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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Art Appreciation: The Art of Stanley Spencer

This five week course will explore the richness and diversity of the English painter, Stanley Spencer. We will discover both well-known and less well-known works of his, which span his career as an artist. All of the paintings examined will be provided on Canvas for you to assess. The course will explore Spencer's context and how he relates to contemporary art movements in Britain and Europe. You will be encouraged to participate fully in the analysis of his canvases, and to seek out other works which you think will enrich our discussions. The course will be an opportunity to discover Spencer for the first time or to rediscover him, and to evaluate his importance to the English tradition.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 17/01/2025 -
Fri 14/02/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017938
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
3 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Art Appreciation: The Thames in Art

The Thames, its bridges, embankments, and the monuments standing alongside it, are world-renowned symbols of London. Over the centuries, artists have represented the river from many different viewpoints, for all sorts of occasions, and in a variety of artistic styles. From De Jongh and Canaletto to Turner and Monet, the Thames has been represented many. As we retrace their steps, we will study the sights and events they depicted. From the Thames Estuary to Cookham, we will see sights of mayoral processions, regattas, busy tugboats and Thames barge, highlight the river’s many functions. As we study these works of art – some well-known and other rarely ever seen – we will discuss the river's artistic and historical significance.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 18/01/2025 -
Sat 18/01/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00019168
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £8.40

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:
7 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

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

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: Literature: A Good Read 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

Art Appreciation: Impressionist Painting: an introduction

The course provides an introduction to Impressionist painting in France in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The course uses a selected number of paintings including work by Claude Monet and Édouard Manet, Edgar Degas and Berthe Morisot together with a number of lesser known artists. These provide the basis for the beginnings of an appreciation and understanding of some of the exciting ideas in aesthetics and philosophy of the period. The selection will encourage a focus on the paintings with themes and attentions implied in the course title, from working with sketches in the studio to painting in the open air.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 21/01/2025 -
Tue 11/02/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Debra Collis
Course code:
Q00019890
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

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