90s Britpop Night 96rpm
The Settlement brings you a nostalgic night of live Britpop music by local lads 96rpm. A full bar including some juicy beers provided courtesy of Letchworths legendary independent brewers, Garden City Brewery. Bucket hats, baggy jeans and wet look hair gel (not) compulsory.
Watercolours
This opportunity is for anyone wishing to explore watercolours, from beginner to the more experienced painter. We will be looking at different theories, and practical applications, exploring this versatile medium. We will find our preferred technique and develop our personal style. From portraits to florals, landscapes to botanical, we will delve into subjects working from […]
Get Writing for All – Monday Morning
These classes are ideal for anyone who enjoys writing or would like to start. No experience is necessary. The emphasis is on having fun and through a combination of reference to published texts, writing and listening, confidence is built in writing fiction and non-fiction. Short, optional homework exercises are set weekly with supportive feedback from […]
Get Writing for All – Tuesday Morning
These classes are ideal for anyone who enjoys writing or would like to start. No experience is necessary. The emphasis is on having fun and through a combination of reference to published texts, writing and listening, confidence is built in writing fiction and non-fiction. Short, optional homework exercises are set weekly with supportive feedback from […]
Woven Tapestry
Learn woven tapestry skills at your own pace. A course perfect for learning the basics in tapestry weaving and for further developing skills and woven tapestry knowledge. Choose from a selection of projects aimed at various skill levels from beginner to improver. Lucy will work with you to help you develop your weaving and design […]
Get Writing for All with Adrian Poynton – Tuesday Evening
These classes are ideal for anyone who enjoys writing or would like to start. No experience is necessary. The emphasis is on having fun and through a combination of reference to published texts, writing and listening, confidence is built in writing fiction and non-fiction. Short, optional homework exercises are set weekly with supportive feedback from […]
The Structure of Iconic Buildings
Once a building is finished, each visitor is happy enough to form his/her own impression of it. But the work of the engineers, which made the architect's vision a reality, continues invisibly to support that structure, whether it be Ancient, Medieval or Modern. With knowledge of that structure comes understanding (and even love) of the […]
Get Writing for All – Wednesday Morning
These classes are ideal for anyone who enjoys writing or would like to start. No experience is necessary. The emphasis is on having fun and through a combination of reference to published texts, writing and listening, confidence is built in writing fiction and non-fiction. Short, optional homework exercises are set weekly with supportive feedback from […]
Contemporary Basketry for all abilities
This mixed-ability basketry course is contemporary in its’ approach and will use a wide variety of natural materials. Beginners will start with simple forms on which to explore a range of basic techniques and material processes. Improvers will build on their experience thus far, learning to manipulate and apply basketry techniques to new and sometimes […]
Get Writing for All with Adrian Poynton – Wednesday Evening
These classes are ideal for anyone who enjoys writing or would like to start. No experience is necessary. The emphasis is on having fun and through a combination of reference to published texts, writing and listening, confidence is built in writing fiction and non-fiction. Short, optional homework exercises are set weekly with supportive feedback from […]
Singer-songwriters of the 60s & 70s
From very different musical backgrounds, singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Randy Newman brought a powerful mix of storytelling, social commentary and self-exploration to the music scene in the late 60s and early 70s. In this short course we revisit their work and dip into the albums of contemporaries like Carole […]
Classical Studies
Classical studies involves looking at the ancient Greek and Roman world from the perspective of many different disciplines, including architecture, archaeology, art, drama, literature, philosophy, politics, religion, social history, and much more.
Myth in Greek Tragedy
Myth in the tragedies of Aeschylus, Euripides and Sophocles
Watercolour and Ink
This 2-hour workshop will focus around creating fun, beautiful loose watercolour artworks finished off with some fine pen details to create some quick, punchy, fun artworks to take home. We will learn how to apply minimal colours in selected areas but with enough interest to draw the eye. There will be some splatters, some colour […]
Forensic Psychology
This course will explore how psychology can be used to understand criminal behaviour. For instance can offender profiling be useful in identifying an offender? What causes a person to become a criminal – is it their biology or their environment? What is the best way to deal with offender behaviour, for instance do prisons work? […]
Abstract Painting
Each lesson begins with an approachable practical experiment that is later developed using various materials such as acrylic paints, watercolours, pen and ink and collage. All will be demonstrated to understand how the materials can be used in each session and constant guidance will be given throughout the course. Contemporary artists are introduced and discussed […]
Writing your Memoirs
Have you thought about writing your life story but are concerned that you will not know how? If so, this course is for you. In a supportive atmosphere, you will be offered suggestions designed to give you confidence in writing even if you have never done anything like this before. You may find that this […]
Drawing for Improvers
This improvers course will give you the opportunity to further practise those skills learnt through the beginners’ course. Your Tutor will send you information and a video tutorial on the Tuesday and completed artwork should be photographed and returned prior to the next weeks lesson for feedback given in video format.
