WEA courses

Part of the Free Taster Courses for All; this course is an Introduction to the Expressionist Movement and the Blue Rider Art Group. Expressionism is a key art movement of the early 20th century, which developed from 1905 in Germany and Austria. In this session, you will learn about one of the Expressionist groups, The Blue Rider. Centred around Munich and Murnau, the artists of this group developed a colourful and free style of painting. Wassily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, Gabriele Munter, Alexei von Jawlensky, Marianne von Werefkin, August Macke and Paul Klee used strong colours and boldly simplified forms to express themselves. If you have ever wondered what is Expressionism, how it started and developed, and why these artists painted in such a way, this course is for you!

The day course is for anyone interested in advancing their landscape painting skills through a more abstract perspective. While open to participants of all levels, having some prior experience in painting would be beneficial. In a friendly and supportive group, the tutor will take us through gathering visual references, sketching, colour work and creating a landscape piece of work in your chosen media. Participants will have the opportunity to express their creativity and experiment with abstract approaches under the guidance of the tutor. Over the day we will spend time out in the landscape, where possible, taking photos and sketch book work. The aim is to explore abstract approaches and create an abstract landscape work.

*Please note - this course is specifically for residents of West Sussex as part of the local Multiply project. Please do not apply for this course if you do not live in West Sussex - thanks for your understanding* Explore the art of bookbinding with a twist of mathematics in our Basic Book Binding course. Discover the fundamental techniques of creating beautiful, handcrafted books while integrating essential mathematical principles. From calculating spine width to precision measuring for cover alignment, you'll learn how mathematical concepts enhance the functional structure and aesthetics of your bindings. Enjoy these hands-on sessions where you'll master stitching, folding, and gluing, transforming sheets of paper into beautiful personalised books. Whether you're a novice or seasoned crafter, this course promises to elevate your bookbinding skills while developing your understanding of the mathematical concepts inherent in book-binding.

Part of the London Summer Free Taster courses; This 3 hour, taster course explores the difference between an artwork which is copied, forged, or faked. The men and women behind them, the reasons they did it, which famous artists and artworks they choose, the money they made from their sale, how they were caught, and the punishment they received. Whether they were disillusioned artists fooling art experts or simply hardened criminals committing art crimes, the art market is still saturated with copies, fakes, and forgeries. Do you think you could spot the difference between the original among the fake? Test yourself with this taster.

Part of the WEA Art and About Festival 2024! 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.

Set yourself up for success at learning English with this Getting Ready for Functional Skills Entry 3 English preparation course. Get an English qualification to help you access a variety of work and study options. Functional skills courses in English teach you to read, write, and communicate confidently in English. Functional skills English isn’t like learning English at school. This is an English course for adults created by adults. Develop practical English skills by learning language in context. This course is funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority https://www.wmca.org.uk/

This is a free taster course focusing on your personal experiences and how these experiences may form the basis not only for autobiography and memoir, but for autobiographical fiction and poetry. The course will be composed sections, with a break; each designed to explore one or more areas of personal writing, through discussion, hands-on writing experiments and guidance on how to improve technical aspects of your prose or poetry. By the conclusion of the course you will have completed an introduction to one or two pieces of writing. The course will be mutually supportive, stimulating and a good introduction to further creative writing courses with the popular tutor Stephen Smith.

If you’re interested in learning more about mental health issues, this level 1 course can teach you the foundational concepts. You’ll get a view into the nature of mental health work and the issues that face people struggling with it. Level 1 health and social care courses about mental health can teach you the basic principles of mental health care. If you enjoy this course you can continue your learning in this area. Mental health awareness training can help you understand if this area of work interests you.

Discover the art of precision and creativity in our Sewing for Business progression Course. Expand on the fundamentals of machine sewing, mastering essential techniques, and creating a garment of your choice. You'll gain hands-on experience and the confidence to bring your design ideas to life. Learners will be taught how to make specific garments, as well as master more skilled techniques, such as sewing concealed zips into garments and more complex stitching. Join us for a transformative learning experience that blends craftsmanship with entrepreneurial acumen, equipping you for success in the world of sewing and business.

The CV writing workshop will empower Department for Work and Pensions claimants to create a new CV or update an existing CV with the help of an experienced tutor. You will learn the basic concepts and importance of an effective CV, ensuring that it includes personal details, information on education, work experience, key skills and references. Where appropriate you will receive support to tailor CVs to specific job roles with a view to improve prospects for being invited for an interview. It will be an opportunity to obtain individual feedback, review drafted CVs and address any individual queries and concerns.