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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade? Barbara Pym, No Fond Return of Love

Explore the literature of the "Angry Decade" with a focus on Barbara Pym's No Fond Return of Love in our Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade? course. Analyze the social themes and character studies that define this period. Ideal for literature enthusiasts and students of modern British history.
Dates:
Tue 01/07/2025 -
Tue 08/07/2025
Times:
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Patrick O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00016890
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

Creative Writing: Bootcamp: Essentials of Story

Aimed at those who have stories or working on a longer project, this course set over 5 hours in in one weekend, gives you dedicated time for writing and reflecting on your optimum creative process. You’ll set a daily achievable goal, refresh an element of story craft through the tutor’s stimulating exercises and extracts from published texts and write! We’ll immerse ourselves in short and longer writing exercises and get feedback from the tutor and peers when you share in pairs. Imagine the amount of work and momentum you’ll build over these two mornings. Set yourself up for success with dedicated time for writing.
Dates:
Sat 05/07/2025 -
Sun 06/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00021876
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £18.50

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.
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.
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

Creative Writing : Introduction to Writing Your First Novel: Advanced

This course is a follow on to the previous ‘Writing Your First Novel: Next Level’ course, but suitable for newly enrolling students with experience writing fiction. 'Writing your first Novel: Advanced' is all about the deeper craft of creative writing—those elements that will make your work really stand out when you are making your first steps into the world of writing, regardless of whether you are planning on submitting your work, or if you are just writing for fun. Giving you the opportunity to develop an effective creative writing practice, and further personal development, especially if you want to get that first novel out of your head and onto paper.
Dates:
Thu 10/07/2025 -
Thu 24/07/2025
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00009233
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

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.
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