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 & Media: 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:
Wed 21/02/2024 -
Wed 20/03/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00012944
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Creative Writing: Writing Inspired by the Movies & Music

Writing Inspired by Movies & Music a fun, friendly and structured approach to aid you in finding inspiration, putting pen paper and get writing. Lights, camera action - press play, it could be the story, a scene, a song, a line or dialogue, a lyric or how it makes us feel, we put the focus on getting creative as inspired by a selection of films and music, the words you write could be fact, fiction or somewhere in between - we use our own creativity by putting pen to paper and apply some writing hints, tricks and skills. Gain confidence as you develop new skills to improve your writing. Might your next piece be a great adaptation?

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 22/02/2024 -
Thu 21/03/2024
Times:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Stephen Joseph Theatre (Scarborough)
Westborough
Scarborough
YO11 1JW
Tutor:
George Cromack
Course code:
Q00012646
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £42.00

History: Art, Architecture and Photography in the 1930s

This course aims to introduce you to the work of artists, architects and photographers of the 1930s, with close attention to historical context. It is suitable for both those who are new to the history of art, and for students who may have previously attended art history courses.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 22/02/2024 -
Thu 14/03/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
St Lawrence Parish Rooms (Winchester)
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LH
Tutor:
Michaela Cranmer
Course code:
Q00009648
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60

Art Appreciation: World Heritage Architecture in Britain

A survey of remarkable architecture in England, Wales and Scotland celebrated in World Heritage sites. We will include the Tower of London, Maritime Greenwich, Edward I’s Castles in Wales, Durham Cathedral and Castle, Blenheim Palace, the City of Bath, the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh – and the Palace of Westminster. Listing is decided by a committee established under UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention. We will look in detail at how these architectural sites have been awarded this World Heritage status and consider what may have justified this distinction. This course will combine short lectures with discussion sessions, backed by colour-illustrated notes.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 22/02/2024 -
Thu 21/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Marlow Community Association (Marlow)
Liston Hall
Chapel Street
Marlow
SL7 1DD
Tutor:
Keith Hasted
Course code:
Q00012195
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £45.00

WEA Membership

For just £15 a year, you can:

  • Join our popular, award-winning weekly lecture series,
  • Access an archive of over 100 past lectures,
  • Get priority online and phone booking for autumn courses (England only),
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Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
WEA Membership

Art Appreciation: From New York with Love - American Abstract Painting

Conquer your fear (!) of American Abstract Expressionist painting and discover how and why this major art movement of the 20th century dominated international art from the 1940s and beyond. Why did this radical new form of artistic expression originate largely in the studios of New York? What were the main social, political and cultural influences on this new painting style? This course will look at the work of several artists including Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock, Helen Frankenthaler and Mark Rothko, among others. We also discuss how and why Abstract Expressionism continued to influence artists internationally in the following decades.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 22/02/2024 -
Thu 28/03/2024
Times:
10:30am - 12:30pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Enfield Baptist Church (Enfield) (Enfiel
Cecil Road
Enfield
EN2 6TG
Tutor:
Chantal Condron
Course code:
Q00012150
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £69.00

Foreign Languages: Reading Latin for Beginners

Discover the joy of studying Latin with a supportive tutor in a group of like-minded students. If you have covered the grammar required for GCSE and would like to begin to study Latin literature independently, this is the course for you. • consolidate and extend the grammar required for GCSE to meet the needs of reading Latin literature • translate, discuss and evaluate extracts from Virgil's Aeneid and Caesar's Gallic Wars. Don't worry if you feel rusty: you will have all the support and encouragement you need to experience the pleasure and satisfaction of embarking on the journey of reading Latin.

Course Information

Dates:
Thu 22/02/2024 -
Thu 27/06/2024
Times:
11:45am - 1:45pm
Duration:
15 sessions
Tutor:
Penelope Fewster
Course code:
Q00012454
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
1 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £111.00

Literature: Appreciating Short Stories - Modern Masters and New Discoveries

Our greatest novelists are also often fantastic short story writers, and this day school highlights some of the short (but mighty) masterpieces that have stimulated generations of readers over the years.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 23/02/2024 -
Fri 23/02/2024
Times:
10:00am - 3:30pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
St Lawrence Parish Rooms (Winchester)
Colebrook Street
Winchester
SO23 9LH
Tutor:
Mark Bilsborough
Course code:
Q00009235
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £35.00

Advanced Latin

Are you enthralled by the Ancient world? This advanced Latin course is ideal for language and history enthusiasts alike. Develop advanced language skills in Latin as well as a deep understanding of the historical context in which it was written. Latin has hundreds of applications in contemporary contexts. If you are interested in language learning, literature, law, medicine, or botany, this course will fascinate you. This Latin course aims to help you find greater joy in modern literature by understanding its Latin underpinnings. Develop critical thinking and consider the impact of Latin literature on modern society and debates.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 23/02/2024 -
Fri 28/06/2024
Times:
11:45am - 1:45pm
Duration:
15 sessions
Tutor:
Penelope Fewster
Course code:
Q00012451
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
6 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £111.00

Art Appreciation: Women in Art - 1550 - 2000

Who were the women artists? Why do we know so little about them? Who has not wondered why it is that women have not featured in the story telling of Art except as muses and as models? The course will cover the periods of the late Renaissance, the Seventeenth century, and the mid Nineteenth century until the present day. Gain an insight into ways in which art education, studio set ups, and the writing about art have enabled some members of society to become well known and others obscure. This course is for anyone with an interest in either Art and its history, or women’s issues.

Course Information

Dates:
Sat 24/02/2024 -
Sat 24/02/2024
Times:
10:00am - 3:00pm
Duration:
1 sessions
Location:
Swaffham Community Centre (Swaffham)
Iceni Partnership
Campingland
Swaffham
PE37 7RB
Tutor:
Guest Speaker
Course code:
Q00013239
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £21.00

Film & Media: Alfred Hitchcock - The British Movies

It is a sad fact that Alfred Hitchcock’s British films are often neglected in favour of his glossier movies made in America. This is a course to redress the balance. It will explore how Hitchcock’s craft developed through the films he made in England during the 1920s and 1930s. From The Lodger to The Lady Vanishes, over the space of twelve years Hitchcock earned the title of “The Master of Suspense”. By analysing these and other key films, this is a course for anyone interested in the art of film and how a director can manipulate a cinema audience.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 27/02/2024 -
Tue 19/03/2024
Times:
10:00am - 12:00pm
Duration:
4 sessions
Location:
Blofield Court House (BLOFIELD)
28 Yarmouth Road
BLOFIELD
NR13 4JU
Tutor:
Nigel Herwin
Course code:
Q00010682
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £33.60