MAC (Midlands Arts Centre)

Learn acting and performance skills and techniques to develop your confidence in front of an audience. What will you learn on this course? This course covers a wide range of acting and performance skills and techniques, including improvisation, devising, and script work. You’ll explore the work of a range of different practitioners including Meisner, Artaud, Brecht, and Stanislavsky. The course will work toward a final showcase performance which is open to the public, allowing you to test out and demonstrate your newly developed skills to family and friends in a supportive atmosphere. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is suitable for anyone who would like to improve their confidence and develop their performance skills. No previous acting experience is necessary. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring water and wear comfortable clothes. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Ana Petrovici

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Learn how to tackle drawing the most difficult parts of human anatomy such as hands, feet and heads, and learn how to create human form successfully.

What you will learn on this course

This course aims to give you a better understanding of how to draw human form and structural anatomy. It will focus on difficult anatomical areas such as tackling hands, feet, heads and faces.

The tutor will introduce you to the correct way to see human structures including discussion of human anatomical make up, muscle and bone, to help deepen your understand and artistic expression. You will be introduced to the correct way to see the human structure and combine it into recognisable and realistic drawings.

Throughout the course the tutor will provide context and inspiration by referring to great master drawings from Art History such as Carravagio, Artemesia Gentileschi and more contemporary artists such as Augusta Savage.

By the end of the course, you will have gained new knowledge and improved your drawing skills and have the opportunity to work directly from a life (nude) model from week 4 of the term.

Who is this course for?

This course is aimed at all levels, it is suitable for beginners who will build a strong foundation for their future artistic work, and also for improvers who wish to deepen and develop their practice.

This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs.

Do you need to bring anything?

The studio is equipped with easels and drawing boards. Paper is provided and basic art materials may be borrowed on the day. You may wish to bring your own sketchbook and additional materials to work with as the course progresses.

Are there any additional costs?

Any additional materials must be bought at the participant’s expense.

Who teaches this course? Kotryna Brazynskaite

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Have an interest in art history but not sure where to get started? If you have ever wanted to know the difference between Impressionism and Expressionism, Baroque and Rococo, Fauvism and Cubism, or simply brush up on your knowledge, then this course is for you. What will you learn on this course? The course will provide you with an introduction to key periods in the western art historical canon. The tutor will support you in your learning about western art history, its technical discoveries, and contextual ideologies. Develop your understanding and theoretical knowledge of key art movements.
In addition, you will have the opportunity to produce some practical work and take part in creative activities that relate to relevant topics to gain a better understanding of techniques and concepts. This may include short drawing, painting, and collage exercises to enhance your understanding. During the course, you will have special access to MAC’s Visual Arts Exhibition programme with curator talks and group visits to local galleries. On completion, you will have produced a detailed learning/visual journal containing notes, visual references and information alongside a selection of your own practical work. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners and improvers. It is suitable for people who have little or no knowledge and wish to learn about art history through research and practical exercise. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring a hardback, ringbound A4 sketchbook. Basic art materials will be provided but you may wish to bring your own resources as the course develops. There is free Wi-Fi at MAC, students are welcome to bring their own laptop or tablet devices for research. Are there any additional costs? Any additional materials must be provided at your own expense. Who teaches this course? Angela Maloney

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Develop art skills and get messy in this mixed media course where kids will get a chance to embrace a diverse range of traditional and experimental arts and crafts activities. What will you learn on this course? On this course, children will have the opportunity to experiment with a variety of different artistic materials, learn new creative techniques and develop their existing skills. They will work on a variety of projects and are encouraged to work through many elements of the creative process, such as generating ideas, and designing and making prototypes before producing their finished work. A range of artistic techniques are taught on this course, including pottery, sculpture, 3D modelling, decorative arts, collage, and printmaking. Working both in groups and on individual projects, the students will develop confidence and team working skills. The course tutor demonstrates techniques, assists individuals with the development of their ideas, and advises on how to create their final pieces of work. By the end of the course, each child will have produced on large piece and a selection of smaller artworks to take home. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 6 to 12 years. It is open to all ability levels and children don’t need any previous experience. Parents are not expected to accompany children on these courses. All our staff are DBS checked. The course is accessible for children with disabilities who can participate in practical art and craft activities. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? All course materials and equipment are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Samah Rafiq

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Dig out your best festive jumper, polish your baubles and join Kings Heath's most famous housewife (and star of Britain's Got Talent) for her annual Christmas shindig. Enjoy a comedy selection box of seasonal fun and games, including her legendary raffle.

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Learn the art of beautiful Bargello and needlepoint embroidery in this new course. You will be introduced to the bargello stitch and use colour theory to create your own beautiful wave-like designs. Taught by professional stitch artist and author Tina Francis. What will you learn on this course? Bargello needlepoint is an ancient embroidery technique that is said to have originated in Renaissance Florence. In recent years it has seen a revival, artists and craftspeople are excited by the possibilities of form and the wonderful vibrant colours and hues that can be created through a simple stitch. During this course you will learn Bargello and other needlepoint stitches alongside exciting methods to create new and unique designs. You will build a stitch sample library to continue with the craft. The tutor will introduce you to colour wheel theory to help you create exciting colour combinations. • Techniques • Stitches to build a sample library • How to display your work • Sustainable approaches to stitch work • Yarns and how to use them • 3d vessels and cubes • Designing your own patterns

Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+. It is open to all levels. Bargello needlepoint requires dexterity in your hands. A support worker or carer may assist if you need additional help, carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. We will be using pure wool in many of the samples, if you would prefer synthetic yarn please get in touch before the course starts. Do you need to bring anything? As we will be building a sample library of stitches you might want to invest in a ring binder or scrap book to house them. Tina will have examples at the first session. Are there any additional costs? We will provide a basic bargello needlepoint kit at the beginning of term (needles, canvas and yarn) for you to begin your stitching sessions. The course is held in MAC’s dedicated textile studio and we will provide scissors and other textile materials you may wish to incorporate in your designs. Moving on to larger designs you will need to purchase additional canvas and yarn. This will be available at MAC via the tutor. You are welcome to bring along your own yarns and equipment as you develop and deepen your practice but for the first few sessions it will be more economical to use those provided at MAC. Who teachers this course? Tina Francis

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Develop and broaden your knowledge of ceramics through set exercises and demonstrations. What will you learn on this course? In this weekly class you will have the opportunity to broaden your knowledge of ceramics by completing a series of set exercises. The tutor will demonstrate a range of hand building techniques such as throwing, coiling, and slab building. Surface treatments in clay can also be considered such as relief details and engraved pattern work. Demonstrations on the use of coloured slips and various glazing techniques such as dipping, pouring and spraying will allow for further experimentation in the final stages of the decorating process. You will be encouraged to explore and experiment with each technique to produce a collection of ceramic pieces. The tutor will give the whole class demonstrations of the techniques in the early stages of the course and then individual, specialist guidance will be given on your projects as and when it’s needed. Learners with more experience will be able to self-direct their work and the tutor can offer guidance as and when it’s needed. Our fully equipped studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools and the firing kiln. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to students of all levels. No prior experience is needed as full instruction and guidance is given. Those experienced in ceramics are welcome to work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Libby Gillies

