Discover new skills this September
Pursue interests and skills with short creative courses
Lockdown has caused all of us to think and reflect on the future. Maybe, for you, that involves taking up a new hobby or progressing yourself further with new skills and knowledge.
Whatever you have in mind, our choice of short courses for adults can help you fulfill it. They’re the perfect way to nurture your creative side and open future possibilities.
All courses are held at our Quarry Hill Campus.
BOOK A COURSEA beginner course for those wishing to understand and develop acting techniques for live performance, this course looks at the different styles of theatre and acting, whilst introducing new and more unfamiliar genres.
You will learn the foundations of contemporary acting techniques, along with transferable acting skills for the workplace. Due to its public speaking component, those in non-acting professions, such as teachers, managers and group leaders, would also benefit from this course.
Benefits:
- Develop your stage presence
- Learn how to create a ‘believable’ character
- Explore the art of performing with truth
- Practise and develop acting techniques for a range of acting styles
- Strengthen public speaking skills
Start Dates:
06/10/2021
19/01/2022
20/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Learn how to execute traditional and digital drawing techniques using the latest software. This course covers a range of artistic genres such as illustration, portraits and still life.
You will utilise modern techniques using tablets and digital software, whilst exploring different drawing methods and materials commonly used in traditional art forms.
Benefits:
- Learn how to use scale, light and proportions in drawing
- Discover digital and traditional drawing techniques
- Develop your observational skills
- Use graphics tablets and software to develop digital drawing skills
Start Dates:
06/10/2021
19/01/2022
20/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Get to know the basics of Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere on this introductory course.
You will develop new skills in photo processing and manipulation, graphic design techniques and video editing techniques. You will also explore the endless ways they can be applied across social media, logos, photoshoots and other applications.
Benefits:
- Use Photoshop for graphic design
- Learn how to manipulate and process photos
- Use Illustrator to design graphics and logos
- Learn how to use Premiere to edit and export videos for social media and other applications
Start Dates:
05/10/2021
18/01/2022
19/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
If you’re a budding watercolour artist or a beginner, this course will develop your skills and take you to the next step.
You will explore your artistic practice individually and as part of a group, developing your style and understanding of painting using observation and research. Basic materials are included in the course fee; your tutor will explain what paints are recommended to buy and more in your first session.
Benefits:
- Gain experience in mixing colours and using brushes to your advantage
- Explore tonal and colour values
- Acquire practice in applying compositional rules
- Create personal work relating to a given theme
- Develop a personal approach to watercolour painting
Start Dates:
05/10/2021
19/01/2022
20/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Take your practice to the next level by exploring a range of life drawing techniques, poses and using different media and materials to create them.
Portraying the human form is one of the most challenging and rewarding processes to learn. By working with experienced tutors and models through a series of weekly activities, you will become confident in capturing a variety of poses and not only observing, but considering the structure and proportion of the body.
Benefits:
- Work with experienced tutors and models
- Explore observation drawing of the human form
- Learn a variety of approaches and processes through a series of weekly activities
- Learn how to process and record information using different methods and tools
- Work with a range of materials
- Become familiar with drawing different poses from models
Start Dates:
05/10/2021
18/01/2022
19/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Find your voice with this introductory singing course that will help you develop your vocal style and understand essential singing techniques.
Based in an informal setting, both solo and with a supportive group, you will explore breathing and safety exercises, harmony, pitch, scales and tone, amongst other key skills used in performances from theatre to bands. You will also explore the physical, emotional and social benefits of song and how you can apply these as a singer in performances and more.
Benefits:
- Develop key breathing techniques
- Learn how to sing in Key
- Develop or build on a vocal style in contemporary music, choir, theatre or live performance
- Explore vocal exercises for your continuing development – scales, pitch, tone
- Become familiar with using backing tracks
- Know how to work with a musical director
- Learn melodies and harmonies in call and response
- Explore the process leading up to a performance; from the rehearsal to the stage
- Perform for family and friends on the final day of the course
Start Dates:
05/10/2021
18/01/2022
19/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Gain a deeper and richer understanding of the history of art while uncovering meaning and historical contexts to different works.
