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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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.
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Dates:
Thu 19/06/2025 -
Thu 19/06/2025
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:
Q00021913
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Art Appreciation: Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner

Jackson Pollock was born in 1912 in the United States in Wyoming, his wife who was also a renowned artist was born in 1908 in Brooklin New York . Discover their connection artistically explore their relationship and possible reasons for the differences and similarities in their works. The session will be delivered by power point presentation and lecture , handouts will be given where appropriate. The session is tailored to allow learners the opportunity to consolidate their learning as the course is delivered by discussion of their learning outcomes and opinions in a friendly and engaging environment and there will be fun group activities during the course to check on understanding and learning.
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Dates:
Thu 19/06/2025 -
Thu 19/06/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kerry Van Der Schraft
Course code:
Q00022111
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

Art and About: Hyde Park Statues and Monuments

Hyde Park is 140 hectares in area. It is an historic Grade I-listed urban park in Westminster, Greater London. A Royal Park, it is the largest of the parks and green spaces that form a chain from Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Park, past Buckingham Palace to St James's Park. Hyde Park is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes. For several centuries Hyde Park has been enriched by the installation of many statues and monuments. Enjoy this leisurely stroll around the park and learn about its fascinating history.
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Dates:
Fri 20/06/2025 -
Fri 20/06/2025
Times:
10:30am - 1:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Meeting Point: Apsley House
149 Piccadilly
London
London
W1J 7NT
Tutor:
Colin Lomas
Course code:
Q00019130
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £12.60

Art Appreciation: Who's the Muse? Eileen Agar, Claude Cahun and Isabel Rawsthorne

What is a muse? How and why has this convention endured for centuries? On this focused course, we explore the identity and representation of the muse through the lives and work of three female artists: Claude Cahun (1894-1954), Eileen Agar (1899-1991) and Isabel Rawsthorne (1912-1992). Each week we focus on one artist, examining their individual backgrounds, training and a range of influences that helped to shape their practice across either painting, photography or sculpture. By exploring their work and artistic intentions we will discuss how the traditional concept of the modern muse was powerfully subverted by each of the artists.
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Dates:
Thu 26/06/2025 -
Thu 10/07/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
Chantal Condron
Course code:
Q00017374
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £36.00

WEA Membership

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Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Art and About: Art in the Olympic (South) Park - Walking Tour

Art in the Olympic (South) Park Walking Tour explores the public artworks in the south side of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. It is the first Olympic Park to integrate artworks into the landscape right from the start by established and emerging artists, international and local, which reflects the Park’s identity and is the home to West Ham’s Football Stadium. Discover artworks that are both large and striking, whilst others are smaller and harder to find, inspired by the undulating landscape, riverside, buried histories, community memories, and Olympic glory. The meeting point is the ArcelorMittal Orbit by Sir Anish Kapoor.
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Dates:
Sun 06/07/2025 -
Sun 06/07/2025
Times:
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Meeting Point: ArcelorMittal Orbit (Lond
Queen Elizabeth Olymipic Park,
London
E20 2AD
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00019135
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £12.60

Art Appreciation: Vincent van Gogh

This session charts to life and work of Vincent van Gough. Vincent was born in 1853 in the Netherlands. He was mostly known as a Post Impressionist painter. The session will be delivered by power point presentation and lecture , handouts will be given where appropriate. The session is tailored to allow learners the opportunity to consolidate their learning as the course is delivered by discussion of their learning outcomes and opinions in a friendly and engaging environment and there will be fun group activities during the course to check on understanding and learning.
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Dates:
Thu 10/07/2025 -
Thu 10/07/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kerry Van Der Schraft
Course code:
Q00022110
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

Art Appreciation: Scandinavian Design: An Introduction

This three-hour session explores the history of Scandinavian design across four transformative decades, tracing its rise to international prominence. Known for its clean lines, functional elegance, and deep respect for natural materials, Scandinavian design stands out for marrying modernist ideals with warmth, simplicity, and a strong sense of everyday usability. We’ll look at key figures such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and Greta Magnusson Grossman, examining how their work shaped national and regional design identities. Through furniture, lighting, textiles, and domestic objects, the session will consider how social democracy, craft traditions, and innovation combined to create a timeless design ethos that continues to resonate today.
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Dates:
Mon 14/07/2025 -
Mon 14/07/2025
Times:
9:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00022134
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Art Appreciation: Art of the Revolution: From David to Delacroix;

As the French celebrate Bastille Day on 14th July, we will explore the dynamic relationship between art and political upheaval during the final decades of the 18th century in France up to 1830. From the twilight of the Ancien Régime to the rise of Napoleon, we will examine how artists such as Jacques-Louis David, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, and Adelaide Labille-Guiard responded to and shaped the revolutionary moment. Through paintings (some very famous, such as David’s Death of Marat), prints, and visual propaganda, we’ll consider how art functioned as a tool of persuasion, resistance, and reinvention. The session will also explore shifting artistic styles, including the decline of Rococo and the rise of Neoclassicism within a rapidly transforming society.
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Dates:
Mon 14/07/2025 -
Mon 14/07/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00022137
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Art Along the South Bank - Walking Tour

Art Along the South Bank Walking Tour stops at the public sculptures along the South Bank which arrived on the riverside since the Festival of Britain in 1951. As well as the sculptures mounted on plinths in alcoves commissioned to adorn the exterior of the London County Hall, now a major tourist attraction. Discover one of London’s hidden gems, a totally un-curated sculpture park stretching from Westminster Bridge to the Royal Festival Hall. The meeting point is The South Bank Lion on Westminster Bridge Rd, and the walking tour will end on the Riverside Terrace at the Royal Festival Hall.
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Dates:
Sun 20/07/2025 -
Sun 20/07/2025
Times:
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Meeting Point: Copper Box Arena
Waterden Road
London
London
E20 3BS
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00019136
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £12.60