Arts

Join our festive Christmas Macramé course and learn how to craft beautiful handmade gifts for the holiday season! This four-session course, with each class lasting two hours, will teach you essential macramé techniques, including the larks head knot, square knot, clove hitch knot, berry knot, and how to make tassels using a gathering knot. Throughout the course, you will create personalized Christmas ornaments, a decorative wall hanging, and a stylish plant hanger – perfect as gifts for loved ones or to add a festive touch to your home. This course is ideal for beginners and crafters who want to explore a new skill while celebrating the season! This course is funded by West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Embrace the festive spirit and unleash your creativity in our "Christmas Wreath Making" course. Perfect for beginners and craft enthusiasts alike, this workshop guides you through designing and creating your own stunning Christmas wreath. Using a mix of seasonal greenery, decorations, and your unique flair, you’ll craft a beautiful centerpiece to adorn your home or gift to a loved one. Join us for a fun and relaxing session that celebrates the joy of handmade holiday traditions. This course is funded by North East Combined Authority.

All our Care2 courses are completely free for unpaid carers (or those who have previously been carers). You do not need to receive a carer's allowance to qualify. If you are unsure, please contact our call centre advisors who will be able to assist you. Would you like to learn a little British Sign language whilst singing and signing along to some favourite Christmas Carols and popular songs? This course is a follow on from the hugely popular first course that ran at the Reading Rooms last year. You do not need to have attended the first course to participate on this one. Join guest tutor Debbie Young at the Reading Rooms in Billericay on this fun and interactive one-off free course for carers, their companions, supporters e.g. volunteers/staff and former carers as part of the Care 2 delivery. If you have an interest in learning a new language but aren’t sure about signing, come along to this fun session to learn more about BSL and deaf culture.

Join us for a festive Christmas Wreath Making Workshop where creativity meets sustainability! Using recycled twigs and fresh green foliage, you will craft a beautiful holiday wreath adorned with fern, holly, and berries. This hands-on class will guide you through selecting materials, wrapping and intertwining branches, and attaching fresh greenery. Learn simple floristry techniques to create a splendid wreath that reflects your unique style. Perfect for beginners and seasoned crafters alike, this workshop promises a delightful and eco-friendly way to celebrate the season. By the end of the class, you'll walk away with a handcrafted wreath that will be the perfect addition to your holiday décor.

Get into the festive spirit with our Craft: Christmas Craft course. Learn techniques for creating beautiful and unique Christmas decorations and gifts. Ideal for crafters looking to make their holiday season special.

The course aims to encourage learners to attend art exhibitions and/or musical events with a greater background knowledge in order to enhance appreciation. If actual attendance is not possible, to undertake independent research and hence, enjoy a more active and cultural lifestyle. The class also offers an opportunity for learners to interact socially with like- minded people in intellectual pursuits. It also encourages learners to acquire critical and analytical skills through debate and discussion. The course covers all styles and periods from the Renaissance to the present day. It is multi media to accommodate diverse learning styles and preferences. It is suitable for beginners and connoisseurs alike.

This course is designed to build on the work developed during the course last term and aims to support those who have either attended the previous course, or have some experience of crafting, and wish to continue to learn more techniques and skills to move forward to develop arts and crafts skills. Where appropriate, you will look at the history behind the development of the different art and craft skills and techniques, together with their popularity and trends. During this friendly course, you will learn how to use a variety of different resources and medias such as card, canvas, wool, fabric, glass and wood.

This Mosaic course is designed to introduce you to new craft skills and help you develop a new craft, whilst designing different images and relaxing, enjoying, being creative with others.

During this creative and inspiring course, you will continue to collect your artistic ideas in sketchbook form. You will be developing your skills in drawing, painting, collage, note taking and sticking in reference to a range of inspirational material. You will continue to generate your own personal visual language as a starting point for larger work. This course will encourage you to consider the many themes, concepts and artists that resonate with you. The Sketchbook is a useful tool for the artist to offload their many artistic ideas and influences and try out new techniques and materials. This can be used in the safe space created in the classroom or wherever you go!

During this friendly and creative course, you will continue to use your sketchbook and art practice as a starting point to develop your work. You will have the chance to gain more confidence in your unique artwork by trying out different materials and techniques to create bigger scale work. You will be able to use the creative experiments carried out in your sketchbooks and on paper to progress your art practice by using your preferred techniques and materials. The many techniques, materials, themes, concepts and artists that influence your artwork will be crystallised into more finished pieces during this course.