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Use coloured clays and porcelain to develop decorative techniques such as marbling, agateware, applique, inlay and layering. What will you learn on this course? On this course, you will learn basic ceramics techniques such as thumb pots, coiling, press and slip casting moulds, glazing techniques and the firing process. In addition, coloured clays and porcelain are available for students to develop decorative techniques such as marbling, agateware, appliqué, inlay and layering. With the availability of coloured clay, you will have the opportunity to develop larger scale sculptural pieces. You will also learn basic mould making techniques such as press moulds and multiple piece moulds. Initially moulds will be cast from found objects but you will also have the opportunity to design your own mould shapes. You will be encouraged to develop your own ideas and the tutor will teach you how to translate these ideas into your own unique designs. Our fully equipped pottery studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools and firing kilns. Any work you produce on this course is yours to take home. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with no previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to those experienced in ceramics who want to learn new techniques or work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. You are welcome to bring and use any moulds you have created in the past. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Sue Dyer

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Use coloured clays and porcelain to develop decorative techniques such as marbling, agateware, applique, inlay and layering. What will you learn on this course? On this course, you will learn basic ceramics techniques such as thumb pots, coiling, press and slip casting moulds, glazing techniques and the firing process. In addition, coloured clays and porcelain are available for students to develop decorative techniques such as marbling, agateware, appliqué, inlay and layering. With the availability of coloured clay, you will have the opportunity to develop larger scale sculptural pieces. You will also learn basic mould making techniques such as press moulds and multiple piece moulds. Initially moulds will be cast from found objects but you will also have the opportunity to design your own mould shapes. You will be encouraged to develop your own ideas and the tutor will teach you how to translate these ideas into your own unique designs. Our fully equipped pottery studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools and firing kilns. Any work you produce on this course is yours to take home. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with no previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to those experienced in ceramics who want to learn new techniques or work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. You are welcome to bring and use any moulds you have created in the past. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Sue Dyer

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Explore a range of exciting textile techniques to bring your designs and fabrics to life. We will explore contemporary and traditional techniques and methods, including stitching, dyeing, printing and transferring pattern on to cloth. What will you learn on this course? This course will give you a structured introduction to a wide variety of textile processes within the areas of print, dye, and stitch, while allowing you to explore your own creativity and build confidence in your practice. • Inspiration for a theme as a starting point, collecting images and memories. • Exploring the work of contemporary textile artists and designers as examples to encourage possibilities in your own work • Exploring fabrics, whether new or pre-loved and their different qualities • Joining fabrics with hand and machine-stitch, appliqué and kantha • Dyeing natural and man-made textiles, using cold-water dyes and shibori techniques • Block printing with stamps and lino-cut carvings • Screen printing using stencils and masking processes • Looking at both traditional and contemporary stitch-making – sashiko, boro, darning and kantha; using modern embroidery techniques to add value to pre-loved clothing • Using the heat press to transfer inks and foiling onto fabric for finishing effects You will be encouraged to experience the full range of techniques and eventually combine these to produce both a range of reference samples and finished works. Experienced students can develop any strand of textile application they will and follow their own project route whilst re-discovering textile applications. Examples of the tutor’s finished work will provide stimulus and guides for how to use your textiles to create a project of your own choosing, from beautiful textile wall art to cushion covers, bags or anything else you may choose to make! Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to all levels, including beginner, improver, and more-experienced students. It is suitable for people who are completely new to textiles, and for those who want to extend and refine their techniques. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? It is advisory to wear old clothes and bring an apron to work in. It would also be great to begin collecting a portfolio of patterns on paper or fabric for reference use and imagery which inspires and interests you. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Anneliese Delaunay

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Explore and experiment with exciting ceramic processes that will teach you how to realise your own design ideas in clay. What will you learn on this course? In these weekly two hour classes you will explore and experiment with a variety of clay working processes that will take you on a journey through the construction, decoration, and realisation of your design ideas in ceramic. The tutor will demonstrate a range of hand building techniques such as throwing, coiling, and slab building. You’ll be able to experiment with these processes by combining them or focussing on a chosen method that suits your design. You will also learn how to apply surface treatments in clay such as relief details and engraved pattern work that can be used to decorate your work. An introduction to the use of coloured slips and various glaze techniques and approaches will allow for further experimentation in the final stages of the decorating process. The tutor will give whole class demonstrations of the various techniques in the early stages of the course. Individual, specialist guidance will be given on your projects as and when it’s needed. Our fully equipped studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools and the firing kiln. On completion of this course you will have gained a variety of practical skills and techniques in ceramics through the development of individual pieces or a collection of work. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open students of all levels. No prior experience is needed as full instruction and guidance is given. Those experienced in ceramics are welcome to work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Libby Gillies

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Working directly from a life model, explore traditional and contemporary portraiture. What will you learn on this course? This is a flexible course for students interested in contemporary approaches to drawing and painting portraits. You will learn drawing and painting skills including measurement, proportion, line, tone, and colour. You will have the opportunity to explore different art materials including pencils, charcoal, pastels, acrylic paint, and watercolour. The tutor will provide tailored individual guidance according to your experience, aptitude and specific goals, and will support you to find your own creative direction. For beginners, the course will be structured into weekly group projects. The tutor will demonstrate a technique and provide examples, then provide support as students try out the technique. More experienced students are welcome to undertake their own projects and the tutor will provide input as and when needed. These sessions provide an opportunity to further your individual drawing and painting skills all while working from a professional clothed life model. We employ a range of different male and female models who will sit for two consecutive weeks. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to students of all levels, including beginners with no prior experience of portraiture and improvers who are looking to refine their skills. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? The studio is equipped with easels and drawing boards. Watercolour paper is provided and basic art materials may be borrowed on the day. You may wish to bring your own sketchbook and bring additional materials to work with as the course progresses. Are there any additional costs? Any additional materials must be bought at the participant’s expense. Who teaches this course? Paul Bartlett

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Unlock your creative imagination and watch your confidence grow by exploring the wide world of drama! What will you learn on this course? On this weekly course, children will learn to embrace and develop their creativity while learning various dramatic principles, theatre, and puppetry elements. The tutor will encourage an atmosphere where young people feel comfortable exploring their imagination and growing their performance skills through fun exercises and theatre games. The main aim of this course is to develop a set of skills that can be used both inside and outside of the theatre. This includes skills such as improvisation, movement, problem solving, group work, and public speaking. Learning these skills will help participants grow confidence and has a long-lasting impact on young peoples’ lives. The tutor works closely with the group in order to create a happy and safe space while also providing stimulus for the playful exploration of ideas. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 5 to 9 years. It is open to all ability levels and children don’t need any previous experience. The course is accessible for children with disabilities who can participate in practical art and craft activities. Parents are not expected to accompany children on these courses. All our staff are DBS checked. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a companion ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? Participants should bring bottled water and wear clothes suitable for movement work. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Ana Petrovici

