I am delighted to announce that the Autumn Term Programme 2025 is now open for booking here:
The website, as you know, divides activities into three areas:
COURSES – core programme Courses – LetchworthSettlement
WORKSHOPS – including one-off lectures and Summer School 2025 Workshops– Letchworth Settlement
EVENTS – including concerts, guest speakers etc. Events – LetchworthSettlement
To book on anything, go straight to the activity you want without logging in.
You will see that the Autumn Term Programme 2025 comprises 100 exciting courses in the arts, humanities, languages and wellbeing. I hope you find plenty of things to keep you as involved as ever!
Membership
If your membership expires in the next couple of months, please renew here:
MembershipForm – Letchworth Settlement
You can check your membership details via the User Portal which is accessed from the button at the bottom of the website home page, or from here:
UserPortal – Letchworth Settlement
In the User Portal you can check your membership details and renew membership before the expiry date without losing any days.
Course viability
Please note that activities normally require a minimum number of 5 participants to run, and early bookings help reduce programme cancellations.
Between now and next term!
There are plenty of things to do at the Settlement before September! Here is a quick summary:
Saturday 28 June
Artists in Residence Takeover
Join artists-in-residence Becky Ullah and Nade Simmons, between 2pm and 5pm, for an afternoon of creativity, conversation, and community! Book your FREE ticket here:
ArtistsinResidence Takeover – Letchworth Settlement
Or here:
Sunday 29 June
Friendly Portrait Award Day
Please contact Collette: 01462 685139 or 07942 893457 to take part in this practical, inspirational, and great fun Settlement Portrait Workshop Day and Award 2025! 10am – 4pm. See further details here:
FriendlyPortraitAward Day – Letchworth Settlement
Saturday 5 July
Still Life Drawing Club: Dramatic Black Paper
For this month’s session, artist Vanessa Stone will show you how to create impactful images working with vibrant colours on black paper. 10am – 12pm; £18.50
StillLife Drawing Club: Dramatic Black Paper – Letchworth Settlement
Friday 11 July
Settlement Sessions presents: Elizabeth and Jameson
This terrific harmony-driven original folk / rock music duo featuring guitar, violin and exquisite vocals will perform in the Kincaid Hall at 7.30pm (doors: 7pm); £13. Licensed bar. Gather your friends for this one! Book here:
SettlementSessions:Elizabeth & Jameson – Letchworth Settlement
Listen here: You’llNeverKnow | Elizabeth & Jameson
Saturday 12 July
Beautiful Button Hole and Button Skills
Get your sewing machine to work for you in this fun session for sewists of all levels with tutor Jane Neesam. 10am – 12pm; £20
Beautifulbuttonhole and button skills – Letchworth Settlement
SUMMER SCHOOL 2025
(OPEN TO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS)
Monday 14 July
LECTURE: THE ECONOMICS BEHIND THE AI REVOLUTION
Hear guest speaker Nick Gardener describe the economic implications of the rapidly developing world of artificial intelligence. 7 – 8.30pm; FREE
The economicsbehind the AI revolution – Letchworth Settlement
Thursday 17 July
LECTURE: ROOTS TO REMEDIES: A MEDICINAL TALK BY BECKY ULLAH
Art meets medicine in this fascinating new lecture by Settlement Artist-in-Residence, Becky Ullah. 7-9pm; FREE
Roots toRemedies: A Medicinal Talk by Resident Artist Becky Ullah – LetchworthSettlement
Saturday 19 July
LECTURE: THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA
Hear about one of the most recognised and visited landmarks in the world, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, with science and engineering explainer, Tim Parrott. 10am– 12pm; £15
The LeaningTower of Pisa – Letchworth Settlement
EVENT: FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY
Enjoy a fabulous night of live stand-up comedy featuring headliner Arthur Smith (Edinburgh Fringe; BBC Radio 4; and, frankly, national treasure!). 7-10pm; £13
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/for-one-night-only-letchworth-july-tickets-1370682952609
Sunday 20 July
CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP: WRITING CONVINCING DIALOGUE
With tutor Elizabeth Barber, consider the nature of real conversations and how to convey them in your own creative work. 10am – 3.30pm; £42
WritingConvincing Dialogue – Letchworth Settlement
Monday 21 July
LECTURE: DYNASTY: THE SHAPE OF CHINESE HISTORY
Gain insight into the cyclical pattern of Chinese history with historian Michael Williams. 10am – 12pm: £15
Dynasty: TheShape of Chinese History – Letchworth Settlement
ARTS & CRAFTS: INTRODUCTION TO WATERCOLOURS
If you are new to watercolours, start here with Settlement Artist-in-Residence Becky Ullah. 10am – 12pm: £20
Introductionto Watercolours – Letchworth Settlement
LECTURE: SIXTY YEARS ON: WAS 1965 MUSIC’S BEST EVER YEAR?
