hendon Lane
Finchley
London
N3 1TR
Tutor:
Chantal Condron
Course code:
Q00014223
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.00