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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Personal Development: Creative writing

Unlock your inner writer! This 4-week Introduction to Creative Writing course will ignite your imagination and guide you in expressing yourself through the power of words. We'll delve into various writing styles, helping you observe the world around you with fresh eyes and translate those experiences onto the page. Whether you're a complete beginner or have dabbled in writing, this course is designed to unleash your creativity and deepen your enjoyment of the written word.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 21/05/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
KCU Ltd at Fuller Church (Kettering)
51 Gold Street
Kettering
NN16 8JB
Tutor:
Caroline Smy
Course code:
Q00016754
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

Creative Writing for Wellbeing

Discover the therapeutic benefits of writing with our Creative Writing: Creative Writing for Wellbeing course. Learn how to use writing as a tool for self-expression, healing, and personal growth. Ideal for individuals looking to improve their mental and emotional well-being through creative expression.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 21/05/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Shekinah Endeavour House (Torquay)
Endeavour House, 228 Union Str
Torquay
TQ2 5QS
Tutor:
Ione Harris
Course code:
Q00017097
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

Creative Writing: Writing Food

This 10-hour course will stimulate your imagination and palette for writing food stories from fiction, life writing and reportage. You will read published stories to provide inspiration and story craft techniques to embellish your own writing. You will share your writing in pairs to give confidence and courage to write more.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 14/05/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00019290
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Art Appreciation: Art in the United States from Colonial Portraiture to Pop Art.

This 10-week course is an introduction to the art the United States. It will take us from colonial portraiture and early American history painting to mid-century abstract art. Artists as diverse as John Singleton Copley, Thomas Cole, Mary Cassatt, Jacob Lawrence, Georgia O’Keeffe and Jackson Pollock will be studied with a range of figurative to abstract painters we will look at how art progressed through different styles, and the context with in which they took place. Join us to uncover how historical events, cultural shifts, and artistic innovations shaped the nation’s visual identity.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 09/07/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00021310
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade?

Explore the literature of the "Angry Decade" with our Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade? course. Analyze works from this tumultuous period in British literature, reflecting on social change and cultural upheaval. Ideal for literature enthusiasts and students of modern British history.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 25/06/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Patrick O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00016889
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Music Making: Group and individual Perfomance

If you love music and singing then this course is for you. The course has been written for people who attend the Better Futures day centre in Plymouth. On this course you will learn how to improve your singing technique and how to play different percussion instruments from all over the world. On this course we encourage you to listen and learn about different types of music and enjoy making music alongside others in the group. You do not need to know anything about music to join this course, you just need to join in and have a go.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 23/07/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
14 sessions
Location:
Guild House (Plymouth)
Guild House
156 Mannamead Road
Plymouth
PL3 5QL
Tutor:
Charlotte Letchford
Course code:
Q00017036
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £109.20

Literature: Madness in Nineteenth Century British Literature

This course will explore the subject of madness in nineteenth century British fiction. We will examine extracts from a range of texts, and all extracts will be provided on Canvas for you to read. Authors that we will discover are the Brontes, Dickens, Henry James and Oscar Wilde. These are our principal figures but we shall refer to a number of other writers to provide context. Our key texts will be: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations, The Signalman (by Dickens), The Turn of the Screw and The Picture of Dorian Gray. The course will analyse each extract closely and contextualise it in terms of Victorian thought and history. This will lead to provoking discussions and ample opportunities for discussion.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 21/05/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00021484
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Literature: Voices of the English Civil Wars.

This course will explore the period of the English Civil Wars, though the period might be better described as the British Civil Wars. It will examine the development of the state of war, the war itself and the war’s political developments and fall out. It will draw on the voices of the period that we find in pamphlets, poetry, prose and letters, and will as far as possible develop arguments based solely on contemporary documentation. Thus we shall hear the authentic voices of that era and discover those voices' concerns, fears and hopes. The course will conclude with an examination of the newly forged Protectorate under Cromwell.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 11/06/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00021489
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Literature: Stanzas for Summer

This ten-week course will explore a variety of classic and contemporary British, Irish and American poetry themed around summer, the sun and travel. Over the course of these sessions we will consider how the subject matter, style and cultural perspective of poets from a range of backgrounds contributes to our understanding of their oeuvres and these themes. We will examine the background of each poet we read along with reference to quality critical appraisals of each one. The sessions will combine close-reading and audio-visual materials with lively, inclusive and hopefully invigorating discussion. Whether you are just coming into poetry or have been reading and/or writing it for some time you will be welcome along to these sessions.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 23/04/2025 -
Wed 25/06/2025
Times:
2:45pm - 4:45pm
Duration:
9 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Mark Howarth
Course code:
Q00021581
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £66.60

Creative Writing: Writing for Blogs, Magazines and Publications

A friendly and accessible guide to feature writing, both in print and/or for digital media – blogs, online reviews etc. How to write, research, style and structure an article, either/or factual and creative. Taking time to identify a suitable publication for a proposed article and making first contact. This course also explores the online possibilities of reviews and blogging – how to blog consistently and maintain a readership. This course will make use of a mix of informal feedback, lecture using PowerPoint slides, some focused group discussion/creative tasks in breakout rooms and feedback. Suitable for beginners or improvers and those with a passing curiosity!

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 24/04/2025 -
Thu 22/05/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Stephen Joseph Theatre (Scarborough)
Westborough
Scarborough
YO11 1JW
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00020293
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00