Home Workshops, Courses and Talks

Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30pm
17 January – 14 February & 28 February – 28 March
£300 | Friends £270
Pre-booking required

The Thursday evening pottery programme brings new and experienced potters together with a professional potter.

The classes were established by Mary Watts in the 19th century. Come along to the studio to create your own ideas or with the help of our potter, try hand-building and working from moulds.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.

Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30pm
11 April - 16 May
£165 | Friends £149
Led by Joshua Shoeman
Pre-booking required

Join us for a term for our Pottery courses. Classes take place in the Foyle Studio, and are suitable for beginners and improvers.

Experiment with hand building, wheel throwing and surface decoration techniques in our specialist Foyle Pottery Studio. Build your confidence in working with clay and learn more about ceramic history with our expert tutor.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.

Mondays, 7 January – 4 February | 11am - 1pm
Watts Gallery
£170 | Friends £153

Our winter course will be titled Pre-Raphaelite Sister: Christina Rossetti & Art.

More information coming soon.

Saturday 26 January
£12.50 | Friends £11.25
Watts Gallery | Pre-booking required

Emma Mason presents an absorbing new study of Christina Rossetti, focussing on her spiritual life and her connection with the natural world. A committed supporter of animal welfare, and a keen observer of the diversity of creation, Rossetti considered it her Christian duty to maintain it in a state of equilibrium and equality. Drawing on poetry, diaries, letters and devotional commentaries, the author offers a fresh narrative of the life and work of Rossetti in which her theology and ecology are deemed inseparable if not equivalent.

Wednesday 20 Feburary | 7- 8pm 

£15 | Friends £13.50

This event will include a book signing. 

Friday 1 February | 7 - 8pm
£15 | Friends £13.50 | Watts Gallery 
Pre-booking required

Kit de Waal is a novelist and, like the Wattses, a social campaigner. Born in Birmingham to an Irish mother and Caribbean father, she spent 15 years working in criminal and family law for Social Serves and the Crown Prosecution Service. Her debut novel, My Name is Leon (2016), won the Irish Novel of the Year award in 2017. Kit will discuss her heart-wrenching second novel, The Trick to Time (2018), and her campaign to get more working-class stories written and read.

This event will include a book signing.

Tuesday 12 March | 7 - 8pm
£15 | Friends £13.50 | Watts Gallery
Pre-booking required

Elizabeth Macneal's debut novel is a tale of curiosity, love and possession in Pre-Raphaelite London. Set in the 1850s, it follows Iris - an aspiring young artist - as she meets two men who will transform her world, one a curiosity collector and the other an artist who wants to paint her. Based on Christina Rossetti and her wider circle, The Doll Factory will be published in May 2019 and has already won the 2018 Caledonia First Novel Award.

Academic and Professional Practice

Friday 8 February | 11am - 4pm
£10 | Pre-booking required

Whether you're an artist or a cultural organisation, hear case studies and receive advice on developing creative partnerships between museums, galleries and artists.

Watts Gallery - Artists' Village was the home of G F and Mary Watts, two significant 19th-century British artists who established an artistic community in Compton, Surrey and helped to cultivate creative skills and enterprise to regenerate local communities. Watts Gallery was the first gallery to be built to house and display the work of a single artist. Today the Artists' home studio is part of the Artist's Studio Museum Network and continues to offer opportunities for artists to engage in residences and creative collaborations.

Join this event to find out about setting up Artist in Residence programmes and how to get the most out of being an Artist in Residence. Hear inspiring examples of collaborations between artists and museums and share practical tips.

Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30pm
Winter Term: 17 January – 14 February & 28 February – 28 March
£300 | Friends £270
Led by Jane Allison | Pre-booking required

Join us for a term for our Drawing courses. Classes take place in the historic galleries and studios, and are suitable for beginners and improvers.

The collections and exhibitions are used to inspire and to learn technical drawing skills. There are opportunities to work from a life model across the term.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.

Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30pm
Spring Term: 11 April - 16 May
£165 | Friends £149
Led by Jane Allison | Pre-booking required

Join us for a term for our Drawing courses. Classes take place in the historic galleries and studios, and are suitable for beginners and improvers.