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A weekly dance class for older adults who want to start dancing and moving for improved health and wellbeing. What will you learn on this course? This fun weekly course will focus on contemporary dance and improvised movement techniques as well as providing some time to socialise and meet new people. This course aims to contribute to improvements in your general fitness and wellbeing, including: • General mobility • Core strength • Posture and alignment • Confidence • Wellbeing The class is structured with an improvised warm up followed by technique exercises. There will be the opportunity to improvise your own movement finding positions and shapes that suit your body and ability. There will also be the chance to work creatively with other members of the group. The tutor will nurture a supportive social environment for the class, encouraging and challenging based on individual’s abilities and needs. On completing this course you should feel able to be more confidently agile in your everyday lives, have greater motivation for exercise and an improved sense of wellbeing. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 40+ years who would like to spend time socialising and learning to dance. It is open to all levels, suitable for complete beginners who have never stepped foot on a dance floor to those who have a little experience and would like to learn more. Everyone will be encouraged to participate at their own pace. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Any health issues should be declared by participants at the start of the course and will be taken into consideration by the tutor. Exercises will be adapted where necessary and chairs will be available for participants to rest if needed. Some refreshments will be provided. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear suitable clothing that allows free movement and shoes with a non-slip sole. Also bring a water based drink. Who teaches this course? Sandra Golding

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Develop Your Art Practice Develop your art and gain new techniques, skills and insight in to your creative practice. Build your art portfolio and sketchbooks in a nurturing environment designed to increase your confidence as you work towards GCSE’s or A level Art exams or for those who want to make art for fun. What you will learn on this course This course is designed to compliment young peoples’ art practice and as they work towards exams or for those who want time and space to enjoy creating art and deepen their artistic practice. This is an informal course held in a relaxed and comfortable space that allows young people the opportunity to learn from a Professional Artist, and their peers with support from like-minded young people. We aim to take the stress out of exams and bring the enjoyment back into making art The course will have a semi structured format allowing for self-directed portfolio development. The course will include the following areas; • Introduction to traditional art skills such as drawing, working with mixed media, paint and print • Observational drawing and assemblage. • Encourage students to think critically about their work and take part in ‘crits’ where students respectfully review others work. • The tutor will encourage a nurturing and supportive environment • Building a portfolio of art work and portfolio reviews
• Identify skills gaps
• Develop successful sketchbooks and help students to create their own visual language and artistic style • Build confidence

Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 13 to 17 years. It is open to all ability levels and young people don’t need any previous experience. Parents are not expected to accompany children on these courses. All our staff are DBS checked. The course is accessible for young people with disabilities who can participate in practical art and craft activities. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your needs. The room is wheelchair accessible. Do you need to bring anything? All course materials and equipment are provided Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Georgia Chapman

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Develop your creative skills through a range of drawing, painting, and printmaking techniques. This will enable you to explore the qualities of various materials and processes whilst creating and developing a small body of work. What will you learn on this course? During this course, you will be encouraged to make drawings using your own preference of subject matter, using a variety of materials to record from observation, secondary source material or imagination. These drawings will be used to inform the other work you create. You’ll develop your initial drawings with painting mediums, focussing on elements such as scale, colour, composition, and surface-qualities. You will also have the opportunity to select a printmaking process (dry point, monoprint or collagraph) that is most suitable to your work, to develop into a final print. The course will feature practical demonstrations and one to one facilitation to help develop skills and the confidence to experiment. Participants will be encouraged to develop their own individual projects. The tutor will tailor guidance to your level of experience and help you to achieve your aims for your work. On completing this course, you should gain an understanding of how work can be developed from initial ideas into resolved pieces of creative work. You will have produced a small portfolio of practical work including drawings, paintings and prints. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners, improvers, and advanced. Suitable for people with no previous experience and for those who wish to develop their portfolios. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Basic art materials will be provided but you may wish to bring your own sketchbook and your own art materials as the course progresses. For drawing exercises, please bring secondary source material in the form of good quality photographs or other images to work from. Are there any additional costs? Any additional art materials are to be provided at your own expense. Who teaches this course? Angela Maloney

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Learn how to design and create your own comic characters and story, learn drawing skills and work with 2D animation to bring your characters to life! What will you learn on this course? On this course, you will learn how to create your own comics, short visual stories, characters and animation. The course will cover: • Drawing skills and techniques • Character design and concepts • Creating stories and storyboards • Animation techniques such as stop motion and hand drawn animation • Pencilling and inking • Digital colouring and lettering By exploring and studying a range of comics, you will learn to understand different stylistic approaches and artistic techniques. You will be taught how to interpret the written word into imagery and to communicate stories effectively. The course will also cover different layouts and formats for presenting comics, including conventional comic strips, art style and display, and fan art. You will be guided through the process of creating concept art for characters and developing these in your comic. This course combines traditional pen and paper drawing skills with digital techniques and the use of comic layout software. On completion of this course, you can expect to have gained an understanding of a range of approaches to creating comics and will have produced your own comic art works and animation. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for young people aged 11 – 17 years. It is open to all levels and no previous art experience is required as full instruction is given. If you do have some experience, the course will allow you to explore and learn new techniques to develop your skills further. This course is accessible for young people of all abilities who can participate in practical art activities and use a computer. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring a memory stick so that you can take any digital work home. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Martin McNally

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Develop hand building construction techniques and explore surface decoration through pattern and texture. What will you learn on this course? This course offers ceramics students the opportunity to develop your construction techniques through hand building, and explore the relationship of surface decoration through pattern and texture. You will have the opportunity to use a variety of techniques, including sgraffito, paper resist, and in-relief modelling. The course will cover: • Recording and documenting of ideas • Development of 2D designs into 3D objects • Construction techniques • Visualising 3D forms • Surface decorating techniques • Creating precise repeat patterns • Compositional aesthetic • History of ceramic art • Brush on glazing There will be the opportunity to discuss ideas and intentions with the group and you will receive support in developing your own independent artistic style. The tutor will develop a guided programme of study with the group providing demonstrations and one-to-one support as required. You are encouraged to develop your own ideas within the parameters of creating hand built pots with surface decoration. Our fully equipped studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, glazes, all necessary tools and the firing kiln. On completion of this course you will have broadened your ceramics skills and learned new techniques for the realisation of your own design. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to improvers who are looking to refine their skills. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. Use of a personal sketchbook is encouraged throughout the course to enable the development of ideas and the student’s own working style. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Emily-Kriste Wilcox

