Choose from a variety of creative art courses

Explore your creativity through painting and drawing and choose from a variety of creative art classes. With a huge range of subjects to learn from, you can choose from online or in-person options.

Skip to courses

Our creative arts courses will get you working with pastels and pencils, exploring fine art and even get you out and about discovering new galleries in your spare time. 

Paints to pastels

Delivered by experienced art tutors, why not try getting creative with clay, or getting hands-on painting your very own masterpiece. 

If you’re interested in drawing, you won’t be disappointed either. Collage making, oil painting, pastel painting and printing are just some of the subjects that have proved popular in recent years.  

Many of our arts courses are delivered for different levels of experience too, so whether you’re a beginner or a little more advanced, you’ll be able to choose the art course that’s right for you. 

Please enter your postcode

In order for us to give you accurate results for your courses, please click on the Search options and enter your postcode and the mile radius for your search.

Refine search

How you'll learn

Your location

Please enter your postcode or town for your search in the boxes below.

We have defaulted the search to ten miles, but you can change this number in the box as you wish.

Got it!

Sort by start date

Choose to sort the course start date in ascending order (furthest away dates first) or descending (most recent dates first)

Got it!

Results per page

Days

Other Filters

Part of day
Level of study
Availability
Search for the branch name/location, without adding branch e.g. Barnet

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Drawing and Introduction to Painting for the Terrified

Would you like to draw and paint but think you can't? Do you lack confidence in beginning your artistic journey? This course is suitable for anyone who wants to have a go but doesn't know where to start. Working with our experienced and friendly tutor you will explore the fundamentals of drawing and basic painting techniques. This is a beginners course where no prior experience is needed. Each week we will take a step by step approach to exploring the fundamentals of drawing, building up to experimenting with some basic techniques, that will pave a way into painting.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 19/03/2025
Times:
2:15pm - 4:15pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Karen Davies
Course code:
Q00012874
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Drawing and Watercolour Techniques with Art History References: Spring Themes

This course will help you develop further watercolour techniques interrelated with drawing skills, and in connection with inspiring examples in art history. It will help you learn classical techniques in a subtle way, by relating them to examples by various masters of drawing and watercolour (such as Dürer, Turner or Cezanne) and contemporary artists (such as David Hockney or Anselm Kiefer). If you would like to have a fresh view of watercolour painting and drawing, and learn how to achieve expressivity by carefully combining techniques such as glazing, graded wash or cross-hatching, this course will offer you an overview and will inspire personal artworks of great subtlety and sensitivity It will also encourage you to create your own original artworks based on the techniques learned and it will bring a fresh perspective on known techniques and styles, if you have already practised them in your own paintings. You will need to bring your own materials, paints and paper along for this course. The tutor will let you know what to bring
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 12/03/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
St John's United Reformed Church (New Ba
Corner of Somerset Road & Mowb
New Barnet
EN5 1RH
Tutor:
Emanuela-Alina Baloiu
Course code:
Q00017383
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £80.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Practical Art: Watercolours for Complete Beginners (Part 2)

Do you want to learn the basics of watercolours? Have you tried before and given up in frustration? Why not join this course for support and encouragement? Watercolour, simply put, is water mixed with pigment which is then applied to paper. But painting with watercolours is something entirely different. It can be complex, confusing, and fun at the same time. While not a medium to be controlled or manipulated, part of the very beauty of working with watercolours is learning to let go! Come and join us to find out more.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Deborah Crofts
Course code:
Q00017575
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Art for All - Spring

This is a practical art course where you will explore a range of art materials to create personal drawings and paintings. Grab your sketch pad, pencils or charcoal and join this friendly art class, where you'll learn basic techniques. You don't have to be an accomplished artist to join this group, this class is for everyone regardless of ability. Your tutor will explain different art techniques and give you the encouragement you need to find your inner artist.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 13/03/2025
Location:
Four Courts Community Centre (St. Leonar
Sydney Close
St. Leonards-on-Sea
TN38 9DD
Course code:
Q00009455
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

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!

