Get yourself an education!

It's too late to think about making a New Year’s resolution, but it is never too late to learn a new skill.  Take up a new hobby, interest or skill in 2010.   We’ve trawled around for courses to improve you, your skills or just simply your soul.

Craft and practical skills courses and workshops

Have you always promised yourself some 'me time' to get to grips with a new skill?  We've got all angles covered with our selection of groups ,  classes and workshops to get involved with.  So, get wiggling your belly, tapping those feet, carving wood or stone or take to treading the boards.

  • Stitch collected objects into your work with   The Treasure Trove workshop on 3 August
  • Scrap Book Icons : Make your own unique sketch book on the theme of Icon; a person, a passion or a place, and create pages around the theme using mixed media techniques, 21 August.
  • One Day Photography Workshops run in Buxton on the 1st Sunday of every month, so check one of them out 1 August, 5 September, 3 October, 7 November or 5 December
  • Learn to play the Dhol drums every Thursday
  • Join the Creative Crafts group in Mackworth Library every Friday for knitting, crocheting, sewing, and a good measure of nattering!
  • A new Carnival Brass group is launching on the 21st of July at the Brunswick Pub in Derby for people aged 14 upwards.  Band leader is Brandon O'Neill who leads the Melbourne Town Band who will intorduce you to the  delights of funk, reggae and ska amongst other musical styles to get you in the carnival mood this summer!! Instruments are not provided, so suitable for young people who already play an instrument  to go along and get involved. 
  • Derby Georgian Choir Also in Derby from the 25th of July is a new Choir group for those who are 16+.  The Derby Georgian Choir will meet every 4th Sunday of the month where you and your children can sing some amazing harmonies from Georgia and you can take part in an ancient singing tradition that is now classified as a World Heritage Artform!  
  • Painting course - Watercolour Landscapes - Jeremy Ford, 29 to 30 July. A perfect 2 day course for improvers - learn how to paint fantastic watercolour landscapes with renowed SAA artist Jeremy Ford.
  • Rob Wareing Portrait CoursePortrait Course with Rob Wareing - oils, pastel or acrylics, 31 July to 01 August. Rob Wareing leads this two day portrait painting course, where you get to paint real subjects in a studio location.
  • Watercolour Landscapes with Charles Evans - 2-6 August: A 5 day Watercolour painting course / holiday with professional artist Charles Evans.
  • Painting Course - Landscapes in Oils, Acrylics and Chalk Pastels - Jeremy Ford. 9-10 August. A two day course suitable for artists of all abilities who wish to improve their techniques in oils, acrylics and chalk.
  • Painting Course - Landscapes in Mixed Medium - Lewis Noble .  6 to 8 September. This is a 3 day painting course led by the local, professional artist Lewis Noble. The course will look at emotional responses to the landscape.
  • Classical Portraits in Oils - Emma Tooth.   2-3 November.  Emma Tooth painting course2 day painting course with award winning professional artist Emma Tooth. Booking essential.
  • Conventional & Unconventional pen, ink & watercolour techniques - Sue Sareen. 9-10 November . 2 day course with professional artist Sue Sareen. Subjects will mainly be based on rich Derbyshire Landscape - gardens, flowers, trees and shrubs.
  • Shape Note songs let us sing passionately about the beauty of the world and the struggles of life and death. Six workshops on Saturday mornings , open to all
  • SCART players are a Staveley based adult drama group (over 16s)  They meet every Tuesday for those wanting an opportunity to participate in drama.
  • Learn to carve in wood then take home your chisels and enjoy creating your own pieces. These workshops are on going every Tuesday and can be joined at any time.
  • Tap Dancing for adults (16+) every Tuesday for fitness & fun - No examinations but opportunities for performance work
  • Keith Fenwick 3 day course Matlock Artists Society holds a Portrait Group open to non-members on the first Wednesday of every month from 9.30am to 12noon in All Saints Church Hall, Smedley Street, Matlock. Just turn up!
  • Join a belly dance class in Belper.
  • There are Modern Jive Dance Lessons happening on Mondays and Thursdays .
  •  Carving classes will give you a taste of the ancient craft of carving .  Various dates.
  • Sculpting Stone - 2, 3 and 4 day stone sculpting workshops (from beginner to intermediate)
  • ‘Handmade with love’ jewellery workshops in Tibshelf and surrounding areas introducing the use of different techniques in jewellery making.

Artform genre interest courses, lectures and workshops

Professional development

Keep your professional practice skills up to date. Also check out our Artists' and Arts Organisations' Training News page for many more opportunities.

For children

  • During August in Belper you can get your 'years 4-9' children to take part in Sing it! , a series of 4 workshops that encourage your children to join in vocal games, music and song
  • Wizard of Oz summer schoolIn August the Wizard of Oz Musical Theatre Summer School will be running week-long courses during the summer holidays for 5-16 year olds.  The first week-long course starts 2 August in Swadlincote and the second will take place week commencing 23 August.  There are 40 places for each summer school course and the sessions, that run 9.30am-3.30pm each day culminate in an 'end of week show'.  So, get your children packed off down the yellow brick road this summer! 
  • Twistin' Tots is a fun mix of songs, rhymes, actions and props to educate young children and keep them entertained. Every Monday in Duffield , Tuesday at 10am in Matlock or 2pm in Belper , Wednesday in Ripley , or Fridays at 10am or 11.15am in Belper
  • Pyjama Drama provide young children with a drama programme that is fun, exciting, and which develops key social skills.
  • Dancebeats are dance classes around Derby for children aged 3-18 years old. Venues include Stepping Lane, Chellaston, Mickleover and Chaddesden. Hey Diddle Diddle
  • Hey Diddle Diddle is an informal, relaxed and friendly music group/class for Babies, Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers. Songs, actions, movement, percussion, musical development and bubbles! Every Monday,Wednesday and Thursday in Chesterfield.
  • Performing Arts classes for 3-17 years . Theatreworks in Matlock every Saturday
  • Derby Academy of Acting have Advanced acting classes for adults and young people between the ages of 11 and 18. 
  • The Bakewell School of Dance and Arts have classes every Monday.
  • Roleplay Drama workshops for 5 to 11 year olds every Wednesday in Starkholmes near Matlock. Helping children to develop confidence and imagination.
  • Creation Station - Big fun for little people. Award Winning Children’s Creative Arts and Crafts Activity for 1-5 year olds in Mickleover every Tuesday

For the whole family

Adult Education Centre courses

Here’s a round up of the Adult Education Centres around Derbyshire.  There are literally hundreds of courses on offer, so get in touch with the relevant Centre in order to find out which courses will go ahead and to enquire about course fees.  We’ve selected a few of the courses that will be taking place from the January term to tickle your fancy, but our listings will help you get in touch with the venue nearest to you to find out more.

  • College of the Peak are always keen to promote heritage skills and regularly run courses in crafts such as woodlands skills and dry stone walling.  This term, they have a Heritage Roofing taster course
  • There's a whole range of courses on offer at Hunloke ACE in Chesterfield, including Singing for Pleasure, Silvercraft, Making Clothes and Soft Furnishing
  • Assembly Rooms, Chesterfield Are offering Belly Dancing for Improvers!
  • At Codnor you can join a Mixed Crafts course
  • Long Eaton have on offer a diverse range of arts and crafts courses including Floristry Level 2 Award (QCF), Creative Writing (All Abilities) and Guitar for Beginners Level 1.
  • You can learn how to make Fashion Clothing, how to  Flower Arrange, have a go at Belly Dancing or  Garment Making at Alfreton
  • The Enterprise Centre at Cotmanhay are offering visual arts courses for all abilities with their Painting & Drawing and Mixed Crafts courses.
  • Shirebrook are offering Painting & Drawing and Sugarcraft
  • At Somercotes there is a Painting and Drawing Mixed Media workshop, as well as at Ashbourne ACE and New Mills ACE
  • Try your hand (or more precisely, your middle regions) at Belly Dancing at Buxton
  • Dronfield are offering Pottery and Painting and Drawing (mixed abilities)
  • Killamarsh Adult Education Centre are offering Floristry Levels 1 & 2.
  • You can learn Lacemaking, Pottery and Beadwork at Clay Cross
  • Try your hand at Watercolour Painting, or start with the basics in a Painting and Drawing class at Swadlincote
  • Melbourne ACE is offering an Upholstery and Furniture Restoration course, as is Ashford ACE
  • Bolsover is offering classes in Patchwork and Quilting, a City and Guilds in 2D and Watercolour Painting classes.

If you would like your course to be included in this round up, let us know the web address of your artsderbyshire workshop event and drop us a line to let us know about your course details dap@artsderbyshire.org.uk .

You can add your workshop or course as an event to the website for free here;

 


Get an event listed

If you know about an arts event in Derbyshire that is not on our site please send us the event details.