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An introduction to traditional and contemporary felt making with an opportunity to experiment with a range of fibres, fabric, and wool to create functional and decorative pieces. What will you learn on this course? This course is an introduction to traditional and contemporary felt making. You will be taught the skills to create tactile surfaces for stitch and dye, plus more advanced techniques including resists and nuno felting to develop functional and decorative pieces. You’ll also learn about the properties of wool and appreciate how and why it felts. On this course you will learn to: • Create 2D felt using traditional wet rolling technique • Layout wool and calculate shrinkage for wet rolling felt • Identify and work with a range of animal, plant, and man-made fibres • Use colour, create pattern, and ‘paint’ with wool • Create and use pre-felt • Incorporate threads, fibres and fabric into the felt to creative decorative surfaces • Make and use resists to create seamless felt The course is delivered through a mix of demonstrations and practical exercises. Students will be provided with handouts for each technique and will build a personal portfolio of samples to refer to for future felting projects.
The course content is guided by the ability and prior experience of the students attending. Students wishing to re-enrol are welcomed and assisted to develop their skills further and work on individual projects with guided support from the tutor. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults 18+ years. It is open to all levels. You don’t need any previous experience of felt making as full instruction and guidance is given. Those with some experience will be able to improve their skills, technique and develop new designs. This course involves working at low tables, includes long periods of standing and good dexterity is needed in your hands. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear old clothes and bring a waterproof apron. All materials and equipment are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Penny Dixon

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Explore the world of clay together! Learn about different hand-building techniques and exciting ways to decorate your clay work. What will you learn on this course? This termly course provides an exciting introduction to ceramics. It is a perfect opportunity for you and your child to spend more time together and develop a shared artistic interest in the medium of clay. You will learn different hand-building techniques such as coiling, slab building, sculpting, and using moulds. The tutor will support you to explore your own ideas and demonstrate how to apply taught techniques to realise your own designs. You will have access to specialist tools to decorate your work, including the application of glazes. The tutor will begin by demonstrating different techniques and suggesting possible outcomes, allowing you to experiment with your ideas. Further demonstrations and one-to-one support will be given as required. Class members will be encouraged to share their work and ideas with the group. A glossary of technical terms along with an overview of the taught content will be provided. In addition to practical making skills, the tutor will use visual resources to give you an understanding of both historical and contemporary ceramics works. By the end of this course, you will have learned how to use all of the equipment in MAC’s specialist ceramic studio safely and correctly. You will have learned a range of techniques, made high quality ceramics pieces to your own design, and have the confidence to continue working in ceramics. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 6 to 12 and accompanied with their parent/guardian. It is open to all levels and is perfect for any family looking for an opportunity to enjoy learning together. The course is accessible for people with disabilities who can participate in practical art and craft activities, however, please note that you do need dexterity in your hands to work with clay. The room is wheelchair accessible. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? You do not need to bring anything, all materials and equipment are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. The course price covers one adult and one child. There is a charge for each additional person (child or adult). At least one adult must be present for every three children. Who teaches this course? Andrea Clarke

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A practical exploration into surface design with an introduction to printing and embroidery. What will you learn on this course? This course offers a practical exploration into surface print design through the techniques of block printing, screen printing, hand and machine embroidery. The tutor will guide you through the process of creating your own unique designs from primary sources to create printed paper and fabric which you can embellish with stitch. On this course you will learn how to: • Undertake primary and secondary research • Use a sketchbook to record research and generate original design ideas • Create Block prints using either Lino cuts, Neoprene blocks or Collographs • Understand colour theory and its application in your work • Research artists working in this area • Create a variety of repeat print designs • Use a variety of hand stitches to embellish your print work • Use free motion machine embroidery to embellish your prints • Screenprint using stencils, polyprint and binder AQ or dyes and Manutex print paste • Apply colour separation to create screenprints • Incorporate text in your work as a means of self-expression using several different printing and stitching techniques. As you progress on this course you will bring your research, designs and the techniques learnt together to make original artwork. The course is delivered through a mix of demonstrations and practical exercises. Students will be provided with handouts for each technique and will build a personal portfolio of samples to refer to for future projects. The course content is guided by the ability and prior experience of the students attending. Students wishing to re-enroll are welcomed and assisted to develop their skills further and work on individual projects with guided support from the tutor. Previously students have made wall hangings, framed artwork, artist books, cushions, boxes, friezes, fabric for clothing and much more. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners who are completely new to textiles, and who wish to learn new approaches to design, those wanting to learn print processes, combine stitch with print, revisit their love of textiles and for improvers who want to extend and refne their techniques. The course may be accessible for people with disabilities who can participate in practical art and craft activities and operate a sewing machine. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. This course involves working at low tables and good dexterity is needed in your hands. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear old clothes and bring a waterproof apron, an A4 or larger ring bound sketchbook and/or plastic wallet and a pair of sharp scissors. If you own a sewing machine you can have it PAT tested for a small fee and bring it in to use during class. You will need to notify MAC beforehand so we can ensure a suitable member of staff is on site. Are there any additional costs? You will need to provide the items listed above at your own expense. Who teaches this course? Helen Lane

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The Furrow Collective is an English/Scottish band consisting of four talented and individually prominent performers: Lucy Farrell (viola, voice & saw), Rachel Newton (harp, fiddle, voice), Emily Portman (banjo, concertina, voice) and Alasdair Roberts (guitars, voice). The group formed in 2013, drawn together by a shared love of traditional song and balladry of the England, Scotland and beyond and an open, intuitive approach to collaboration. In recognition of their innovative approach, The Furrow Collective were awarded the accolade of 2017 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 'Best Group', hot on the heels of the release in late 2016 of their second album, Wild Hog (also on Hudson Records).

As the bleak winter nights draw in, The Furrow Collective have chosen a special festive programme to celebrate the dark time of year. Come in, friends, from the howling wind and bitter frost, draw a little closer to the roaring fire and prepare to be bewitched by eerie story-songs and seasonal carols that revel in the strange and wonderful traditions of these isles. With The Furrow Collective's signature spine-tingling harmonies and masterful storytelling bringing a spark of light into the wintry gloom, this promises to be an unmissable evening to remember.

The Furrow Collective tours extensively throughout the UK as well as in mainland Europe, delighting audiences with their uniquely beguiling approach to traditional song.