Add to basket

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Improvers Drawing and Painting - Portraits

Welcome to our comprehensive course on Drawing and Painting Portraits at Springbourne Library, where creativity meets skill development in a nurturing environment. This course is tailored for adults with some art skills and aims to unlock the artist within and provide a rewarding and enjoyable experience for all participants. This engaging course delves into the captivating world of portraiture. We will explore the fundamentals of drawing and painting portraits, offering a step-by-step journey from the initial sketch to the final brushstroke. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your skills, our program is designed to cater to all levels of experience.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 21/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Springbourne Library Community Room (Bou
297A Holdenhurst Road
Bournemouth
BH8 8BX
Tutor:
Abi Kremer
Course code:
Q00016821
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £126.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Exploring Drawing and Painting - Portraits

Begin to develop your own artwork in this beginner friendly art class, by learning how to create portraits, by using a wide range of materials. It doesn't matter if you have never picked up a drawing pencil. This course is designed to build your confidence and skills in the art of drawing and painting portraits. All you need to bring is your favourite materials to the wonderful Springbourne Library and start expressing your inner artist. The sessions are run y experienced tutors, and they offer and safe and friendly space to be creative and develop your artistic skills and talents.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 21/03/2025
Times:
1:30pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Springbourne Library Community Room (Bou
297A Holdenhurst Road
Bournemouth
BH8 8BX
Tutor:
Abi Kremer
Course code:
Q00016823
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £126.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Wonderful Watercolour

This course is an introduction and recap of watercolour painting skills working from objects and the natural world. You'll get an introduction to watercolour painting techniques suitable for beginners and intermediate level. Including covering colour mixing, layering glazes of watercolour to build up depth; we will cover some techniques to paint still life, clouds and trees; drawing with different shaped watercolour brushes and dropping colour into water, dry brush work and using salt as a resist working both from observation and imagination.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 07/02/2025
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Joy Girvin
Course code:
Q00009459
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Appreciation: Artistic Communities

The reasons behind founding an artist community in the UK, from identifying some of their famous residents to the subject matter and art movements they are associated with. This course will cover the art communities in St Ives and Newlyn in England, Kirkcudbright and Cockburnspath in Scotland, Betws-y-Coed in Wales, Northern Ireland Muralist in Belfast and Londonderry, and ending with the Black Art Movement and the growth of online art communities.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 01/02/2025 -
Sat 15/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Redbridge Institute of Adult Education (
Gaysham Avenue
Gants Hill
Ilford
IG2 6TD
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00017560
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £60.00

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Drawing with Watercolour Pencil (Day School)

An opportunity to experiment with watercolour pencil techniques to make a drawing from photographs. Suitable for complete beginners or those wanting to improve their skills. Basic materials and equipment provided.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 04/02/2025 -
Tue 04/02/2025
Times:
11:00am - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Bourne Hall (Epsom)
Spring Street
Ewell
Epsom
KT17 1UF
Tutor:
Gabrielle Girardey
Course code:
Q00009406
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £18.90

This course is available for WEA members only until 10 am on Wednesday 3rd July.

Art Practical: Watercolour painting

This is a watercolour painting course for anyone wanting to learn and improve their painting skills. You will learn how to draw and paint within a group of like-minded budding artists. Guidance and support is offered throughout the course from our talented tutor, to develop your artistic skills. You will also have the opportunity to connect with and support others in a small artistic community. No previous skills in watercolours are needed to join this group. This course is held in Nailsworth, Stroud, in an independent living community and you will find peace and relaxation in a wonderful Cotswold
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Mon 31/03/2025
Times:
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
GL11 Community Hub (Dursley)
Fairmead
Cam
Dursley
GL11 5JS
Tutor:
Victoria Hendzel
Course code:
Q00016923
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40