Love to learn with the WEA

Our languages and culture courses span the length and breadth of England and Scotland, with the option to study online or in person at a time that suits you. Whether you’re looking to learn a new language and immerse yourself in another country, or you simply wish to indulge in your love and fascination of film, we have the course for you. 

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Our creative writing courses will nourish your inner writer, providing you with a platform to develop your love of poetry, non-fiction or script development. If literature courses are more your kind of thing, then you’re in luck too, as there are a wide range of topics to choose from.  

Literary greats and great periods in history

Our language courses offer you the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a completely new culture, developing your skills so that you can speak confidently in countries right across the world. German, Italian and Greek are just a few examples of the language courses we have to offer, with many others taking place throughout the year.  

As you’d expect, literary greats such as Agatha Christie and Shakespeare feature regularly. There’s also the option to examine other time periods in English literature too, helping you develop your critical reading and analysis skills - perfect whether you’re a beginner or more experienced in the subject.  

If you prefer history then you’ve got a choice too, from courses on subjects you’d expect such as the first world war, or art history and studying the works of iconic painters such as Salvador Dali. 

Support and guidance

Whatever course you choose, you'll learn in a supportive environment where the class sizes are small, ensuring you get the attention you deserve, with an experienced and qualified tutor on-hand to guide you through your learning too.  

A lot of our cultural learning is delivered by our branch network: learn more here.

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Creative Writing: Nothing Rhymes with Orange - Writing in Rhyme

This course will explore how to produce poems which rhyme. In the twentieth century, particularly post-war, vers libre and syllabic verse have proliferated, yet poets persist in writing rhymed and rhythmical poetry. During these five weeks, we will examine how modern poets deploy rhyme and integrate it into the rhythms of ordinary speech and a demotic vocabulary. Each session will be a workshop, which examines and puts into practice your own experiments in rhyme, allowing you to develop first drafts and then finished versions of at least three new poems. The workshops will be mutually supportive at all times, supportive and inspirational.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 18/01/2025 -
Sat 15/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017942
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Literature: American Literature - On Land & Sea

This course will explore some of the classics of American Literature. You will study a range of poetry and prose by writers both ancient and modern, including Moby Dick by Herman Melville, My Ántonia by Willa Cather and other works by Maya Angelou and Cormac McCarthy. You will also explore how American Literature relates to other art forms, including film, photography and music.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 17/03/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
9 sessions
Location:
Redruth Community Centre (Redruth)
Foundry Row
Chapel Street
Redruth
TR15 1AN
Tutor:
Mark Crees
Course code:
Q00016867
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Literature: 'English Poetry from Shakespeare to Today

The Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley famously said that ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.’ This course tracks the development of English poetry, from the sonnets of Shakespeare to the contemporary poetry of Jack Underwood, Emily Berry, and Rachael Allen.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 20/01/2025 -
Mon 17/03/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Friends' Meeting House (Aylsham)
Pegg's Yard
Red Lion Street
Aylsham
NR11 6ER
Tutor:
Joseph Williams
Course code:
Q00019921
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £67.20

Literature: A Good Read

Continue your exploration of literature with our Literature: A Feast of Fiction (Part 2) course. Learn about key works and authors, and develop your literary analysis skills. Ideal for literature enthusiasts and anyone looking to deepen their understanding of fiction.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 21/01/2025 -
Tue 01/04/2025
Times:
3:30pm - 5:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Redbridge Institute of Adult Education (
Gaysham Avenue
Gants Hill
Ilford
IG2 6TD
Tutor:
Brandon Robshaw
Course code:
Q00017557
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.00

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Literature : Malory’s Morte d’Arthur

In this short course, learners will focus on the final tales in the most famous and complete literary work in English on the Matter of Britain, Malory’s Morte d’Arthur. We will study Malory’s characterisation, the development of his narrative, and discuss the causes and events leading up to the fall of the Round Table. We will also explore Malory’s prose style and one of his major English sources. No prior knowledge of Middle English is required, and the course is suitable for beginners and improvers. It is also very suitable for those who have taken the autumn taster course on Malory. This course is funded by the Education Skills and Funding Agency.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 22/01/2025 -
Wed 05/02/2025
Times:
9:15am - 11:15am
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Roberta Dewa
Course code:
Q00019870
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £22.20

Creative Writing: Structure & Point-of-View 

Practice techniques for creating short stories, true or untrue. We'll apply the principles of short fiction to our writing, with the focus this term on thinking about how point-of-view impacts on structure. There will be writing exercises, discussions, an optional weekly homework task and feedback. Guidance on feedback techniques will be provided. The course content has flexibility, and will be adapted to suit the needs of the group. Suitable for improvers. This course uses the same content as the Friday morning course, Creative Writing: Point-of-View, and the Thursday morning fortnightly course, Creative Writing: Point-of-View, therefore you need only enrol on to one of them.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 23/01/2025 -
Thu 03/04/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00012327
How you'll learn:
Online
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Music Making: Beginners at Rhubarb Farm

Start your musical journey with our Beginners at Rhubarb Farm course. Learn the basics of playing an instrument, reading music, and creating simple compositions. Ideal for individuals with little or no musical experience looking to develop their musical skills.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 24/01/2025 -
Fri 11/04/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Rhubarb Farm (Mansfield)
Hardwick Street
Langwith
Mansfield
NG20 9DR
Tutor:
Richard Palmer
Course code:
Q00016322
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.80

Creative Writing: Story, Conflict, Plotting and Dialogue

This course will explore the fundamental elements of compelling storytelling, focusing on conflict, plotting and dialogue in drama. Through practical exercises and analysis, students will develop skills to craft engaging narratives, create dynamic characters, and construct intricate plots. A friendly but challenging class suitable for both new writers and more established writers. The course aims to make Learners better writers of drama via the acquisition of a more complete understanding of Story Structure, Effective dialogue and the role of conflict in storytelling. The Tutor has worked professionally as a Drama /Comedy Writer in both Theatre and Local BBC Radio.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 24/01/2025 -
Fri 04/04/2025
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00019485
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Creative Writing: Wellbeing and Writing Skills

Are you interested in creative writing as a tool for well being? We will explore creative writing as therapy or personal memoir as a tool for well being and developing writing skills, imagination and confidence and look at different ways of writing about life experience, memory, incidents and details that illustrate a narrative and how the use of imagination can often lead to the development of a story or poem.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 25/01/2025 -
Sat 25/01/2025
Times:
10:00am - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stella Stocker
Course code:
Q00018503
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £20.35

Art Appreciation: Mirrors and Reflections in Art

Mirrors are present in several masterpieces, such as Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, Velazquez’s Las Meninas and Manet’s Un Bar aux Folies-Bergères. In these, mirrors and the reflections they reveal are often enigmatic as they add another dimension to what we (think we) see and deepen the work’s meaning. In this session, we will look at the different ways in which mirrors and reflected images have been included in works of art. As we do so, we will investigate the symbolism of the mirror in Western art and culture.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 25/01/2025 -
Sat 25/01/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00019169
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £8.40