‘A bravely sparse and compelling new take on traditional songs… A quietly classy young folk band’ Guardian

‘The Furrow Collective have an air of immeasurable antiquity, while at the same time making the songs vibrantly new’. R2

'A mouth-watering collaboration' 4 Stars Mojo

'One of the finest collaborative albums of the past few years' Folk Radio UK

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Learn the basics of the art of graphic design using Adobe Photoshop What will you learn on this course? This is an introductory course for anyone interested in graphic design and wishing to learn techniques to create their own visual communication and digital designs such as flyers and logos. You will learn a basic introductory level of how to use software most used by graphic designers, Adobe Photoshop, to create your own professional looking visual communication including logo designs, posters, flyers, banners, business cards, and other design projects. Lessons will cover a variety of topics including: • Basic principles of design • Introduction to typography • Logo design • Basic principles of layout • Basic photo editing in Photoshop • Colour and image in digital media • If time allows, the opportunity to work with a Wacom or Xpen artist graphic tablet By the end of the course, you will confident to start creating your own design projects using Adobe Creative Software Photoshop. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is designed for beginners and improvers looking to refresh and improve their skills. Basic computing skills are required This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring a 32GB USB stick or external hard drive so that you can take your work home Are there any additional costs? All materials are provided. A memory stick must be provided at your own costs. Who teaches this course? Samah Rafiq

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This course combines meditation, postures and breathing techniques to develop profound relaxation, inviting more consciousness and wellbeing into our daily lives. What will you learn on this course? Hatha is a subtle classical yoga which incorporates various asanas (postures) and is deepened with the use of pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation. You will learn sequences that combine postures and breathing exercises. You will also learn various meditation techniques and discover how yoga can help to improve balance, flexibility, and concentration. This is complemented by a sense of well-being which arises naturally from the process of engaging in yoga. By attending this course, you can expect to gain a deeper understanding of the philosophy of yoga and the confidence to practice both in the class and independently. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to students of all levels, including beginners with no previous yoga experience, and for improvers who are wishing to deepen their practice. The nature of the course allows students to participate in group sequences while developing their own understanding and engaging with yoga at their own pace. Yoga is an individual experience and alternative options for the postures will be offered where possible so that each student is able to relax their body and mind throughout the session. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. Please note that this course is not designed for pregnant women. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement. You must bring your own yoga mat and a blanket or extra layer of clothing to keep you warm during meditation. Are there any additional costs? You must provide a non-slip yoga mat at your own expense. Who teaches this course? Helen Wallis

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With the guidance of a professional filmmaker, learn the art of illustration and animation techniques. What will you learn on this course? Lead by a professional filmmaker, illustrator, and animator, learn how to create your own animations. Gain an understanding of essential animation principles and be introduced to different stylistic approaches and artistic techniques. You will learn about every step of the animation process, including story writing, concept design, character design, animating, sound recording, and editing. The course will cover: • Drawing skills • Fundamental animation principles • Using animation and editing software • Stylistic choices • Story writing • Character Design • Introduction to contemporary animations • Exploration of various animation types Using a combination of practical design demonstrations and one to one support you will receive guidance tailored to your individual projects and needs. On completion of this course you can expect to have gained an understanding of a range of approaches to animating and have produced your own animation. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is for all levels who would like to develop their illustration and animation skills. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please ensure that you bring a memory stick so you can save your work and take it home. You are welcome to bring your own art materials, tablets, laptops and filming devices in consultation with the tutor. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Martin McNally

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An introduction to the different art techniques and skills used in drawing and painting taught through personal projects to develop each individual student’s own style and approach. What will you learn on this course? This course provides an introduction to the different art techniques and materials used in drawing and painting. The aim of this course is to equip you with the skills required to develop your own individual artistic style and approach. This course will cover the following materials: • Charcoal • Pastel • Inks • Acrylics • Mixed Media And the specific painting techniques including: • Layering of paint • Composition • Colour mixing • Use of colour You will learn these techniques by drawing and painting a range of subjects such as landscapes, abstract, still life and portraits. During the first half of the term, new techniques are taught through tutor demonstrations and whole-group projects set by the tutor followed by group discussion and feedback. As the course progresses and your skills develop there will be the opportunity to work on your own individual projects. You will be encouraged to work independently with one-to-one support from the tutor. Guidance will be tailored to your level of experience to help you achieve your aims for your work. In addition to practical drawing and painting techniques, the course focuses on creative skills, artistic knowledge, and self-confidence. On completion of this course students will have produced several finished drawings and paintings, along with supporting drawings, paintings, photographs and research. You can expect to have gained new skills and confidence in art techniques and enjoyed working in a friendly, lively class of like-minded people. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners who may be completely new to painting and drawing, or to anyone who would like to revisit basic techniques and refine their skills. No previous experience is required as full instruction is given. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? The drawing and painting studio is equipped with easels and drawing boards. Paper is provided and some basic art materials may be borrowed on the day, such as pencils, erasers, sharpeners, brushes and paint.
Are there any additional costs? As the course progresses, you may wish to bring your own additional art materials to work with, such as cartridge paper, drawing materials, acrylic paints, brushes and palettes. You may also want to bring your own sketchbook and a protective folder to store your work. Who teaches this course? Niall Singh

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An introduction to the different art techniques and skills used in drawing and painting taught through personal projects to develop each individual student’s own style and approach. What will you learn on this course? This course provides an introduction to the different art techniques and materials used in drawing and painting. The aim of this course is to equip you with the skills required to develop your own individual artistic style and approach. This course will cover the following materials: • Charcoal • Pastel • Inks • Acrylics • Mixed Media And the specific painting techniques including: • Layering of paint • Composition • Colour mixing • Use of colour You will learn these techniques by drawing and painting a range of subjects such as landscapes, abstracts, still life and portraits. During the first half of the term, new techniques are taught through tutor demonstrations and whole-group projects set by the tutor followed by group discussion and feedback. As the course progresses and your skills develop there will be the opportunity to work on your own individual projects. You will be encouraged to work independently with one-to-one support from the tutor. Guidance will be tailored to your level of experience to help you achieve your aims for your work. In addition to practical drawing and painting techniques, the course focuses on creative skills, artistic knowledge, and self-confidence. On completion of this course students will have produced several finished drawings and paintings, along with supporting drawings, paintings, photographs and research. You can expect to have gained new skills and confidence in art techniques and enjoyed working in a friendly, lively class of like-minded people. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners who may be completely new to painting and drawing, or to anyone who would like to revisit basic techniques and refine their skills. No previous experience is required as full instruction is given. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? The drawing and painting studio is equipped with easels and drawing boards. Paper is provided and some basic art materials may be borrowed on the day, such as pencils, erasers, sharpeners, brushes and paint. Are there any additional costs? As the course progresses, you may wish to bring your own additional art materials to work with, such as cartridge paper, drawing materials, acrylic paints, brushes and palettes. You may also want to bring your own sketchbook and a protective folder to store your work. Who teaches this course? Peter Tinkler

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Always wanted to try ceramics? During this new 2 day course you will learn hand building techniques including traditional coiling and slab building and produce a ceramic vessel, garden planter or sculpture.

What will you learn on this course? Develop your skills through the use of traditional coiling or slab building techniques, to produce a ceramic vessel, garden planter or sculpture. You will have the opportunity to explore surface decoration through in-relief modelling, pattern and texture whilst working towards your finished outcome. Your own designs and ideas will be encouraged to enable you to find your personal working style.