The collections and exhibitions are used to inspire and to learn technical drawing skills. There are opportunities to work from a life model across the term.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.

Thursdays 6.30 - 8.30pm
Summer Term: 30 May - 4 July
£165 | Friends £149
Led by Jane Allison | Pre-booking required

Join us for a term for our Drawing courses. Classes take place in the historic galleries and studios, and are suitable for beginners and improvers.

The collections and exhibitions are used to inspire and to learn technical drawing skills. There are opportunities to work from a life model across the term.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.

Saturday 19 January | 11am- 4pm

£75 | Friends £67.50

Led by Tamar Yoseloff in association with The Poetry Society

Bring along a poem in progress to this workshop with expert poet and tutor Tamar Yoseloff, before spending the afteroon drafting new poems inspired by the works of Christina Rossetti and reading them in the exhibition.

Includes free entry to Christina Rossetti: Vision and Verse.

Saturday 9 March | 1pm- 4pm

£75 | Friends £67.50

Led by Leanda Xavian

Calligraphy means 'the art of beautiful writing'. Learn how to use a dip pen and nibs to create an elegant, modern writing style before inscribing your own name in ink.

Thursdays, 10:30am- 12pm | Foyle Pottery Studio

£5 per session | Carers go free

Pre-booking essential

Art workshops, conversation and coffee sessions for people living with dementia.

Weekly sessions for individuals living with early- to mid- stages of dementia and their carers, friends and family members. All sessions start with tea and coffee.

Thursdays, 6.30 - 8.30pm
11 April - 16 May & 30 May - 4 July
Led by Jane Allison 
Pre-booking required

Mary Watts established the tradition of Thursday evening courses at the Artists' Village, which continue to take place in our historic galleries and purpose-built studios. Work with artists, hone your skills, learn new techniques and make works of art to take home. Suitable for beginners and improvers.

Drawing classes are ideal for those wishing to develop their skills in drawing and creating works on paper, providing the opportunity for you to spend each week drawing from life.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked. 

Thursdays, 6.30 - 8.30pm
30 May - 4 July
£165 | Friends £149
Led by Joshua Shoeman
Pre-booking required

Mary Watts established the tradition of Thursday evening courses at the Artists' Village, which continue to take place in our historic galleries and purpose-built studios. Work with artists, hone your skills, learn new techniques and make works of art to take home. Suitable for beginners and improvers.

Experiment with hand building, wheel throwing and surface decoration techniques in our specialist Foyle Pottery Studio. Build your confidence in working with clay and learn more about ceramic history with our expert tutor.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.

Thursdays, 6.30 - 8.30pm
11 April - 16 May & 30 May - 4 July
Led by Joshua Shoeman
Pre-booking required

Mary Watts established the tradition of Thursday evening courses at the Artists' Village, which continue to take place in our historic galleries and purpose-built studios. Work with artists, hone your skills, learn new techniques and make works of art to take home. Suitable for beginners and improvers.

Experiment with hand building, wheel throwing and surface decoration techniques in our specialist Foyle Pottery Studio. Build your confidence in working with clay and learn more about ceramic history with our expert tutor.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.

Thursdays, 6.30 - 8.30pm
17 January - 14 February
Led by Jane Allison
Pre-booking required

Mary Watts established the tradition of Thursday evening courses at the Artists' Village, which continue to take place in our historic galleries and purpose-built studios. Work with artists, hone your skills, learn new techniques and make works of art to take home. Suitable for beginners and improvers.

Drawing classes are ideal for those wishing to develop their skills in drawing and creating works on paper, providing the opportunity for you to spend each week drawing from life.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked. 

Thursdays, 6.30 - 8.30pm
28 February - 28 March
Led by Jane Allison 
Pre-booking required

Mary Watts established the tradition of Thursday evening courses at the Artists' Village, which continue to take place in our historic galleries and purpose-built studios. Work with artists, hone your skills, learn new techniques and make works of art to take home. Suitable for beginners and improvers.

Drawing classes are ideal for those wishing to develop their skills in drawing and creating works on paper, providing the opportunity for you to spend each week drawing from life.

Materials and tea/coffee included. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked.