Art Courses London | West Dean College

Unleash your creativity and explore your passion for art with our inspiring range of short art courses in London

Immerse yourself in a world of artistic expression with our short art courses for beginners to advanced learners in painting, drawing, printmaking, textiles, design and photography. Study under the guidance of skilled, expert tutors from our state-of-the-art studios in the heart of central London at our Bloomsbury campus.

"The course was an excellent experience. Katie did a wonderful job of creating a calm and friendly environment in which to explore creativity. I do not draw routinely, and the class was just the right level of challenging to help me to push myself."
- Lucy, Mark Making & Meditation.

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Online Courses

Explore our online courses in art, design and craft and unleash your creativity from anywhere in the world.

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Surrealism Courses

Short courses to mark the centenary of Surrealism in honour of our founder and patron of the Surrealist movement, Edward James.

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Late Availability

Don't miss the chance to learn a new skill or nurture your existing talents on a creative short course.

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Travel & transport

Our London campus is located in the heart of Bloomsbury and offers excellent travel links.

Travel by public transport
Tube stations: Russell Square, Tottenham Court Road, Goodge Street and Euston Square.
Mainline stations: King's Cross/St Pancras and Euston
Bus stops: Russell Square or Goodge Street
Plan your journey with the Transport for London journey planner.

Travel by car
Our Bloomsbury campus is within the central London Congestion Charge zone. There are no parking facilities on campus. The nearest NCP car parks can be found at Woburn Place and Bloomsbury Place, for which additional charges apply.
Plan your journey with Google Maps

Address
West Dean College, Dilke House, 1 Malet St, London WC1E 7JN

Crafting Happiness: why creative pursuits are good for your health

According to new studies, arts and crafts can measurably improve your health and even provide more fulfilment than our jobs.

Gift Vouchers

Give your creative loved one the perfect gift with a voucher redeemable on over 800 short courses.

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Short Course Funding

Discover bursaries available for those wanting to access educational short courses who cannot afford to study.

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Arts student sits in studio at West Dean College

Foundation Diploma in Art and Design

Develop your creativity and skills within the broad field of art and craft and achieve your diploma at a pace to suit you.

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FAQs

WHAT COURSE LEVEL AM I?

Beginners
Starting point. For those with little or no experience who want to go back to basics and would like a structured introduction to a subject.

Intermediate
Skills development. For those who have taken a related course or have some existing skills. The focus is on further developing and building of skills working towards independent practice.

Advanced
Creative development. For the more experienced who want to expand skills, develop their own practise and are open to working intensively to achieve their maximum potential.

Suitable for all
A subject focused course that is delivered to suit any level of experience from beginner to advanced practitioner. A structured start is followed by guided independent practice.

WHERE DO I GO WHEN I ARRIVE?

Entry and exit are through the main college door. Please read your confirmation email for the exact start time of the course. We advise all students to arrive 30 minutes prior to the course starting to allow for check in at the student welcome desk.

WILL I BE GIVEN A SAFTEY INDUCTION BEFORE MY COURSE?

Yes. The tutor will give a course induction once you’ve reached the workshop. Each workshop has its own safe method of working, which is based on equipment, the nature of the course, and the facilities in the workshop. Your tutor will explain these as part of the course induction, along with other safety matters.

WILL THERE BE REFRESHMENTS?

Tea and Coffee are included in the course fee, but you will need to bring lunch with you to eat in the refreshments room. There are plenty of local venues to purchase food locally, if needed, though we recommend that you bring a packed lunch.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I FEEL UNWELL THROUGHOUT MY COURSE?

If you feel unwell at any time during your course, please let our friendly Student Welcome Team know at the front desk as soon as possible, and they will be able to assist you with the next steps.

WHAT DO I DO IF I NEED TO CANCEL MY COURSE AT SHORT NOTICE?

Please contact the booking office by email at: [email protected] and refer to our cancellation terms and conditions.

REUSABLE CUP LOAN

We are making lots of changes towards being a more sustainable business. One of these is removing single-use paper cups for tea and coffee from our refreshment areas. We encourage students to bring their own reusable cups – and if you don’t already have one, you can purchase a reusable West Dean cup from our front desk or take advantage of our 'Loan a Cup' scheme.

Loan a Cup
A fully refundable £6 deposit is required when loaning a cup. Deposits must be paid by card. (No cash is held on the premises.) Full refunds for cup loans will be given provided the cup is returned in good condition with no missing parts. Ask our Student Welcome team for more details.

BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS

Terms & Conditions