You will be guided through a number of tutor-led demos and set tasks which will introduce particular tips and techniques in order for you to

The course will cover the following skills and techniques:

• how to successfully develop 2d designs into 3d objects • construction techniques • understanding of the materials and different stages of making • options for design, building, and quality of finish • in-relief modelling, imprinted texture and slip decoration

In addition there will be opportunity to discuss ideas and intentions with the group and you will receive support in developing your own independent artistic style. The tutor will develop a guided programme of study with the group providing demonstrations and one-to-one support as required. You are encouraged to develop your own ideas, use of a personal sketchbook is encouraged to enable the development of ideas, and of the student’s own working style. Our fully equipped studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, glazes, all necessary tools and the firing kiln. On completion of this course you will have broadened your ceramics skills and learned new techniques for the realisation of your own design.

Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginner level students.

The course is accessible for people with disabilities who have the relevant ceramics experience and a support worker or carer may assist if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific needs. Do you need to bring anything? You don’t need to bring anything. All materials and equipment is provided.

Are there any additional costs?

The course price includes all materials and firing of your work unless the particular pieces you wish to work on are oversized when an additional charge will be made. Please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Emily-Kriste Wilcox

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Learn basic clay techniques including coiling, throwing, and slab pots. Take home finished pieces and an understanding of the art of clay and ceramics. What will you learn on this course? In this weekly class, you will receive an introduction to ceramics and the techniques used. The tutor will demonstrate a range of teachings including coiling, slab-building, throwing, and press-moulding. There will also be a chance to experiment with different approaches to glazing in order to achieve a variety of surface effects, such as dipping, pouring, spraying, and wax resist. You will have the opportunity to work with coloured slips to allow for more controlled outcomes. At the start of the course, the tutor will give whole class demonstrations. As the course progresses, individual, specialist guidance will be given as and when needed. You will be able to work at your own pace and encouraged to work on individual projects that develop your individual artistic style. Further demonstrations of specific techniques can be given within the group or one-to-one upon request. Learners with more experience will be able to self-direct their work and the tutor will offer guidance as and when needed. Our fully equipped ceramics studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools, and the firing kiln. On completion of this course, you will have gained a variety of practical ceramics skills and learned new techniques through the development of individual pieces or a collection of work. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to improvers who are looking to refine their skills. Those experienced in ceramics are welcome to work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Libby Gillies

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Learn basic clay techniques including coiling, throwing, and slab pots. Take home finished pieces and an understanding of the art of clay and ceramics. What will you learn on this course? In this weekly class, you will receive an introduction to ceramics and the techniques used. The tutor will demonstrate a range of teachings including coiling, slab-building, throwing, and press-moulding. There will also be a chance to experiment with different approaches to glazing in order to achieve a variety of surface effects, such as dipping, pouring, spraying, and wax resist. You will have the opportunity to work with coloured slips to allow for more controlled outcomes. At the start of the course, the tutor will give whole class demonstrations. As the course progresses, individual, specialist guidance will be given as and when needed. You will be able to work at your own pace and encouraged to work on individual projects that develop your individual artistic style. Further demonstrations of specific techniques can be given within the group or one-to-one upon request. Learners with more experience will be able to self-direct their work and the tutor will offer guidance as and when needed. Our fully equipped ceramics studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools, and the firing kiln. On completion of this course, you will have gained a variety of practical ceramics skills and learned new techniques through the development of individual pieces or a collection of work. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to improvers who are looking to refine their skills. Those experienced in ceramics are welcome to work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Emily-Kriste Wilcox

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Learn basic clay techniques including coiling, throwing, and slab pots. Take home finished pieces and an understanding of the art of clay and ceramics. What will you learn on this course? In this weekly class, you will receive an introduction to ceramics and the techniques used. The tutor will demonstrate a range of teachings including coiling, slab-building, throwing, and press-moulding. There will also be a chance to experiment with different approaches to glazing in order to achieve a variety of surface effects, such as dipping, pouring, spraying, and wax resist. You will have the opportunity to work with coloured slips to allow for more controlled outcomes. At the start of the course, the tutor will give whole class demonstrations. As the course progresses, individual, specialist guidance will be given as and when needed. You will be able to work at your own pace and encouraged to work on individual projects that develop your individual artistic style. Further demonstrations of specific techniques can be given within the group or one-to-one upon request. Learners with more experience will be able to self-direct their work and the tutor will offer guidance as and when needed. Our fully equipped ceramics studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools, and the firing kiln. On completion of this course, you will have gained a variety of practical ceramics skills and learned new techniques through the development of individual pieces or a collection of work. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to improvers who are looking to refine their skills. Those experienced in ceramics are welcome to work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Libby Gillies

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Learn basic clay techniques including coiling, throwing, and slab pots. Take home finished pieces and an understanding of the art of clay and ceramics. What will you learn on this course? In this weekly class, you will receive an introduction to ceramics and the techniques used. The tutor will demonstrate a range of teachings including coiling, slab-building, throwing, and press-moulding. There will also be a chance to experiment with different approaches to glazing in order to achieve a variety of surface effects, such as dipping, pouring, spraying, and wax resist. You will have the opportunity to work with coloured slips to allow for more controlled outcomes. At the start of the course, the tutor will give whole class demonstrations. As the course progresses, individual, specialist guidance will be given as and when needed. You will be able to work at your own pace and encouraged to work on individual projects that develop your individual artistic style. Further demonstrations of specific techniques can be given within the group or one-to-one upon request. Learners with more experience will be able to self-direct their work and the tutor will offer guidance as and when needed. Our fully equipped ceramics studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools, and the firing kiln. On completion of this course, you will have gained a variety of practical ceramics skills and learned new techniques through the development of individual pieces or a collection of work. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to improvers who are looking to refine their skills. Those experienced in ceramics are welcome to work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Natasha Borg

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In this course, discover the fundamentals of drawing and illustration and learn how to translate what your eyes see onto a blank sheet of paper.

What will you learn on this course?

Drawing is one of the first and oldest means of expression and representation. Good observation is the key to unlocking your creativity and enhance your drawing skills. The course will guide you through fundamental principles and rules that will make your drawings and illustration recognisable and realistic.

Drawing and illustration are two very similar things, but with some differences. Drawing is a form of self-expression whereas illustration is used to convey a message and to accompany a text, often in a commercial context. Either way, to draw or illustrate, you must learn the fundamentals of drawing first.

Students will learn classical drawing techniques and concepts, and some fundamentals about artistic expression and the course covers basic techniques including

• drawing transfer methods • pencil drawing textures • types of perspective • light and shade • tonal values • laws of composition • photorealism

The course will also look at themes such as geometrical forms, landscape, flower, and plants the human figure and portraits.

To begin with, you start by copying other drawings which is a great method for beginners to help you develop an eye for detail and understand how to construct your artwork.

