WEA courses

A fun, friendly and structured approach to our develop fiction writing knowledge, skills and importantly aid you in finding inspiration, putting pen paper and getting writing. Whatever you might like to write or already enjoy writing, be it short stories, longer tales, mystery, crime, a touch of the gothic or whatever takes your interest - there will be a plot to suit your idea and/or help you find inspiration and take it further. Find inspiration as we consider the how a different plot may aid with a specific theme or topic, the development of characters and your choice of words and description. This course will make use of a mix of informal feedback, lecture using PowerPoint slides, some focused group discussion/creative tasks in smaller breakout groups and feedback. Session by session we examine a different ‘plot’ and apply some creative craft to it, might it yield the perfect motivation for a crime, is three a secret a character wishes to keep? What kind of story suits a particular plot – flash fiction, a cautionary tale or a longer and more complex tale? We examine the varied forms and approaches, how have others approached similar tales and what might work best for us now. Suitable for the curious beginner and/or the seasoned scribbler.

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 creating and 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.

Welcome to the world of creativity! This beginners' course in arts and crafts is designed to introduce you to various artistic techniques and mediums, providing you with a solid foundation to explore your creativity. Whether you're a complete novice or someone looking to refresh their skills, this course will guide you through the fundamentals of different art forms, encouraging you to express yourself through hands-on projects.

Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953) composed some of this century’s most widely loved music – be it the ballet Romeo and Juliet or his work for children Peter and the Wolf. Yet due to his itinerant lifestyle and the secrecy that cloaked his final years in the USSR, he remains one of the least understood musicians of this century. This course will explore the full range of his 130 compositions in various genres through active listening, YouTube videos and live music, and will make comparisons with some of his lesser-known contemporaries. This six session course is face-2-face and is suitable for students at all levels. No previous knowledge is required and detailed background notes will be made available via Canvas, the WEA learning platform.

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 character creation. 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 will show initial practical skills and methods used in Drawing and Painting. Taking a calm and relaxed approach to exploring ways of seeing and expressing with a range of materials. It explores colour theory in Art and exploration of painting techniques to develop your observational skill levels. Simple exercises are followed to make connections between mark making and painting from observation. Reflective practice is encouraged to document and develop your ideas tracked through sketchbook notes. Development of these skills will enable your confidence to produce imaginative and creative work.

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.

Kickstart your creative side with a 6-week writing course. Explore how other writers achieve their effect, improve your own writing by listening to and acting on feedback, learn how to offer sensitive and constructive comment to others. By the end of this course you should have generated 6 new pieces of work and have a good idea of how to improve and polish your work. Beginners and more experienced writers are welcome. The tutor is Liz McPherson. Liz’s work is published by Dreamcatcher, Prole, High Window, The Lake, LTU Wordspace, Yaffle and others. Her pamphlet, Unexpected Items is due to be published this year by Yaffle. She is a regular performer on the local open mic circuit, headlining recently at Gobby in the Lobby (Wakefield). She has been a tutor with the WEA for 14 years.

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.

Join us to explore the work of James McNeil Whistler, from his more conventional portraiture to his experimental 'nocturnes' which have a totally contrasting approach & result causing consternation amongst a contemporary late 19th century audience. This course will consider the artist's work within the wider artistic chronological and stylistic context. This course is for learners who have an interest in this period of Art and have engaged in some previous studies of Art. The course material will cover different aspects of Whistler's work analysing examples in detail and consider them within the context of the development of the genre of portraiture as well as the way other aspects of his work opened up possibilities for innovation by influencing other artists.