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: Writers’ Online Retreat: Write, Feedback, Progress!

Over 5 consecutive days, you’ll set an achievable goal, immerse yourself in 45 minutes of writing and get feedback from the tutor and peers when you share. Imagine the amount of work and momentum you’ll build over 5 days.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 05/08/2024 -
Fri 09/08/2024
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00017740
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £27.75

Creative writing: Stop Frame Animation

Bring your imagination to life! This stop motion animation course guides you through the exciting world of creating animated stories frame by frame. Learn practical techniques, explore storytelling elements, and discover the magic of bringing characters and objects to life on screen. We will explore a variety of content including the principles of stop motion animation, from storyboarding to character creation. We will explore how to nbring the ideas to life and look into the post-production magic too. **This interactive course features engaging video demonstrations, step-by-step tutorials, and creative prompts to spark your imagination. Whether you're a hobbyist or aiming for a career in animation, this course is your launchpad to explore the world of stop motion animation!

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 12/08/2024 -
Mon 21/10/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Tunstall Library (Stoke-on-Trent)
Tunstall Library
The Boulevard
Stoke-on-Trent
ST6 6BD
Tutor:
Tabitha Allsop
Course code:
Q00016496
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £75.60

Literature: British Colonial & Post Colonial Literature 10

This course will explore the following texts: Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad; Short Stories by Kipling; The Siege of Krishnapur - JG Farrell; The Jewel in the Crown - Paul Scott, and The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje. The course will track the decline of Empire and the concomitant social and political uncertainty, the relationship between the colonial and the colonised Other, and develop themes relating to identity and the subjective nature of historical revision. There will be ample scope for discussion of at times difficult and controversial debates, and we will focus on the continuing relationship that exists between contemporary writers and later writers vis-a-vis issues of guilt and responsibility.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 09/09/2024 -
Mon 18/11/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017456
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Art Appreciation: Renaissance Beauty in the work of Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer

This course in art appreciation provides close attentions to particular works of art from two important artists, Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer, working in Europe in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. The focus will be upon specific paintings, drawings and prints in relation to their concept of beauty. The course will present a range of work by both artists and each week will select one work for a Close View and detailed attention. Particular attentions will be given to Dürer’s painting in Venice and to his woodcuts and engravings; to Leonardo’s drawings and to his work in Milan.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 09/09/2024 -
Mon 30/09/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
The Kindle Centre (Hereford)
ASDA
Belmont Road
Hereford
HR2 7JE
Tutor:
Allen Fisher
Course code:
Q00016513
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Film & Media: World Cinema

We will consider a range of films, from classics to contemporary cinema. We will discuss the style and meaning of diverse extracts drawing on key ideas from Film Studies. We will consider films from diverse countries, comparing and contrasting these with American and British cinema. The class will be organised around discussion of selected extracts, with guidance on points to look for, including different aspects of film such as the screenplay and cinematography. Students will be encouraged to develop their responses in small groups. Case studies will be included on Alfred Hitchcock and British cinema.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 16/09/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Daniel Williams
Course code:
Q00017427
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

World Cinema

We will consider a range of films, from classics to contemporary cinema. We will discuss the style and meaning of diverse extracts drawing on key ideas from Film Studies. We will consider films from diverse countries, comparing and contrasting these with American and British cinema. The class will be organised around discussion of selected extracts, with guidance on points to look for, including different aspects of film such as the screenplay and cinematography. Students will be encouraged to develop their responses in small groups. Case studies will be included on Alfred Hitchcock and British cinema.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 16/09/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Daniel Williams
Course code:
Q00017611
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Literature: British Literature in the Belle Epoque.

This course will explore four novels: The Turn of the Screw by Henry James; Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame; Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence; The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford, and the work of one poet, Thomas Hardy, specifically Poems 1912-1913, a record of his reactions to the death of his first wife. We will discuss the end of Empire, the rise of Modernism and Feminism and psychological study, and the political situation leading up to 1914 and changing perceptions of individual and national identity. There will be ample opportunity for discussion and a chance to reassess what may in some instances be familiar texts.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 16/09/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017457
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Literature: Strange Worlds in Twentieth Century Fiction

This course will discover five texts ranging across twentieth century European and British literatures. The texts are: Stories from the City of God by Pier Paolo Passolini; Baron Bagge by Alexander Lernet-Holenia; Forbidden Notebook by Alba de Cespedes; The Hundred and Ninety-Nine Steps by Michel Faber and Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. These texts include essays, novellas and novels are by turn extravagant fantasies and profound social commentaries on the last unlovely century. There will be ample scope for discussion of issues such as class identities, social and political identities and the desire to create stories to explore the nature of the mutable worlds of the twentieth century.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 16/09/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
11 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017462
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Art Appreciation: Art in Churches

The Church has historically been a major patron of the arts, and all major artists have works in church buildings around Europe. From Saxon wall paintings and lavish medieval alter pieces, to contemporary installations in Cathedrals, this course looks at the variety of art commissioned by the Church, from the Sistine Chapel ceiling to Victorian church textiles. We discuss where good examples can be seen in this country, including stained glass and sculpture. The way in which art in Churches has reflected the major art history developments is at the core of this course.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 16/09/2024 -
Mon 21/10/2024
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00009352
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £55.50

Art Appreciation: Picasso: Myth and Reality

Picasso is one of the 20th-century most well-known artists, a household name. In this course, we will learn about his personal life and his artistic career. As we do so, we will try and deconstruct the myth that exists around him both as a man and artist. Our approach will be chronological, starting in Spain, developing in Paris, and ending in Southern France, from 1881 to 1973. We will also address transversal themes, such as sculpture, Picasso’s family and lovers, the issue of collaboration, myth-making. Beyond developing your knowledge and understanding of Picasso’s art and life, this course will provide many opportunities to deepen your ability to analyse works of art (visual analysis and iconography).

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 16/09/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00017432
How you'll learn:
Online
Status:
Waiting list
Fee range
Free to £37.00