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: Writing Your First Novel: Getting Started

You'll learn about the key pillars of creative writing, which will help you write effective fiction pieces, as well as create an effective creative writing practice. Whether you want to write a novel, short stories, or just write for self-awareness and personal development, come along, and join the class, whether you consider yourself an absolute beginner or someone who has written a little in the past.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 03/10/2024 -
Thu 12/12/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Craig Rickard
Course code:
Q00009230
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Creative Writing: Shapes of Story: Tell it Slant

Dive into the different forms you can tell a story. We’ll look at braided stories, hermit crabs, list stories, epistolary and fragmentary forms across fiction and creative non fiction. Learn the techniques and appreciate the effects different shapes of a story can enhance your writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 16/10/2024 -
Wed 20/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00017745
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.30

Art Appreciation: Artist Movements from the early 20th Century

From the Blue Rider to the Bridge to Dada, the emergence of modernism in the early 20th century saw a flourishing of artist groups who challenged what art is and how it should be made and seen. In this course, we’ll look at some of the key collectives, leading artists who were part of them and their artistic innovations, including among others Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Ernst Kirchner, Kurt Schwitters and Marcel Duchamps.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 17/10/2024 -
Thu 14/11/2024
Times:
2:45pm - 4:45pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Ruth Mulandi
Course code:
Q00017291
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Art Appreciation: Art Fakes, Forgeries, and Copies

What makes an artist forger artworks?, what motivates them?, which famous artists do they copy?, what techniques do they use?, and do they get away with it?. This course explores the answers to these questions, as well as how many fakes are produced, and the money that can be made. Above all, when the forger is caught how they can became celebrities in their own right with exhibitions of their artworks in their own name. The course will also examine the challenges and opportunities and above all the controversies surrounding AI-generated Art, is it original, a copy or a fake?

Course Information

Dates:
Sun 27/10/2024 -
Sun 01/12/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00017465
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

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:
WEA Membership

Art Appreciation: Lost Stars of the Renaissance - Art History

In this course, we will discuss in detail works from lesser-known painters of the Renaissance era. Since the High Renaissance is much better known, we will look at artists from the fifteenth century, who were very highly thought of at the time. They were influential and sought-after by the powerful in Florence.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 04/11/2024 -
Mon 25/11/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Phillips
Course code:
Q00017300
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Art Appreciation: The Art of Christmas

The Christmas story has probably inspired more art than any other subject. From medieval icons of the Virgin and Child to the Renaissance paintings of the shepherds and the wise men; and from stained glass windows to Christmas cards, the story has been at the forefront of western art.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 04/11/2024 -
Mon 09/12/2024
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00009345
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £55.50

Literature: Edward Thomas - Hampshire Poet

Come and join this six-week online course. The course offers the opportunity to study a selection of Edward Thomas’s poetry and the contexts that shaped him and his life. Through reading, analysis and discussion we will explore the poems of Edward Thomas as a Hampshire Poet. We will evaluate Thomas’s position as an important poet of the early 20th century.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 06/11/2024 -
Wed 11/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Victoria Ramsay
Course code:
Q00017157
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £50.40

Creative Writing: Developing Characters

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 developing character. 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.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 08/11/2024 -
Fri 13/12/2024
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00009210
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Film & Media: A Short History of Italian Cinema

Full of iconic moments, stories that capture everyday and life with great authenticity, Italian cinema has produced film-makers of singular vision and style who have pushed the boundaries of visual storytelling and film form. This course will introduce you to a national cinema that has made a unique contribution to world cinema

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 18/11/2024 -
Mon 09/12/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Ruth Mulandi
Course code:
Q00017438
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60

Creative Writing: Writing Love

These creative writing workshops spotlight the much-written theme of love. From romantic love to family love, from love of a place or a home of long ago to the love of a pet or a ritual, we’ll learn from authors who have portrayed love in all its form – obsessive love, had and had to let go of love and soul-mate love. This workshop consists of a blend of activities: writing exercises to practice your craft; close reading of extracts from published inspirational writers and teaching points on creative writing techniques. There is an opportunity to share your fresh words in small groups and receive gentle, appreciative feedback.

Course Information

Dates:
Wed 27/11/2024 -
Wed 18/12/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00017746
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £29.60