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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Film & Media: Cinema of the Surreal

One of the revolutionary art movements of the early 20th century, surrealism was made for the movies. Artists keen on challenging the boundaries of form, genre and art itself, quickly made use of the possibilities of the moving image. Beyond that, early filmmakers discovered film’s potential for the ‘unreal’. In surrealist cinema, questions about identity and reality, challenges to social norms, the subconscious, dreams and the fantastic meet.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 17/02/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Ruth Mulandi
Course code:
Q00017443
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Art Appreciation: Women in Renaissance

This course will cover a discussion of the importance of the social and sexual mores of the times in history. There will be four weeks to look at the life and work of these remarkable women, Sofonisba Anguissola, Artemisia Gentileschi and Lavinia Fontana. We will cover the problems that faced them because of their place that their sex ensured they were kept in. Then at the ways they employed to get round these societal problems. Then we shall study their body of work under the context of the moment of history that they lived in.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 03/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Phillips
Course code:
Q00018049
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Art Appreciation: Paintings by Botticelli and Piero della Francesca.

This course in art appreciation provides close attentions to particular works of art from two important artists working in Italy in the fifteenth century, Sandro Botticelli and Piero della Francesca. The focus will be upon specific paintings and drawings in relation to who the works were for, how the decisions about visual presentations were determined and the integration of pictorial practice with contemporary ideas. There are no requirements from students prior the beginning of the course. Students would benefit from access to online sources during the course. Papers and images will be made available to students through the WEA Canvas site. You will need to have access to the internet to access the papers for this course. The course uses a secure digital learning portal for all the classes and for communications with the tutor and access to learning materials. The course would be appropriate for both experienced viewers of art and those new to the subject.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 13/01/2025 -
Mon 03/02/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
The Kindle Centre (Hereford)
ASDA
Belmont Road
Hereford
HR2 7JE
Tutor:
Allen Fisher
Course code:
Q00016668
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

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:
Tue 14/01/2025 -
Tue 25/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Compass Theatre (Ickenham)
Glebe Avenue
Ickenham
UB10 8PD
Tutor:
Daniel Williams
Course code:
Q00017584
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.00

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
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  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
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Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Literature: Selected plays by Aristophanes

Aristophanes (c.450-388 BCE) writing in the Fifth Century is regarded as the key author in Ancient Greek comedy. His plays will be studied, read and workshopped. We shall look at how his plays might be put on, and staged today. His plays often have structures similar to a sketch show and he uses many comic devices still popular with comedians today. His plays are a little rude though (sometimes very rude). We shall look at how he creates his comic characters and situations. We shall discuss the issues that he wants to write about and consider if these are still relevant to a modern audience trying to make sense of the political and social world today. Over ten weeks, two to three plays will be discussed and workshopped to appreciate the various theatrical devices that Aristophanes often uses.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 14/01/2025 -
Tue 25/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
The Greenleaf Centre (Walthamstow)
67-69 Greenleaf Road
Walthamstow
E17 6QP
Tutor:
Thomas Crowe
Course code:
Q00017605
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £100.00

Literature: The Literature of Migration

Migration always brings a story. Whether migration stems from joyful exploration and curiosity, or is the result of loss, coercion or danger, each narrative tells us something new. In this course, we will be considering the portrayal of migration, the many contexts which lead to authors writing about migration, and how other themes are bound in with this idea. In our discussions together, we will be considering a wide range of texts and genres from across the ages, and working to expand our understanding of such a fundamental experience.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 14/01/2025 -
Tue 25/03/2025
Times:
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Clare Jackson
Course code:
Q00018507
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Foreign Languages: Learning More Italian

Welcome to Term 2 of Learning Italian! This 10-week course builds on your foundational skills, focusing on practical situations. You’ll learn to book a hotel room, navigate train and bus stations, and shop at markets. Through interactive lessons, role-playing, and listening activities, you’ll gain confidence in handling common scenarios. Topics include making reservations, understanding schedules, purchasing tickets, and shopping for goods. Cultural insights will deepen your appreciation of Italian traditions. By the end of the course, you’ll be comfortable using Italian in various everyday contexts. Join us to continue your Italian language journey! Buon viaggio!

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 15/01/2025 -
Wed 02/04/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Giuseppa Perricone
Course code:
Q00016302
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £81.40

Art Appreciation: Paul Nash: Dreamer of the Modern World

Discover the fascinating life and work of 20th century artist, Paul Nash. Chart his significant impact on British art from 1914 to his death in 1946: from his experiences as Official War Artist during both World Wars; and his contribution to the development of British Surrealism and modern landscape. The course explores also Nash’s fruitful collaboration with his wife, the writer and Suffragette, Margaret Odeh. Central to this course will be a focus on Nash’s interest in spirituality and Eastern philosophies, exploring how his paintings articulated certain subjects and motifs that helped him make sense of a world of conflict.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 16/01/2025 -
Thu 13/02/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
Chantal Condron
Course code:
Q00017403
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £60.00

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:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 21/02/2025
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00012329
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Art Appreciation: Highlights of Tate Britain

Discover for the first time, or re-visit an old favourite, this course will introduce you to a wide range of artworks from the national collection of Tate Britain in London. We explore specific works by historical, modern and contemporary artists in relation to wider cultural and social contexts. The aim of the course is to develop confidence and visual literacy skills when looking at and discussing art in London’s galleries. On this course, we examine work by prominent artists as diverse as Anthony Van Dyck, Joan Carlile, William Blake, JMW Turner, the Pre-Raphaelites, Gwen John, Mona Hatoum and Mike Kelly.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 14/02/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Blue Beetle Room (London)
Hendon Lane
Finchley
London
N3 1TR
Tutor:
Chantal Condron
Course code:
Q00017455
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.00