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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Art Appreciation: The 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:
Tue 18/02/2025 -
Tue 11/03/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Pyrton Village Hall (Watlington)
Pyrton
Watlington
OX49 5AP
Tutor:
Kate Phillips
Course code:
Q00017589
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £40.00

Art Appreciation: Women Artists in Victorian London

Over the last twenty years, research and exhibitions have brought to our attention a great number of Victorian women artists. From Emily Mary Osborn and Lady Butler (aka Elizabeth Thompson) to Evelyn De Morgan, 19th century London did not lack great women artists. They lived in a society that globally remained hostile to independent career women. We will see how they trained, what they painted and his which style, and how they balanced the pressure of social norms and their personal ambition.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 18/02/2025 -
Tue 18/02/2025
Times:
10:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00019201
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Art and the Arts in 1950s

If there is such a thing, at any time the “national mood” in any country is reflected in the cultural products of the period - visual works, theatre productions, the movies, the literature. The course will provide an overview of the decade from the artistic and cultural viewpoint. This will include the art movements which emerged such as Abstract Expressionism, exemplified by people like Jackson Pollock, music developments such as rock'n'roll famously promoted by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and many others and epoch-making movies such as West Side Story.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 20/02/2025 -
Thu 27/03/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
Colin Lomas
Course code:
Q00017413
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £72.00

Art Appreciation: The Art of Easter

Are you fascinated by art and how it developed, and would like to know more? The story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus has been at the forefront of western art for 2,000 years - from early inscriptions in the catacombs, medieval altarpieces and Leonardo’s Last Supper, to the twentieth century works of artists such as Marc Chagall and Graham Sutherland. This lavishly illustrated six week course takes you through the Easter story through the eyes of the major artists.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Mon 31/03/2025
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00009348
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £55.00

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Literature: Detective Fiction in Society and Culture

In these lectures Stephen Wilkinson will introduce students to the history of the detective genre and discuss its relationship to the development of capitalism, urbanisation and consumerist commodity culture. Students will be encouraged to read detective fiction as a prism through which societies, their anxieties and underlying psycho-political natures can be understood. Using the examples from the UK, US and Cuba students will gain an insight into the ways in which popular literature gives shape and form to our lives.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Mon 10/03/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Friends Meeting House (Berkhamsted)
289 High Street
Berkhamsted
HP4 1AJ
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00018325
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £30.00

Film & Media: 125 years of British Film

The course aims to introduce learners to the long history of British film, its unique institutions, and how its story crosses over with both that of Hollywood and of the European film industries closer to home. We’ll take a deep dive into each major historical period of the industry in the context of its times and wider social change, from the earliest cinematic experiments to the present day. With a wealth of clips and background material.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Mon 24/03/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Christopher Budd
Course code:
Q00019124
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Film Studies: Another 5 Wonders of Classic Hollywood

A fun and accessible course exploring a selection of films from the ‘Classic Hollywood era - increasing knowledge, understanding and appreciation of film in general. Classic Hollywood is the popular name given to a period in U.S film history from the 1930sjust into 1960s when the studio system and big name stars were at their peak. A time when popular cinematic conventions were established, glamour, big stars and entertainment were key and moral standards (mostly) accepted. We examine a selection of wonders spanning this era also considering the motivations and governing factors behind some of these productions, considering audience appeal and interpretation of these films.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 24/02/2025 -
Mon 24/03/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00020081
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Literature: Six Classic Novels you can read in Six weeks

Each week we focus on a classic work of fiction, reading and discussing key passages. The texts include short novels which can be read in one week, and longer novels which we’ll study over two weeks. The course is organised chronologically and spans over 200 years, from the mid-19th century to modern times. We begin with Jane Eyre and end with Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. We’ll share and debate interpretations, sharpen our critical and appreciative faculties, understand what fiction can tell us about the society and culture that produced it, and, hopefully, be inspired to read other works by the writers featured on the course.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 25/02/2025 -
Tue 01/04/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
Brandon Robshaw
Course code:
Q00017423
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £72.00

Beginners Spanish

Want to take on a new challenge and learn a new language? Like to holiday in Spain or Spanish speaking countries or just want a new hobby, then this is the course for you. This can be used as a continuing course after the prior introduction course or feel free to join at this stage. The course will be run by a fully qualified tutor who has experience teaching Spanish online. The course will be 12 weeks long and take a break for half term. Start your journey to speaking Spanish today!

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 25/02/2025 -
Tue 03/06/2025
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Andrea Ostapski
Course code:
Q00019151
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £88.80

Creative Writing: Written in the Style of...

Have fun, find inspiration and develop creativity as we put the focus on tapping into the styles, structures and themes of a selection of iconic writers. A fun, friendly and structured approach to gain fiction writing knowledge and written word skills and, importantly, aid you in finding inspiration, putting pen paper and getting writing. Mystery, romance, fantasy, hardboiled crime, or a touch of the ghostly and gothic or something far more salacious – find inspiration as we consider the kind of words, characters and styles which suit a tale written by a selection of famous authors.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 25/02/2025 -
Tue 25/03/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00020229
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00