Survey and reflect on a time of intense creativity with musicologist Stephen Barnard. 7-9pm; £15
Sixty yearson: was 1965 music’s best ever year? – Letchworth Settlement
Tuesday 22 July
WELLBEING: TAI CHI SWORD AND FAN
This taster session of Tai Chi Sword (Jian) and Tai Chi Kung Fu Fan will give those students who have already gained experience of the Tai Chi Hand Forms a chance to enhance their understanding. Not suitable for absolute beginners. Practise swords and fans will be provided. 10am – 12pm; £15
Tai Chi &Qigong: Swords & Fans – Letchworth Settlement
LECTURE: CORRUPTION IN BRITISH POLITICS
We welcome back speaker Bill Lindsay for a chance to consider, from a historical perspective, how politics goes wrong. Who could vote? Who became MPs? Which issues gave rise to reform, and, vitally, how were they suppressed? These and other questions will be explored in this insightful talk. 7-9pm; £15
Corruption inBritish Politics in the 1850s – Letchworth Settlement
Wednesday 23 July
LECTURE: ART NOUVEAU AND ITS NATIONAL VARIETIES
Here is a unique chance to hear Emeritus Professor of Cultural Studies at Richmond American University, London, Dr Alex Seago talk on a subject that he knows very well. 10am –12pm; £15
Art Nouveauand its National Varieties – Letchworth Settlement
ARTS & CRAFTS: PAINTING ANIMALS IN ACRYLIC
Artist Sally Taylor will show you how to create realistic-looking, vibrant images. 9.30am – 12pm; £26
PaintingAnimals in Acrylic – Letchworth Settlement
ARTS & CRAFTS: COLLAGE WORKSHOP WITH CALLUM ABBOTT
Explore 20th century collages, then create your own! 1-3pm; £15
CollageWorkshop with Callum Abbott – Letchworth Settlement
LECTURE: THE 1960s AND THE BIRTH OF MODERN PROTEST
Following last year’s fascinating talk about the Woodstock Music Festival, we welcome back historian Kathryn Brooks Hughes as she examines how the emergence of the civil rights movement remains relevant today. 7-9pm; £15
The 1960s andthe birth of modern protest – Letchworth Settlement
Thursday 24 July
ARTS & CRAFTS: WILLOW BREAD BASKET WORKSHOP
Suitable for beginners, here is a chance to weave a willow basket to take away, under the guidance of expert, Hazel Godfrey. 10am – 4.30pm; £74
Willow BreadBasket Workshop – Letchworth Settlement
ARTS & CRAFTS: THREADS OF CONFIDENCE: PATCHWORK & QUILTING FOR EVERY LEVEL
Join Sheena Roberts for this fun one-day workshop. Suitable for all. Find out more here https://bit.ly/4kY5UP7 .
Email the tutor at Sheena@greenmanquilts.co.uk for the materials list. Note: you will need to bring your sewing machine and pedal. 10am – 4pm; £45
Threads ofConfidence: Patchwork & Quilting for Every Level – Letchworth Settlement
LECTURE: MAP AS ART : ART AS MAPPING
Join Simon Harvey as he considers how artists have continually been inspired by the concept and wonder of maps. 10am -12pm: £15
Map as Art;Art as Mapping – Letchworth Settlement
LECTURE: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DATING BUILDING BY EYE
With historian (and Settlement Trustee), Katherine Alcock, here you can learn some of the key visual clues to help assess the age of a building. 7-9pm; £15
A Beginner’sGuide to Dating Buildings by Eye – Letchworth Settlement
Friday 25 July
ARTS & CRAFTS: MAKE A CROWN BOOK
Learn something about the wonderful art of bookmaking with expert Andrea Burden. 10am – 1pm; £22
Make a Crown Book – Letchworth Settlement
LECTURE: EASY RIDER AND AMERICAN GRAFFITI (A CLASSIC ALBUMS SOUNDTRACK SPECIAL)
Consider the electrifying effect of rock music used on the soundtrack of two iconic movies. 10am – 1.30pm; £15
Easy Rider andAmerican Graffiti (A Classic Albums soundtrack special) – Letchworth Settlement
LECTURE: AN INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL STUDIES
Begin a magnificent journey into arts, culture and humanity as seen through the eyes of the ancient Greeks and Romans. 1-3pm; £15
Anintroduction to Classical Studies – Letchworth Settlement
Best wishes,
-Nick