Your tutor will guide you through step-by-step processes and provide live demonstrations, plus one to one support and additional materials such as handouts. Some of the exercises will be based on the drawings and methods from a book called ‘Drawing – a complete guide’ by Giovanni Civardi’.

Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is suitable for beginners who have no experience drawing and want to learn all the basics, and for improvers who are looking to develop and refine their skills. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs.

Do you need to bring anything? You may bring your own set of pencils with various grades of graphite (i.e., 2H, HB, 4B, 6B), standard pencil rubber and putty rubber. Option of bringing a sketchbook with blank pages of size A5 or A4, or a simple folder or document protector to keep your drawings. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Kotryna Brazynskaite

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Learn the art and techniques of film making and develop your ideas from script writing, filming, and editing. What will you learn on this course? Learn all the necessary skills to make a short film. Experience the entire process from developing ideas, writing a script, producing, directing, filming and editing. You will work with MAC’s professional cameras and specialist sound recording equipment and learn how to edit using Final Cut Pro in MAC’s dedicated media studio. This is a practical course taught through demonstrations and guidance from the tutor along with hands on experience. You will work in small groups to realise your ideas, enabling you to experience all aspects of short film production. On completion of this course, you can expect to have developed an understanding of the film making process and produced your own short film. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners and improvers, suitable for those who are completely new to film making and those with some existing skills, including those who have attended the course before. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring a 32GB USB stick or external hard drive so that you can take your work home. MAC cameras and computers are provided whilst on site only. If you wish to film off site, you will need to provide your own equipment. Are there any additional costs? All materials are provided. A memory stick must be provided at your own cost. Who teaches this course? Martin McNally

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Are you a comedy aficionado? Do you love “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Are you a fan of comedy legends who started in improv, such as Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Mike Myers, and Keegan-Michael Key? Then this is the course for you! What will you learn on this course? This is a beginners’ course to learn the core skills of improvised comedy. Discover the joy, freedom, and challenge of Improv. Learn to be more creative and playful in this low-pressure, high-enjoyment class that cultivates a fun, friendly, supportive and stress-free environment. Improv is not the same as stand-up; you are not alone on stage and it’s not about telling jokes. It’s about working together as a team with other improvisers to spontaneously create group stories, scenes & sketches. There’s no such thing as failure in improv! Over the course of weekly workshops, you’ll progress as a team while learning core improvisation skills like Spontaneity, Listening, Yes And Character, Scenes, Story, and Status. The course is run by Jon Trevor, founder and leader of Box of Frogs, director of the Birmingham Improv Festival. There is chance to perform in an end-of-term show. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners; no drama, acting, comedy or improv experience is required as full guidance is given. It is also open to writers, actors, and comedians looking to widen their skills, and to introverts who are wanting to gain more confidence! This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring water and wear comfortable clothes. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Jon Trevor, Box of Frogs

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Introduction to Jewellery JE03 Learn basic techniques, including soldering, saw piercing and filing, and make jewellery from your own designs. What will you learn on this course? Learn the skills necessary to design and make your own unique pieces of jewellery. The materials covered are copper, brass, gilding metal, and sterling silver. You will be taught a range of traditional jewellery making skills and techniques including: • Sawing and cutting out metals • Soldering to join metals • Polishing and buffing • Forming • Casting techniques • Vitreous enamelling • Finishing processes These techniques will be taught through a series of exercises such as: • Making a simple ring to a set design • Making a pendant to your own design • Making and enamelling a piece of jewellery to your own design MAC’s fully equipped jewellery studio has work benches, a soldering hearth and torch, enamelling kiln, polishing motor, and various hand tools which the tutor will teach you to use safely and correctly. On completing the course, you will have gained confidence in basic bench skills, developed your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, and several pieces of jewellery you have design and made to wear.

Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners who have no prior experience making jewellery. It is also open to improvers who have such previous experience, such as making beaded jewellery or other basic procedures, and would like to develop their skills further and learn some new techniques with the tutor’s support and guidance. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram.

Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Chloe Minihane Slater

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Learn basic techniques, including soldering, saw piercing and filing, and make jewellery from your own designs. What will you learn on this course? Learn the skills necessary to design and make your own unique pieces of jewellery. The materials covered are copper, brass, gilding metal, and sterling silver. You will be taught a range of traditional jewellery making skills and techniques including: • Sawing and cutting out metals • Soldering to join metals • Polishing and buffing • Forming • Casting techniques • Vitreous enamelling • Finishing processes These techniques will be taught through a series of exercises such as: • Making a simple ring to a set design • Making a pendant to your own design • Making and enamelling a piece of jewellery to your own design MAC’s fully equipped jewellery studio has work benches, a soldering hearth and torch, enamelling kiln, polishing motor, and various hand tools which the tutor will teach you to use safely and correctly. On completing the course, you will have gained confidence in basic bench skills, developed your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, and several pieces of jewellery you have design and made to wear.

Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners who have no prior experience making jewellery. It is also open to improvers who have such previous experience, such as making beaded jewellery or other basic procedures, and would like to develop their skills further and learn some new techniques with the tutor’s support and guidance. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram.

Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Vanessa Miller

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Learn how to paint successfully with oil paints and discover a wide array of skills and explore themes of portraiture, still life, landscapes, and master copy painting. What will you learn on this course? Discover a wide array of skills and explore themes of portraiture, still life, landscapes, and master copy painting. The course will cover a wide range of skills, including: • Preparing and priming a canvas • How to transfer your drawings on to canvas • The technique of fat over lean • How to lay out an organised palette • How to work with limited colours • Laying down tonal ground • Under painting • Value studies • Colour mixing The course will be taught through a combination of demonstrations and examples, practical tasks and work on individual projects. The tutor will provide guidance and assistance based on your individual needs and aims. On completion of this course, you can expect to have gained an understanding of how to approach oil painting. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to learners of all levels. Beginners who have no oil painting experience will be taught the basics and given complete guidance. Students with previous oil painting experience will be given support as and when required to develop their skills further. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? The drawing and painting studio is equipped with easels and drawing boards. Basic oil painting materials will be provided but students are encouraged to bring their own materials as they develop their techniques and skill. Are there any additional costs? Any additional materials must be provided at your own expense. Who teaches this course? Peter Tinkler