Applied Arts
This Art Club focuses on experimentation with a wide range of materials and mixed media. Taught by Chantelle Stephenson, a local artist and established tutor at the Settlement. She will provide inspiring ideas and direction on technique. Each class begins with demonstrations, and you are then encouraged to develop ideas and allow your work to […]
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
To mark the 250th anniversary of her birth we will be studying closely this beloved novel which the author herself suggested might be "too light, bright and sparkling." Is such a thing possible? The novel is a masterpiece, much imitated and often adapted, drawing us in from the famous opening line. Let's meet Elizabeth and […]
The Poetry of Seamus Heaney 1966-75
Seamus Heaney is probably the most renowned British poet of the past fifty years. His writing is moving, profound and linguistically extraordinary. This course will explore his first four collections of poetry, from ‘Death of a Naturalist’ to ‘North’. We will discuss individual poems and their context as well as looking at common themes and ideas.
KEYNES and his ECONOMICS
Keynes is considered one of the most influential economists of the 20th century, and his ideas have had a significant impact on modern economic policy. During this five-week course, we will look at his extraordinary contribution to government policy over the decades, and at the rise and fall of the popularity of his ideas and […]
Yoga
This yoga class will serve as an introduction, each week building on what is learned. Sessions will consider the underlying philosophy for up to 15 minutes, continue with an exploration of poses and flow, and end with a relaxation
Portraiture
Portrait painting is becoming increasingly fashionable in the art world. There are many painting styles that can render a stunning portrait. Settlement tutor Komathy is introducing this portraiture course to teach how to paint portraits in oils. Komathy will provide guidance as you start your own painting. She will teach quick painting methods, how to […]
Oil Painting
The Thursday afternoon oil painting group is a lively, approachable and unique class. Students are encouraged to build and respond to their own natural strengths and focus on building their own unique style within the painting process. Each student shall shape a diverse narrative from their own sources of inspiration, from their own sketches, photography […]
Portrait Sketching
Using pencils on paper, learn some of the basic principles of composing a portrait. Gain an understanding of proportions, facial features, expressions, light and dark shading to capture a person’s likeness. This course forms the foundation for my more advanced course of portrait painting in oils on canvas.
Woven Tapestry
Learn woven tapestry skills at your own pace. A course perfect for learning the basics in tapestry weaving and for further developing skills and woven tapestry knowledge. Choose from a selection of projects aimed at various skill levels from beginner to improver. Lucy will work with you to help you develop your weaving and design […]
Watercolour: Freestyle Portrait Painting
Portrait painting is becoming increasingly fashionable in the art world. There are many painting styles that can render a stunning portrait. Moving away from more traditional techniques in oils, Settlement tutor Komathy is introducing this portraiture course to teach how to paint portraits in watercolours. Komathy will encourage experimentation and your own creativity while providing […]
Art Nouveau and its National Varieties
This talk reviews the development of various national varieties of Art Nouveau at the turn of the 20th century. It also points out the connections and differences between Art Nouveau and the national varieties of what became known as Art Deco in the 1920s.
Chinese Brush Painting: Flower and Bird
Suitable for beginners and improvers. In this module we will be looking at Chinese flower and bird compositions and the way in which they are represented in Chinese art. We will learn the techniques for representing some of the traditional Chinese flowers and birds and the traditional compositions.
Still Life Drawing Club
Vanessa has been running a Still Life Drawing Club for the last three years in Newark on Trent and brings this monthly club to the Settlement. The club focuses on bringing out each person’s individual style by everyone working from a still life arrangement of fascinating objects and given the freedom to respond in different […]
Autumn themed raw edge machine embroidery workshop
Join us for our autumn themed raw edge machine embroidery work shop. Learn how to make a greetings card or picture for the autumn. Beginners and more experienced machinists welcome.
Wrest, Women and Inheritance
Wrest Park in Bedfordshire is now known for an important 18th Century landscape garden; what is less know is the role that women owners had in creating and preserving it. We will look at how these ladies came to inherit the estate and what they did with it.
Introduction to Watercolour
This 2-hour workshop is aimed at those who have never used watercolours before or those who want to start with some basic skills. We will discuss how to choose between the materials: paper, brushes and paints. We will cover 8-10 different skills, making a reference swatch pad that you can refer to at home as […]
A Beginner’s Guide to Dating Buildings by Eye
Have you ever wandered down a picturesque high street or through a lovely old church and wondered what the architecture around you was telling you? In this two-hour session we will cover the basics of dating English buildings by eye, identifying the clues that will reveal a structure’s age, and taking a glance at the […]
Settlement Sessions: Hebridean Fire
Multi-instrumentalists, Elsa McTaggart and Gary Lister, from the Isle of Lewis take you on an eclectic musical journey through the Islands and Highlands of Scotland past and present. Expect soulful laments, high-energy, beautifully arranged sets of jigs, reels, and traditional songs with plenty of laughter, joy and warmth. Doors and the licensed bar will open […]