WEA courses

Enhance your artistic abilities with our Art Practical: Painting and Drawing course. Learn fundamental techniques and explore various styles to create expressive and detailed artworks. Ideal for both beginners and intermediate artists looking to refine their skills.

Would you like to take your Latin beyond GCSE level and develop your ability to read and enjoy Latin literature? You will use the Latin you have already learnt to translate, discuss and analyse original Latin literature, both verse and prose. Through online activities such as quizzes and assignments and group work in the online sessions, you will discover the enduring fascination and importance of some of the greatest literature ever written whilst consolidating and extending your knowledge and understanding of Latin grammar.

Uncover the history and architectural significance of castles in Northern England and North Wales with this archaeological course. Ideal for history buffs and archaeology enthusiasts alike.

For the last century, crime fiction has been the most popular and lucrative of literary subgenres. But this commercial success belies a formal inventiveness and experiment, a constant drive to ‘make it new’, which has long been central to the genre. In this course we will read six crime novels (and three short stories) which chart the development of crime fiction. As well as considering each of these novels in isolation from week to week, we will also use the seven week course to ask ourselves: how has crime fiction changed through the years, and how has it remained the same? No previous knowledge of crime fiction is necessary – everybody is most welcome!

A history course based on some well-known musicals. Writers of musicals often dealt with complex social, political and historical issues while also providing an entertaining show with great songs, but in this course we’ll look at some unexpected, surprising and even ill-conceived inspirations for musicals, some of which were very successful, some of which were not. The course includes the background to musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Stephen Sondheim, but also lesser-known writers whose work has become very successful and has acquired a cult following.  At the end of the course, you will be able to: - Discuss how Evita and Call Me Madam are influenced by the writers' personal viewpoints of the societies they are describing - Give examples of how fairy tale conventions are overturned in Frozen and Into The Woods - Identify some of the classic films, stories and characters that fed into horror musicals like Rocky Horror Show and Sweeney Todd. - Discuss why "bad taste" is such a prevalent feature of modern musicals, like the Producers and Little Shop of Horrors. - Identify some of the issues that caused a few of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musicals to fail.

Join guest tutor Andy Beharrell on this fascinating insight into the history and events around the Essex, East Anglia and East Coast Waters. Each week will have a different theme starting with the shipwrecks around East Anglia, followed by The Maunsell Forts and ending with From Tierra Del Fuego to Essex. The course will be in the historic venue of The Reading Rooms at Billericay, Essex.

Go behind the scenes of the Government Art Collection, a less well-known national art collection, with Chantal Condron, a former curator at the Collection. Discover the fascinating origins of its history, and the people and events that have shaped its past. Explore how and why artworks are acquired or commissioned and discover some of the locations where they have been displayed. We explore works across a range of media from paintings to film, by artists from the 16th to the 21st centuries, including Marcus Gheerhaerts the Younger, Thomas Phillips, Bridget Riley, Michael Armitage and recent Turner Prize winner, Jesse Darling

Exploring National Poetry Day 2024: A 2-Hour Session In honour of National Poetry Day on October 3rd, 2024, this 2-hour session offers participants an immersive exploration of poetry's richness and relevance in contemporary culture. The session begins with an introduction to the history and significance of National Poetry Day, highlighting its purpose in celebrating poetic expression and promoting literacy. Participants will engage in interactive readings of diverse poems, spanning various styles, periods, and themes. Through guided discussions led by poetry enthusiasts and experts, attendees will analyse and interpret selected works, exploring their artistic techniques, meanings, and emotional resonance. The session will include creative activities designed to encourage participants to write their own poetry or share favourite poems that resonate with them personally. These activities aim to foster creativity, self-expression, and a deeper appreciation for the power of poetic language. Throughout the session, facilitators will emphasise the role of poetry in expressing emotions, addressing social issues, and preserving cultural heritage. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss how poetry enriches their lives and communities, reflecting on its ability to inspire empathy, provoke thought, and promote dialogue. By the end of the session, participants will have gained a deeper understanding of the diversity and impact of poetry. They will leave with newfound inspiration, a collection of shared poems, and a renewed appreciation for National Poetry Day's mission to celebrate and elevate the art of poetry in society. This session aims to cultivate a community of poetry enthusiasts and advocates, celebrating the beauty and power of poetic expression.

The Victorian years saw unprecedented industrialisation which changed the face of Britain but also attitudes. Industrial developments were perceived as both positive and negative, but the countryside was viewed as a tradition, community and continuity. Yet images of the country, as well as the town, reveal the complexity of a society adapting to the modern world. Depiction of idyllic country scenes and grimy urban life reveal deep tension in Victorian society. This course will reveal that complexity and the contradictions which characterised the years 1837 to 1901 by examining paintings, engravings, photographs cartoons and the literature of the period.

If you find Shakespeare daunting and wonder what all the fuss is about, or if you are a devotee who wants to share and deepen your enjoyment of his work this course is for you. An opportunity to look in some depth at one intriguing play, Henry IV Part 1, by reading, discussing and watching extracts of performances. The play brings together full range of Shakespeare’s mature style, introducing the famous Falstaff, with high- and low-life equally represented. Among the themes are fathers and sons, duty and pleasure, morality in war, government and rebellion, all as applicable now as ever.