The Pre-Raphaelite Dream
Explore the Victorian avant garde. The Pre-Raphaelites were notorious for their painting style and their lifestyles. Find out who eloped with whom, and the surprising results in art and literature. See why Ruskin became their champion, follow the rise of … More details …
Bath: a Musical History
The social history of Bath is also its musical history, and it’s a tale worth telling. From the days of Beau Nash, when the spa was instituted, a band has been part of the set-up, because music has healing powers, … More details …
Keep taking the Stanzas: Poetry and Wellbeing
Research has shown that poetry is good for you, whether it’s reading it, writing it or learning it by heart. We shall focus on poetry’s healing properties and discuss a variety of poems that have the power to lift our … More details …
Tragedy and Triumph: The heroic age of Antarctic exploration
Three famous explorers dominate the story of early Antarctic exploration: Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton. We will focus on their expeditions from 1902 – 1912, including the race to the Pole between Scott and Amundsen. Herbert Ponting’s photographs and Edward Wilson’s … More details …
Craft: More Cartonnage
Using a modern, no sew technique based on 19th century cartonnage, we will be making a fabric covered Victorian etui style sewing box. By removing the lid, the sides drop down to reveal the interior of the box. You will … More details …
Against the Odds: from Shakespeare’s sister to Virginia Woolf
Based on literary texts, this is an exploration of how women writers confronted gender stereotypes, found their voices and found publishers and readers. [Part One] Virginia Woolf said that ‘Intellectual freedom depends upon material things.’ In Day One of Two,* … More details …
Astronomy
Chris Sperring MBE may be known to some for his work in Wildlife Conservation for which he was awarded the M.B.E by the Queen in 2001. Chris also presents on TV and Radio bringing his enthusiasm for the natural world … More details …
Craft: Making Summer Jewellery
Learn how to use tiger-tail wire to make colourful, summer necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Tiger- tail is a thin, flexible wire encased in nylon which comes in a variety of colours and is mainly used for stringing beads. Crimps are … More details …
Germany after the Wall
Find out how Germany changed when the Berlin Wall came down, how Angela Merkel and her two predecessors dealt with major social and economic challenges – and how Germans in these uncertain times are building train stations! The course will … More details …
Toulouse-Lautrec: the Painter of Montmartre
This study day will look at the life and work of the Post-Impressionist painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. The main focus will be the period in which the artist lived and worked in the Parisian district of Montmartre. Lautrec, through his paintings … More details …
Doris Hatt and Rosa Bonheur
Two remarkable women artists: Doris Hatt, a modernist working in Clevedon, and animal painter Rosa Bonheur, the most successful of the 19th-century. DORIS HATT (1890-1969) was a remarkable woman who lived in Clevedon for much of her life. A recent … More details …
Infinite Variety: Amazing Adaptations of Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s plays have prompted some astonishing reactions, from West Side Story to Macbeth with a machine gun. This day-school explores the endless variety of Shakespearian adaptations, not just on stage and in cinema, but also in paintings, music, and haute … More details …
Shakespeare and history: the Real War of the Roses
Shakespeare’s earliest plays deal with the most turbulent period in English history, from the loss of France through to the Battle of Bosworth. Along the way he addresses the burning of Joan of Arc, the murder of a king and … More details …
Psychology’s obsession with personality: From Freud to the Facebook Scandal
Psychology has tried to provide answers to a long standing interest in human personality. This day course provides a tour of key thinkers and scientific discoveries about personality from Freud to the present day. We shall also explore recent applications … More details …
Jacobean Theatre
The accession of James 1 to the throne in 1603 had a enormous impact on playwrights from Shakespeare to Webster and Ford. We’ll look at the political, religious and social influences which helped to create some of the greatest plays … More details …