Ideal for art enthusiasts, this course will equip you with the knowledge to read and understand works of art, investigate the nature of value and beauty, and see the social and political contexts behind various artworks. It will also look at several key moments in art history by exploring key artists and their work through gallery visits and study.
Benefits:
- Analyse works of art
- Explore the context of artwork
- Explore the impact of artistic processes on the viewer
- View historical and contemporary artworks
- Read visual language
- How to judge works of art
Start Dates:
06/10/2021
19/01/2022
20/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Ideal for photography enthusiasts, industry employees, or people who want to change their career path, this course is a detailed introduction to the limitless world of digital photography and photography in a professional studio.
From learning camera controls to lighting conditions, you will explore a range of key skills that will enable you to express yourself through exciting creative photography and studio shoots.
Benefits:
- Produce high and low key portrait and fashion images using studio lighting
- Produce creative experimental photographic work
- Experience working in a production team in a studio environment
- Produce of a portfolio of work displaying the above techniques
Start Dates:
06/10/2021
19/01/2022
20/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Become versed in the art of oil painting, and immerse yourself in colour, expression and creativity on this course.
Taught by the established artist Chris Campbell, you will learn the fundamentals of oil painting. Looking across various landscape and figurative styles, you will begin to define your skills within them and learn through personal exploration and tutor demonstration.
Benefits:
- Learn with expert tutor Chris Campbell, who has exhibited widely and works in a variety of landscape and figurative styles
- Learn how to select and compose images
- Learn how to convert your images into impressive oil paintings
- Understand the fundamentals of oil painting
See Chris Campbell’s work at http://www.campbellpainter.co.uk.
Start Dates:
05/10/2021
18/01/2022
19/04/2022
Duration:
10 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£200
Exploring how media can promote a business, this course focuses on developing creative content for a brand. Covering all the essential areas of creative media, you will develop skills in graphic design, photography, producing and editing video content, and building a template website.
Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses interested in producing social media content and developing a website, you will also become familiar with a range of creative software to promote and market your business online.
Benefits:
- Learn how to design logos
- Understand how to use still and video cameras
- Learn the fundamentals of video editing
- Understand fundamental photography techniques
- Become familiar with photo editing and manipulation
- Explore web page layout and design
Start Dates:
06/10/2021
Duration:
20 weeks
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£400
This is a non-accredited course.
Start Dates:
25/10/2021
04/04/2022
Duration:
1 week (weekdays only)
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£400 (please note an installment plan is available)
This is a non-accredited course.
Start Dates:
21/02/2022
11/04/2022
Duration:
1 week (please note the April intake will be 4 days)
Location:
Quarry Hill Campus
Cost:
£400 (please note an installment plan is available)
What are the benefits of studying a short course?
- Step out of your comfort zone and expand your skills
- Refine and develop new skills or knowledge
- Expand your social circle and meet like-minded people
- Gain fresh perspectives and experiences
- Receive help and advice from tutors with experience in relevant careers and industries
- Be recommended the best progression options
- Get a taste of the future – could your new pursuit become a rewarding career?
- Learn on your terms – our courses take place on weekday evenings so that you can fit them around other commitments
FAQs
How long will I study for?
Each course lasts 10 weeks, apart from the Creative Media for Small Businesses programme which runs for 20 weeks.
Where do courses take place?
All courses are held at our Quarry Hill Campus, which boasts cutting-edge facilities such as digital technology labs and industry-standard studios.
When will my course begin?
We have start dates throughout the year:
- Week commencing Monday 4 October
- Week commencing Monday 17 January
- Week commencing Monday 18 April
Please note: courses do not run during half term (21 October – 1 November)
How much will my course cost?
Most courses are £200. Due to its longer study time, the Creative Media for Small Businesses programme is £400.
