Courses and Education

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.

• Try one of these Stained Glass workshops -  7 March or 17 March in Glossop.

• Or perhaps some Glass fusing - 29 February or 31 March in Glossop?

• Every Friday in Derby you can try your hand at a variety of intriguing craft techniques, including Ceramics, Jewellery making, Painting, Traditional Artefacts making (e.g mask making) and Enamelling.

• Learn painting with ink, mark making, collage and stitching on paper at a Collage Landscape workshop in Bolsover, 26 February

• Get an Introduction to Mixed Media: Spring Equinox workshop in Earl Sterndale, 3 March

• Use some basic silversmithing techniques to create a set of sterling silver jewellery at a Pendants and Earrings workshop in Bolsover, 4 March.

• Have you received a fancy, new camera for Christmas and have no idea what to do with it?  Then help is at hand as Matlock-based photographer Tez Marsden offers Photography Courses year-round.

• Use screens, squeegees, your own stencils and colour-fast dyes to decorate a T-shirt, bag or pieces of fabric at this Screen Printing workshop in Bolsover, 18 March.

• Make a Proddy Rug and create rugs from recycled materials for any room in the house. Bolsover, 25 March

• Try an Introduction to Stitching on the theme 'Abode' workshop in Earl Sterndale on 31 March

• Let the Unfinished Symphony be your guide in Earl Sterndale on 21 April, when you'll be given fresh inspiration to finish off or recycle those unfinished projects you have accumulated.

• Mixed Media Flowers will be a  full day workshop developing floral themes, creating images from your garden, maybe your favourite flowers and plants. Working in mixed media, using tissue paper, crystalline water colour, machine stitching, collage, threads and glitter. Earl Sterndale on 19 May

• Try your hand at carving in these classes starting on 7th July in Ilkeston

• Introduce yourself to spinning with a two day course in Matlock Bath, 15th September.

• Use a Rigid Heddle or "Knitters loom" in these two day courses: 19th May and  17th November in Matlock Bath

• Knit sQUAD - Have a coffee and share some yarns (get it?) at this free group set up for any age or ability! Meetings are held on the first and third Monday of every month between 4:30pm and 7:30pm at QUAD in Derby.  

• One Day Photography Workshops run in Buxton on the 1st Sunday of every month, so check one of them out.

• Step by Step Art tutoring every Wednesday in the evening and during the daytime on Fridays in Chesterfield. Acrylics, Pastels, Coloured pencils, Oils & Graphite mediums. All subjects covered -Wildlife & Pets, Portraits, Landscapes, Floral, Birds, Still Life and much much more.

• 50 + Dancercise  in Matlock is a dance class designed especially for the more mature body. Mondays 9am - 10am, Wednesdays 12pm - 1pm.

• Movement and Dance for Adults - This accessible dance class in Matlock is designed to be fun and full of high energy. A great way to keep your body in shape whilst expressing yourself through dance. Tuesdays 12pm - 1pm

• Parent & Toddler Movement & Dance - a great way to connect with your children through the medium of movement and music. Mondays 1.30pm - 2.30pm in Matlock.

• Band rehearsals - Senior band Wednesday evenings 7:30pm. Training band and novice group Monday evenings 6:50pm in Long Eaton.

Artform genre interest courses, lectures and workshops 

There's something for everyone here, whether you want to actively get involved in a workshop, or want to listen to an lecture by a seasoned guide. 

• Flowers and colour in mixed media - a two day residential course suitable for all abilities. 1st March at Pear Tree Farm

• There's a 5 week course on Watercolour Painting starting 21 February in Bolsover

• Or try a 5 week course in Surface Pattern Decoration taking you through a number of techniques, materials and skills, starting 22 February in Bolsover

• Model Life classes at Darley Dale On the 1st Sunday of the month each month, you can join a Drawing the Life Model Art Class at the Joseph Whitworth Centre in Darley Dale

• The Camera Never Lies?  Lecture by Barry Thompson in Derby on 20 March

• There are Residential and non-residential photography workshops running in Bakewell this spring. Landscapes of the Peak District runs 21-22 April and again from 28-29 April 

• If you enjoy visiting historic properties with your camera, this course is just what you need! In conjunction with English Heritage, Line & Light are delighted to be able to offer a great day out photographing stunning ancient properties in Derbyshire.  18 May in Bolsover

• The Cromford and High Peak Railway is the subject of this illustrated lecture by Photographer John Morten on 2 May in Buxton

• Line & Light offer a day out photographing stunning Castles and Ruins in Derbyshire.  12 October in Bolsover

• Field Breaks: Art breaks offer a range of non-residential and residential art, craft, textiles and media workshops running over 2 - 3 days or a week throughout the year in Castleton

• Forest Arts provides workshops at Rosliston Forestry Centre in various forms; watercolour painting, botanical painting, photography, drumming, singing for pleasure, drawing from the forest floor and more

• Enjoy a literary lunch break! Come along and read (or listen to), historical fiction in a period setting on the 1st Monday of every month. Pickford's House Museum, Derby.

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.

• Theatreworks - Classes offered in Drama and Musical Production for 3-17 years in Matlock
• Do you want to be a Better Public Speaker?  Then go along to QUAD in Derby on 22 February.
• Derbyshire Volunteer Passport
  Volunteer training on offer from Derbyshire County Council  

For children

• 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 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

• The Bakewell School of Dance and Arts have classes every Monday.   
    

Adult Community Education

Get on course with Derbyshire Adult Community Education! Sign up now for the autumn term starting the week commencing 12 September.   For full course details, download a brochure for your area from the related documents section below. The areas covered by each brochure are as follows:

Western: Covering Ashbourne, Bakewell, Hope Valley, Matlock, Wirksworth, Buxton & Fairfield, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Gamesley, Glossop and New Mills. 

Eastern:  Covering Bolsover, Chesterfield, Clay Cross, Dronfield, Eckington, Killamarsh, Shirebrook and South Normanton.

Southern: Covering Alfreton, Belper, Codnor, Long Eaton, Ilkeston, Hatton, Melbourne, Newhall and Swadlincote.