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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:Five Centuries of Women Sculptors

American art historian Linda Nochlin in 1971 posed the question as to “Why have there been no great women artists?”. Since then the field of art history has increased its focus on women artists. Yet women sculptors have been the most overlooked, overshadowed by their male counterparts, and under-represented in sculptural histories. This course will write them back into art history by focusing on the talented and accomplished women sculptors from the 17th Century to their transition through the centuries into the installation artists of the 21st Century.

Course Information

Dates:
Sun 11/05/2025 -
Sun 15/06/2025
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Jolanta Jagiello
Course code:
Q00017477
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00

Art Appreciation: Art of the 19th and 20th Centuries

Modern Art’ arouses strong feelings - like it or loathe it! Explore Constable and Turner, understand the Pre- Raphaelites and the Impressionists. Trace the development of ‘Modern Art’ from the beginnings with Cezanne, through the revolutions of Picasso and Mondrian, to the British artists such as Tracy Emin and Antony Gormley. Discuss whether ‘found art’ such as Duchamp’s ‘Fountain’ or Tracy Emin’s ‘My Bed’ are really art at all. Examine the importance of modern art galleries. Understand the contexts and the development which have influenced art in the twentieth century.

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 12/05/2025 -
Mon 23/06/2025
Times:
11:00am - 12:30pm
Duration:
7 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
David Brindley
Course code:
Q00009349
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £55.50

Art Appreciation: Renaissance art in 16th century Europe

This course in art appreciation provides close attentions to particular works of art from Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer to Michelangelo and Pieter Breughel. The focus will be upon specific paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings in relation to who the works were for, how the decisions about visual presentations were determined and the integration of pictorial practice with contemporary ideas. The course uses a secure digital learning portal for all the classes and for communications with the tutor and access to learning materials. The course would be appropriate for both experienced viewers of art and those new to the subject.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 03/06/2025 -
Tue 22/07/2025
Times:
11:15am - 12:45pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Allen Fisher
Course code:
Q00019460
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

Creative Writing: Creative Writing Group – Sense of Place: Showing & Telling, part 2

Continue your exploration of setting and description with our Creative Writing: Creative Writing Group – Sense of Place: Showing & Telling, Part 2 course. Build on your skills in creating vivid, immersive settings in your writing. Ideal for writers who have completed Part 1 or have some experience in descriptive writing.

Course Information

Dates:
Fri 20/06/2025 -
Fri 25/07/2025
Times:
11:00am - 1:00pm
Duration:
6 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Catherine Humphris
Course code:
Q00017787
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £44.40

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),
  • Receive our Highway magazine and access back issues,
  • Attend our members’ annual conference.

Just add us to your basket to sign up today!

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15

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
Times:
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Duration:
3 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Craig Rickard
Course code:
Q00009233
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £25.20



The courses below have already started, but are still available to book.

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 17/09/2024 -
Tue 10/12/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
12 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Andrea Ostapski
Course code:
Q00018702
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £88.80

Art Appreciation: Women Sculptors of the 20th Century

We will explore the developments in Modern 20th century sculpture through the work of a selection of women sculptors. Then we will consider the way these sculptors experimented with shape and form, in figurative representational and abstract ways which often pushed boundaries and set precedents. We will analyse the sculptor's styles and choice/use of different mediums. We will also consider the wider chronological context of sculpture and how these sculptors relate to the developments. This course is for learners who have an interest in Art and a curiosity for this three-dimensional medium. The course material will cover a range of 20th century material, making comparisons and contrasts.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 17/09/2024 -
Tue 26/11/2024
Times:
9:30am - 11:30am
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Rachel Holland-Hargreaves
Course code:
Q00016281
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
2 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £84.00

Beginners Ukrainian

Would you like to start learning how to speak in Ukrainian? Would you like to communicate with your friends or colleagues who speak the language? Then this is the course for you. This is the basic course which runs for 8 weeks so you can learn the basics of the language. You do not have to do any assessments to join the course as this is for beginners. You will be taught by a qualified tutor who was born in Ukraine and has lived in the UK teaching English for a number of years.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 17/09/2024 -
Tue 12/11/2024
Times:
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Duration:
8 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Olena Kovalenko
Course code:
Q00018816
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £59.20

Literature: Representations of Childhood

From the most idealised to the most troubled narratives, childhood has consistently been a source of inspiration in literature. In this course, we will be considering how a range of authors represent childhood, the themes that connect with this idea, and how different contexts have changed how childhood is portrayed. Through our discussions, we will be analysing texts across different genres, reflecting on the questions and challenges that writers face when representing this profoundly influential stage in life.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 17/09/2024 -
Tue 26/11/2024
Times:
1:30pm - 3:30pm
Duration:
10 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Clare Jackson
Course code:
Q00017743
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
In progress
Fee range
Free to £74.00

Art Appreciation: Royal Portraits (1395 - 1658)

During this five week course we will explore a number of portraits of British Monarchs. We will discover the anonymous Wilton Diptych, Holbein’s portrayal of Henry VIII, the evolving portraits of Elizabeth I throughout her life; the paintings of Charles I by Anthony Van Dyck, and several portraits of the de-facto monarch Oliver Cromwell. The course will introduce the lives of the artists, the historical and socio-political contexts of the paintings, and discuss the changing perceptions of the monarchy as shown in this 250 year long history. Images of the portraits will be available for you online. Come along and tap into your inner art-critic.

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 17/09/2024 -
Tue 15/10/2024
Times:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Duration:
5 sessions
Location:
Online
Tutor:
Stephen Smith
Course code:
Q00017463
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
4 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Free to £37.00