Appreciate art through learning

Our Art History courses will give you a deeper understanding of what you're looking at. When it comes to art, everyone's has their own opinion on which artist is better than the other, and what their most famous work signifies.

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Through exploring the world of art history, you'll be learning about why pieces are made in the first place and what the pieces mean. You will also examine how that’s changed over a period of time, as well as the impact it’s had on society. 

You’ll be taught about many of the aspects from the art creation process, such as the materials used in artworks, and how different kinds of artists contribute differently in expressing their ideas through freehand drawing or digital media. 

Whether you're a seasoned art appreciator or a newbie, there's something here for everyone. From exploring art painted by Salvador Dali or learning all about the history of Nordic Art from the Viking era, we have a selection of online and in-person art history courses from different decades to choose from.  

Attend an Art History course near you  

Whether you choose to learn from the comfort of your own home, or opt for a space in your local community, you’ll be taught by a talented tutor who is an expert in their field. 

The support you’ll receive on our Art History courses

Your tutor will encourage you to develop an understanding of Art History that goes beyond what's on the surface, motivating you to truly immerse yourself in the subject. It’s our learning experience that sets us apart too, with an encouraging environment that ensures you attend each session with the excitement to learn.   

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Art Appreciation: Painting in Early Renaissance Florence

Florence is one of the most beautiful and artistically endowed cities in Europe, and although recent scholarship has looked critically at her claim to be the epicentre of the ‘Italian Renaissance’, it remains true that many important advances in painting were made there between 14C-16C. This course aims to re-examine Florence’s position in the ‘Renaissance’ by studying both the role played by the patrons, the wealthy merchant bankers like the Medici, and the artists such as Botticelli, Verrocchio, Leonardo da Vinci, and many others.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 01/03/2025 -
Sat 01/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Reading International Solidarity Centre
35-39 London Street
Reading
RG1 4PS
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00018038
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Art Appreciation: Nina Hamnet in London and Paris - Tutor Dr Mark Banting

Focusing on the 1910s and 20s, we will explore Nina Hamnett's life and art amongst the bohemians of Bloomsbury and Montparnasse. Explore the life and work of Nina Hamnet with our Art Appreciation: Nina Hamnet in London and Paris course. Learn about her impact on the art scenes of London and Paris. Ideal for art enthusiasts and anyone interested in modern art history.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 01/03/2025 -
Sat 01/03/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St John's United Reform Church Orpington
Lynwood Grove
Orpington
BR6 0BG
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00017697
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £10.00

Art Appreciation: Spanish painters from Velazquez to Miro

An introduction to the rich history of painting in Spain, which had produced some of the most important and influential artists in art history - from Baroque masters Velázquez, El Greco, and Murillo to romantic figurehead Goya and impressionist Sorolla to the vital role Spanish painters like Dalí, Picasso and Miró played in the development of 20th Century Art.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 06/03/2025 -
Thu 10/04/2025
Times:
2:45pm - 4:45pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Ruth Mulandi
Course code:
Q00017449
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
0 places remaining
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Art Appreciation: William Blake and Samuel Palmer

William Blake (1757 – 1827) is simply the greatest poet/pictorial artist Britain has ever seen! His themes are universal and his demand that society recognise the folly and inhumanity that prevailed unfortunately is still relevant. Moulded by the radicalisation of the English Civil War, his words and images are a call to arms to stand up for the vision that Britan could be if the shackles of convention were broken.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 08/03/2025 -
Sat 08/03/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
The Minster (Grimsby)
St James Square
Grimsby
DN31 1EP
Tutor:
Tim Stimson
Course code:
Q00017918
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £15.00

Creative Writing in the Landscape: Writing the River Tamar

In a stunning location overlooking Brunel’s famous Tamar Bridge to Cornwall, this workshop will be a feast for the creative senses. You’ll be encouraged to write what you can see, hear, feel, smell, touch – and taste! - in this ever-changing landscape. The workshop is open to everyone who likes to write, from beginners to published, and all genres from poetry to prose. This is a unique and wonderful opportunity to spend a day in the company of other writers, exploring the immediate natural and human-made environment. It’s also a chance to share your written work, if you wish, at a local festival.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 20/03/2025 -
Thu 20/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Bridging the Tamar Visitor and Learning
Tamar Bridge Office
Pemros Road
Plymouth
PL5 1LP
Tutor:
Kate Cotton
Course code:
Q00018499
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Art Appreciation: Sculptures and 3D Art

This 5 week course delves into the works of 5 street artists including Damian Ortega, Antony Gormley, Marc Quinn, Rachel Whiteread and Micheal Craig-Martin. Each week explores key art concepts including, colour and composition through sampleas of their work. You will engage in group discussions, take notes, and recall information. By the end of the course, you will be able to name significant sculptors, describe their artistic methods, sport similarities and differences among their work, deconstruct essential components of artworks, and select a preferred piece based on personal opinion.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 28/03/2025 -
Fri 25/04/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Castle Methodist Church (Colchester)
Maidenburgh Street
Colchester
CO1 1TT
Tutor:
Abbie Cairns
Course code:
Q00017692
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

Art Appreciation: Hilma af Klint: Swedish painter, spiritualist and pioneer of abstract art

The emergence of abstract art in the early 20th century was a revolution. When looking into its very beginnings the names of Kandinsky, Malevich, and Mondrian come to mind. But in the 1980s, the world discovered the abstract paintings made by a Swedish artist, as early as 1907. Should her many abstract paintings encourage us to rewrite the history of abstract art, or can her work and experiments be seen as marginal because of her intense spiritualism? Why did her works come to our attention so late? This is a thought-provoking case, and a great story!

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 07/04/2025 -
Mon 07/04/2025
Times:
10:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00019199
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Art Appreciation: Painting in the 21st Century

This course views painting produced in the twenty-first century. The course will include developments of figurative and abstract painting. There will be views of artists already prominent in the twentieth century and newly emerging artists from a wide range of attentions. From those born in the 1930s to those born in the 1980s. The course will attend to direct visual experience of reproduction of the works involved linked to elements of comprehension and understanding through a considerable range of exciting encounters and engagements. This course will put an emphasis on developments of figurative and abstract painting in the twenty-first century. There will be views of artists already prominent in the twentieth century and newly emerging artists from a wide range of attentions. From those born in the 1930's to those born in the 1980's.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 08/04/2025 -
Tue 27/05/2025
Times:
11:15am - 1:15pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Allen Fisher
Course code:
Q00016750
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Art Appreciation: The Unique Architecture of Antoni Gaudí

Gaudí’s works in Catalonia are world-famous. Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia and the Park Güell come to mind as two favourite spots. In this session, you will learn about the life of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1862-1926) and discover his main creations. We will study the well-known works, but also lesser-known ones, such as Casa Vincens and “El Capricho”. This will be a session filled with bright colours and exuberant shapes, as well as with interesting history as we connect Gaudí’s unique style to its cultural context.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 09/04/2025 -
Wed 09/04/2025
Times:
10:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00019196
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Art Appreciation:Five Centuries of Women Sculptors

American art historian Linda Nochlin in 1971 posed the question as to “Why have there been no great women artists?”. Since then the field of art history has increased its focus on women artists. Yet women sculptors have been the most overlooked, overshadowed by their male counterparts, and under-represented in sculptural histories. This course will write them back into art history by focusing on the talented and accomplished women sculptors from the 17th Century to their transition through the centuries into the installation artists of the 21st Century.

Course Information

Dates:
Sun 11/05/2025 -
Sun 15/06/2025
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00017477
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00