Improve your arts & craft skills, or learn some new ones

We’ve got the best modern arts and crafts classes that you can do online or in person at one of our learning venues across England and Scotland. It's never been easier to try your hand at something a little different and discover a new talent.

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Our arts and crafts workshops are perfect if you’re looking to get creative and hands on.

Show your creativity

Take centre stage with one of our performing arts courses, or indulge your photography passion and strike a pose with tips and techniques on how to capture that perfect shot.  

Develop the skills and get crafty with some jewellery making, with no previous experience required. With courses in textiles and sewing, as well as the arts, we really do have something for everyone, and everyone is welcome too.  

Small focused groups

The combination of small class sizes and guidance from expert tutors means that taking part in one of our arts and crafts courses is the perfect place for you to develop your talent, learn a new skill, or start that hobby you’ve always wanted to try.

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Craft: Beginners' Exploring Modern Calligraphy: back to basics

Come and try your hand at calligraphy, you do not need to be an artist to enjoy modern Calligraphy. The aim of the course is to give a solid grounding exploring different aspects of this fascinating craft. Working with easily available equipment and simple techniques.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 09/01/2025 -
Thu 03/04/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Fiona Mitchell
Course code:
Q00016801
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £66.60

Craft: Beginners' Next Steps in Calligraphy: italic - a classic script - back to basics

This course introduces students to the foundational skills of calligraphy and hand lettering. Starting with the history and evolution of both art forms, students will learn about essential tools and materials. They will practice basic strokes, letter formations, and techniques for both lowercase and uppercase alphabets. By the end of this term, students will be able to create simple projects like greeting cards or quote art, utilising basic layouts and compositions. The focus is on developing a strong understanding of the basics and building confidence and creating a calligraphic sketchbook.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 09/01/2025 -
Thu 03/04/2025
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Fiona Mitchell
Course code:
Q00016793
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £66.60

Crafts: Weaving Without a Loom

Have you ever seen weaving and wondered how to get started and wanted to try your hand at it? On this course you will discover that it is possible to make a loom from a variety of materials, even from something as simple as a piece of card, a branch, etc. You will also explore how to use more than just wool to weave with and how to prepare alternative materials for weaving. You will gain knowledge about how threads are interlaced to create a woven fabric and what the different threads are called and how to use them to create patterns and texture in piece of woven textile art. You will also discover how weaving can be beneficial to your health, helping you to “be in the moment” and create a calming environment.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 09/01/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Jo McIntosh
Course code:
Q00019517
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £81.40

Art Practical: Art Exploration - Our World

For beginners and improvers, this course will use the theme ‘ My World’ to explore a range of arts materials and techniques to give people confidence and skills to create their own unique art. ‘My World’ can be abstract, real or imaginary. As always, the focus will be on experimentation, enjoying the process, and trying a range of materials to find out what works best for each student’s style and interest. We will also be looking at a range of drawing techniques.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 09/01/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Longley 4 Greens Centre (Sheffield)
41 Southey Avenue
Sheffield
S5 7NN
Tutor:
Lizzy Alageswaran
Course code:
Q00019522
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £92.40

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

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Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Textiles & Fashion: Bag Making

Join us for an exciting new course tailored for beginner bag makers! If you have basic sewing machine experience, this is the perfect opportunity to refresh your skills and learn new tips. You'll have the choice of various bag patterns focusing on specific bag-making techniques, or you can create your own patterns using the skills you'll acquire. This course will delve into techniques like installing zippers, adding pockets, and crafting different bag bases and handles. We'll create 2-3 bags throughout the course with sustainability in mind. Skills covered and enhanced will include seams and hems, buttonholes, inserting zips, sewing and reinforcing corners, as well as sewing curves and darts.
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Course Information

Dates:
Thu 09/01/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
11:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Rebecca Spear
Course code:
Q00019803
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £122.10

Art Practical: Culture and Decoration - Styles and Techniques

This course will examine how different countries and cultures use pattern as a form of decoration whilst exploring a variety of art making techniques and media. You will be invited to find out about different countries, uncovering how decoration has become a distinctive part of their culture, rituals and presentation. You will have the opportunity to experiment with symmetry, symbolism and colour and learn about the meaning and importance of different decorative traditions, including the making and decorating of your own Mexican sugar skull, Indian Mandala plate and Chinese Ming vase pattern
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Course Information

Dates:
Fri 10/01/2025 -
Fri 28/03/2025
Times:
11:00am - 4:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
NST Hub (North Somerset Training Communi
31 Alexandra Parade
Weston-super-Mare
BS23 1QZ
Tutor:
Katie Dexter
Course code:
Q00017183
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £231.00

Textiles and Fashion: Sewing 3

Enhance your sewing skills with our Textiles and Fashion: Sewing 3 course. Learn advanced techniques for creating fashionable and functional clothing. Ideal for individuals with basic sewing knowledge looking to refine their skills.
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Course Information

Dates:
Fri 10/01/2025 -
Fri 28/02/2025
Times:
10:15am - 1:15pm
Duration:
7 sessions
Location:
Southall Day Centre (Southall)
20 Western Road
Southall
UB2 5DS
Tutor:
Maria Tawfik Bitrana
Course code:
Q00017656
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Art Practical: Textiles and Sewing - Hand Embroidery on Felt for Beginners and Improvers

This new course is a great introduction to embroidering on felt fabric and has been designed for beginner and improver level hand stitchers. The online course provides you with simple digital tools to help your learning, the class environment is a friendly with enthusiastic learners that you can share your work and stitching passion with. Learning to stitch on felt is a great alternative to using the ordinary cotton fabrics and Aida normally used for embroidery stitching.The sessions will begin with the focus on learning several hand embroidery stitches and introduce themes such as how to layer and combine simple stitches to create different patterns. As the course progresses you will also learn how to make a needlebook and small pincushion out of felt pieces, both of which are ideal for practising your new found or improved level of stitching on. This course is funded by the Education Skills and Funding Agency.
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Course Information

Dates:
Fri 10/01/2025 -
Fri 14/02/2025
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Trudi Price
Course code:
Q00019869
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Art Practical: Art for Wellbeing

Learners will work with the tutor to improve confidence in their ability to develop their artistic skills and creativity within oil painting. You will be developing the skills to create a detailed landscape painting; challenging yourself to try new and different subjects. You will learn using a range of different teaching and learning activities, to include watching and following step by step demonstrations, with one-to-one help and guidance from a friendly and encouraging tutor. You will learn in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment, working together with your fellow learners and the tutor. This course is suitable for a complete beginner but also for those wanting to improve their existing skills in painting. No prior knowledge is needed, just a desire to learn and begin your journey to develop your artistic skills.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 24/03/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Hull Quaker Meeting House (HULL)
2-10 Bean Street
HULL
HU3 2PR
Tutor:
Julie Smith
Course code:
Q00017860
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Art Practical: Botanical Illustration

Discover the beauty of botanical illustration with our Art Practical: Botanical Illustration course. Learn techniques for drawing and painting plants and flowers with precision and detail. Ideal for artists and nature enthusiasts.
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Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 24/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Keyham Green Places (Plymouth)
163 Renown Street
Plymouth
PL2 2DT
Tutor:
Mary Boreham
Course code:
Q00016818
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00