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. 

Skip to course

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.

Please enter your postcode

In order for us to give you accurate results for your courses, please click on the Search options and enter your postcode and the mile radius for your search.

Refine search

How you'll learn

Your location

Please enter your postcode or town for your search in the boxes below.

We have defaulted the search to ten miles, but you can change this number in the box as you wish.

Sort by start date

Choose to sort the course start date in ascending order (furthest away dates first) or descending (most recent dates first)

Results per page

Days

Other Filters

Part of day
Level of study
Availability
Search for the branch name/location, without adding branch e.g. Barnet

Art Appreciation: History of Churches

Discover the beauty and history of art in churches with our Art Appreciation: Art in Churches course. Explore the significance of religious art and architecture from different periods and styles. Ideal for art enthusiasts and those interested in religious and cultural heritage.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 30/06/2025 -
Mon 28/07/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00022262
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade? Barbara Pym, No Fond Return of Love

Explore the literature of the "Angry Decade" with a focus on Barbara Pym's No Fond Return of Love in our Literature: Portraits of Society, 1954 – 1961 The Angry Decade? course. Analyze the social themes and character studies that define this period. Ideal for literature enthusiasts and students of modern British history.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 01/07/2025 -
Tue 08/07/2025
Times:
2:30pm - 4:30pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Patrick O'Reilly
Course code:
Q00016890
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £16.80

Creative Writing: Bootcamp: Essentials of Story

Aimed at those who have stories or working on a longer project, this course set over 5 hours in in one weekend, gives you dedicated time for writing and reflecting on your optimum creative process. You’ll set a daily achievable goal, refresh an element of story craft through the tutor’s stimulating exercises and extracts from published texts and write! We’ll immerse ourselves in short and longer writing exercises and get feedback from the tutor and peers when you share in pairs. Imagine the amount of work and momentum you’ll build over these two mornings. Set yourself up for success with dedicated time for writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 05/07/2025 -
Sun 06/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
2 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Nicola Torode
Course code:
Q00021876
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £18.50

Art and About: Clerkenwell and St Johns Cloister Gardens, Walk and Draw

Join us for a morning of walking and drawing this historic part of London in the heart of Clerkenwell 's design district. We will combine a visit to St John’s Gate Cloisters with its walled garden, Charterhouse and various pubs and iconic St James Church. Alongside our walk, we will be drawing a combination of buildings and foliage, with your choice of sketching mediums. We will be looking at capturing the perspective and proportion of the buildings to surrounding shapes. You can add both illustrative sketching detail and written word around your drawings to another dimension. For inclement weather we will find interior spaces in various Churches, pubs or cafes, and continue to work from there. Guidance will be offered by your tutor to help with composition and drawing/painting techniques in you chosen medium.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 05/07/2025 -
Sat 05/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 1:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St John's Cloister Garden
St John's Cloister Garden
St John's Sq
London
London
EC1M 4DH
Tutor:
Debra Collis
Course code:
Q00022221
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £14.70

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Art and About: Art in the Olympic (South) Park - Walking Tour

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.

Course Information

Dates:
Sun 06/07/2025 -
Sun 06/07/2025
Times:
3:00pm - 5:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Meeting Point: ArcelorMittal Orbit (Lond
Queen Elizabeth Olymipic Park,
London
E20 2AD
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00019135
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £12.60

Art Appreciation: Vincent van Gogh

This session charts to life and work of Vincent van Gough. Vincent was born in 1853 in the Netherlands. He was mostly known as a Post Impressionist painter. The session will be delivered by power point presentation and lecture , handouts will be given where appropriate. The session is tailored to allow learners the opportunity to consolidate their learning as the course is delivered by discussion of their learning outcomes and opinions in a friendly and engaging environment and there will be fun group activities during the course to check on understanding and learning.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 10/07/2025 -
Thu 10/07/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kerry Van Der Schraft
Course code:
Q00022110
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £7.40

Creative Writing : Introduction to Writing Your First Novel: Advanced

This course is a follow on to the previous ‘Writing Your First Novel: Next Level’ course, but suitable for newly enrolling students with experience writing fiction. 'Writing your first Novel: Advanced' is all about the deeper craft of creative writing—those elements that will make your work really stand out when you are making your first steps into the world of writing, regardless of whether you are planning on submitting your work, or if you are just writing for fun. Giving you the opportunity to develop an effective creative writing practice, and further personal development, especially if you want to get that first novel out of your head and onto paper.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 10/07/2025 -
Thu 24/07/2025
Location:
Online
Course code:
Q00009233
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20

Art and About: History: 'Unmentionables'- A History of Underwear Through the Ages.

Explore the captivating evolution of fashion with our course, "Unmentionables." This journey takes us from the earliest evidence and references through to the present day. Looking at diaries, fashion plates and other contemporary sources we will explore the influences which have shaped clothing and underwear trends. How did the clothing of the elite differ from of everyone else? We will also be considering how the industrial revolution and the changing role of women affects underwear. And lastly what about today what are the ethical and sustainability issues we have to consider? Join us to find out more

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 10/07/2025 -
Thu 10/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Kate Antoniou
Course code:
Q00022167
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Art Appreciation: Scandinavian Design: An Introduction

This three-hour session explores the history of Scandinavian design across four transformative decades, tracing its rise to international prominence. Known for its clean lines, functional elegance, and deep respect for natural materials, Scandinavian design stands out for marrying modernist ideals with warmth, simplicity, and a strong sense of everyday usability. We’ll look at key figures such as Alvar Aalto, Arne Jacobsen, and Greta Magnusson Grossman, examining how their work shaped national and regional design identities. Through furniture, lighting, textiles, and domestic objects, the session will consider how social democracy, craft traditions, and innovation combined to create a timeless design ethos that continues to resonate today.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 14/07/2025 -
Mon 14/07/2025
Times:
9:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00022134
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Art Appreciation: Art of the Revolution: From David to Delacroix;

As the French celebrate Bastille Day on 14th July, we will explore the dynamic relationship between art and political upheaval during the final decades of the 18th century in France up to 1830. From the twilight of the Ancien Régime to the rise of Napoleon, we will examine how artists such as Jacques-Louis David, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, and Adelaide Labille-Guiard responded to and shaped the revolutionary moment. Through paintings (some very famous, such as David’s Death of Marat), prints, and visual propaganda, we’ll consider how art functioned as a tool of persuasion, resistance, and reinvention. The session will also explore shifting artistic styles, including the decline of Rococo and the rise of Neoclassicism within a rapidly transforming society.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 14/07/2025 -
Mon 14/07/2025
Times:
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00022137
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10