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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Film Studies: 5 BBC Plays for Today Revisited

The BBC Play for Today strand ran from 1970 to 1984, an anthology series of one-off made for Television plays covering a broad range of genres from social realism to science fiction and anything in between. The plays also allowed a variety of then new writers and directors to express themselves on screen in an inventive and original platform allowing for experimentation in terms of style and themes, for many writers this was the start of a fruitful career. This course examines several of these plays, considering what made some into landmarks of TV drama, why they so often courted controversy and what shifted in the television landscape to bring about their decline.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 05/06/2025 -
Thu 03/07/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00021966
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

History: Some Medieval Kings and Queens of England…with Dr. Mark Barnard

According to legend, after the death of their native-born and last prince, Llewelyn the Last, Edward I promised the Welsh a prince born in Wales, who could speak no English. Not long after he presented them with his first-born son – the first Prince of Wales. Next, he relentlessly attempted to subdue Scotland, but died before doing so. How then did Wales lose its independence and Scotland preserve its? What were the origins of the Hundred Years War with France and who was the real victor? Who murdered Richard II in a northern castle? Shakespeare hints it was Henry IV but should Shakespeare’s portrayals be challenged, or are they closer to the truth than some have suggested? Providing a brief overview of four medieval rulers, this course traces how the reigns of Plantagenets and their wives have helped shaped the country in their struggles with each other, Parliament, France and Scotland.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 06/06/2025 -
Fri 04/07/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Mickleover Library (Derby)
Mickleover Library
Holly End Road, Mickleover
Derby
DE3 0GA
Tutor:
Mark Barnard
Course code:
Q00020535
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

Art Appreciation: The Emergence of Art Photography (1839 -1920)

This three-hour session explores the rise of photography as an art form from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century. We will examine key movements, including Pictorialism, and the work of pioneers such as Nadar, Julia Margaret Cameron, Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, and Paul Strand. The session will discuss how photographers used soft focus, composition, and printing techniques to elevate photography beyond documentation into artistic expression. We will also explore photography’s relationship with modernism and its dialogue with painting. Learners will gain insight into how photography secured its place in the art world.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 06/06/2025 -
Fri 06/06/2025
Times:
9:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Caroline Levisse
Course code:
Q00021437
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £11.10

Creative Writing

This inspiring and supportive course is designed to help learners explore the joy of storytelling, self-expression, and the written word. Whether you’re a beginner or someone looking to reignite your creativity, this course will guide you through the core elements of creative writing, including character development, dialogue, setting, poetry, and short stories. Through fun and imaginative writing exercises, you’ll build confidence in your unique voice and discover how writing can be both a creative outlet and a tool for personal growth.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 06/06/2025 -
Fri 25/07/2025
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Donnison School (Sunderland)
The Donnison School Buildings
Church Walk
Sunderland
SR1 2BJ
Tutor:
Susan Jones
Course code:
Q00022161
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
9 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

Creative Writing: Finding Your Voice, Write the Story, Poem, Memoir

Whether you want to write memoirs, a novel, stories or poetry or for personal development come along and join this friendly day course. We will explore creative writing as therapy and the development of your writing skills, imagination and confidence. We will look at different ways of writing about life experience, memory, incidents and details that illustrate a narrative and how the use of imagination creates many forms of writing, such as stories poem and memoirs.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 07/06/2025 -
Sat 07/06/2025
Times:
10:00am - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stella Stocker
Course code:
Q00021298
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £20.35

Care 2: The Art Community of St Ives

This coure is for carers, those who have cared, and the cared for. Study the Artist Communities of Newlyn, and St. Ives, and their Art Societies from their founding in the 20th Century until the creation of Tate St.Ives. We willl look at the work of the founders of the St Ives Artist Communities and identify some of their famous residents such as Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Kit Wood, and Alfred Wallis.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 07/06/2025 -
Sat 07/06/2025
Times:
10:00am - 11:30am
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00021819
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee:
Free

Art and About: Film, Camera, Action: a walk through some of London’s film locations.

We will walk from Victory Arch, Waterloo station, to the MI6 buildingi in Vauxhall, stopping to consider a variety of places used as film locations and settings. The aim is to share knowledge about the production background and what these locations contribute to the storyline, atmosphere and style of each film. We will consider a range of films including The Bourne Ultimatum, A United Kingdom, Alfie, Trainspotting, and Skyfall.

Course Information

Dates:
Sun 08/06/2025 -
Sun 08/06/2025
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Meeting point: Victory Arch (London)
Waterloo Station,
Waterloo Road,South Bank
London
SE1 8SW
Tutor:
Daniel Williams
Course code:
Q00019137
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £12.60

Creative Writing: Writing for Blogs, Magazines and Publications

A friendly and accessible guide to feature writing, both in print and/or for digital media – blogs, online reviews etc. How to write, research, style and structure an article, either/or factual and creative. Taking time to identify a suitable publication for a proposed article and making first contact. This course also explores the online possibilities of reviews and blogging – how to blog consistently and maintain a readership. This course will make use of a mix of informal feedback, lecture using PowerPoint slides, some focused group discussion/creative tasks in breakout rooms and feedback. Suitable for beginners or improvers and those with a passing curiosity!

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 10/06/2025 -
Tue 08/07/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00020297
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
7 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Film & Media: Shooting Stars 5 Great Artist Biopics

A friendly and accessible exploration of five cinematic works charting the lives of various artists and performers. Expectation for the big screen biographical drama is often high, some fair well with audience and critics whilst others flounder. We have fun whilst gaining knowledge and understanding of big screen biopics and cinema I general. What are the running features of a successful biopic? Is there a winning formula? How much ‘artistic licence’ on behalf of the filmmaker is too much? Promoting knowledge, understanding and confidence regarding film and cinema in general, whilst also highlighting specialist language and terminology, advancing literacy, communication skills and confidence in delivering informed feedback.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 10/06/2025 -
Tue 08/07/2025
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00021150
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Creative Writing: Take a Picture – Tell its Story...

Take a Picture , this time with a broad ‘Summer Theme’- Tell Its Story, a fun, friendly and structured approach to aid you in finding inspiration, putting pen paper and get writing. Every picture tells a story, so we put the focus on getting creative and being inspired by a variety of pictures (ideally taken by yourself with a different theme to prompt us each session). We apply some key hints, tricks and craft to our writing which could be inspired by memory found in fact, fiction or somewhere in between - developing ideas throughout each session.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 12/06/2025 -
Thu 10/07/2025
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Stephen Joseph Theatre (Scarborough)
Westborough
Scarborough
YO11 1JW
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00020301
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00