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Learn how to use Adobe Photoshop software to reimagine and manipulate your digital photography, learn how to create digital designs, graphic elements and layouts for simple marketing or promotional materials such as leaflets or posters. What will you learn on this course? On this course you will learn how to use Adobe Photoshop image manipulation software to create a range of media related items for use in print or on the web. The course is particularly useful for photographers who want to learn how to adjust things like brightness, contrast and colour levels. The course also covers more technical skills such as retouching and how to create more abstract graphic images. You might require graphics for marketing purposes, teaching resources or any number or personal projects such as flyers, posters and animated web graphics. The course will cover a range of topics including: • Choosing the best tools to use • How to use layers • Adjusting brightness and contrast • Adjusting colour balance • Retouching photographs • Removing unwanted objects from images • Photomontage e.g. placing an object onto a different background • Improving old photographs • Creating abstract graphic images • How to work with grids and guides • How to work with text and images • How to make an animated gif In the first half of the course, the tutor with work with the group to teach all the basics. In the second half, you will receive more individual support as you work on personal projects. You will be working in MAC’s dedicated media studio, on Apple Mac computers with the latest Adobe software. On completing this course, you can expect to have a working knowledge of Photoshop and a selection of photos, images and graphics that you have produced using the software. You should also be confident to continue working with Photoshop independently. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is designed for beginners and improvers looking to refresh and improve their skills. We will be introducing Photoshop image manipulation software and talking through features in detail from the very basics. Basic computing skills are required This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring a 32GB USB stick or external hard drive so that you can take your work home You are welcome to work on your own laptop if preferred, so long as Photoshop is installed. Are there any additional costs? All materials are provided. A memory stick must be provided at your own costs. Who teaches this course? ILdiko Nagy

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This day course provides an opportunity to expand your writing techniques and consider poetry in its widest form.

What will you learn on this course?

This day course will bring some fun into creative writing and provide an opportunity to expand your writing techniques and consider poetry in its widest form. In addition, we'll take a look at other forms of poetry in prose and song lyrics.

The tutor will help you build confidence, find enjoyment in poetry and encourage you to embrace the writing process.

During the course, you will:

• Examine both new and old poetry, song lyrics and poetic writing • Produce poetic writing by learning some poetic techniques • Consider published poems/songs/poetic writing to gain a greater freedom in writing your own work • Learn to edit and develop own work by looking at published and non-published work

By the end of the day, participants will have the confidence to write in their own style, but with added ‘tools’ from the class to extend and continue. Tea and coffee is provided.

Who is this course for? This short course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is suitable for beginners who have little experience of creative writing, and improvers who are looking to refine their skills. The course is accessible for people with disabilities who can engage in writing activities. A support worker or carer may assist. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific needs

Do you need to bring anything? We recommend bringing a note book and pen for the sessions. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Carol Preston

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Use coloured clays and porcelain to develop decorative techniques such as marbling, agateware, applique, inlay and layering. What will you learn on this course? On this course, you will learn basic ceramics techniques such as thumb pots, coiling, press and slip casting moulds, glazing techniques and the firing process. In addition, coloured clays and porcelain are available for students to develop decorative techniques such as marbling, agateware, appliqué, inlay and layering. With the availability of coloured clay, you will have the opportunity to develop larger scale sculptural pieces. You will also learn basic mould making techniques such as press moulds and multiple piece moulds. Initially moulds will be cast from found objects but you will also have the opportunity to design your own mould shapes. You will be encouraged to develop your own ideas and the tutor will teach you how to translate these ideas into your own unique designs. Our fully equipped pottery studio will give you access to various stoneware clays, pottery wheels, glazes, coloured slips, all necessary tools and firing kilns. Any work you produce on this course is yours to take home. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with no previous experience as full instruction and guidance is given, and to those experienced in ceramics who want to learn new techniques or work independently with tutor guidance and support given as needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment and materials are provided. You are welcome to bring and use any moulds you have created in the past. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Libby Gillies

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Learn how to make constructed textiles through carding and spinning, peg and pin loom weaving, felting, macramé, crochet and knitting. What will you learn on this course? This course will introduce you to the wonderful world of constructed textiles, from learning how to make your own yarn, to different processes and skills to make your own fabulous, constructed textile pieces. You will be taught the basic skills in fibre processing, gaining a knowledge of different types of fibre and their properties, and the history and global context of various constructed textiles. Learn how to transform raw fibre into yarn through carding, roving, and spinning using drop spindles. Experiment with different textile processes, including crochet, knitting, macramé, and even try out weaving on specialist looms. Apply your new skills to produce decorative pieces for a wall hanging, mat, or cushion cover. This course is delivered through a mix of demonstrations and practical exercises. You will finish the course with a portfolio of fibre samples and some developed decorative pieces. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults 18+ years. It is open to beginners and improvers. You don’t need any previous as full instruction and guidance is given. Those with some experience will be able to improve their skills, technique and develop new designs. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. While some dexterity is needed in your hands and shoulders, most projects can be adapted to suit specific needs. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All materials and equipment are provided. You may wish to purchase your own items to use at home between sessions, such as a drop spindle, crochet hook, and knitting needles. Supplier information will be given in the sessions.
Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Penny Dixon

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Introduction to Wheelwork for Beginners CE105 Learn a series of basic techniques in the art of wheel throwing including clay preparation to creating cylinders and bowls, then progress to other forms followed by glazing and firing your work. What will you learn on this course? On this course, the tutor will demonstrate the key stages of wheel throwing, enabling you to create pieces with great satisfaction. You will begin by focusing on two main forms: the cylinder and the bowl. You will then be able to build on this to create other shapes and forms. You will also learn the technique of turning. The tutor will encourage you to develop your skills and through repetition, build your confidence. You will be encouraged to be selective about work that is retained for firing so that you deepen your understanding of the art of wheelwork. The tutor will guide you through making both functional and non-functional items. Once pieces are complete, you will be introduced to the art of surface decoration with the use of various glaze colours. All completed items will be fired in the kiln. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is aimed at beginners who have no previous wheel throwing experience, and full guidance will be given at all stages. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. Good manual dexterity and some physical strength and fitness is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Serge Sanghera

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Enjoy playing with clay and love the idea of throwing pots? Then this course is for you! What will you learn on this course? This course provides an exciting introduction to the world of ceramics and the art of wheelwork. You will be shown how to prepare clay and how to throw a pot, starting with an array of forms including cylinders and bowls. The course is delivered through a mix of tutor demonstrations and activities designed to allow you to explore clay and work with a potter’s wheel. You will also have the chance to explore surface decoration and experiment with different glazes to achieve a variety of outcomes. The tutor will explain how to decorate your pot and how to paint with coloured slips to personalise your bowls. You will be encouraged to review and refine your work to produce finished ceramic pieces that are unique to your own design. Participants will have a great sense of achievement and will feel proud of what they have accomplished, having learnt how to throw pots to a high standard. MAC’s pottery studios are fully furnished with specialist equipment and a number of kilns, so all work will be professionally fired and ready for collection at the end of term. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for young people aged 12 to 17 years. It is open to students of all levels and no prior experience is required as full instruction is given. The course is accessible for people with disabilities who can participate in practical art and craft activities, however, please note that you do need dexterity in your hands to work with clay. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible and MAC does have accessible potter’s wheels. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Serge Sanghera

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A yoga practice based on classical Hatha Yoga, as developed by BKS Iyengar, with emphasis on precision and alignment in postures. What will you learn on this course? Iyengar Yoga places emphasis on precision and alignment. Basic standing, seated, and back bending postures (asanas) will be taught, as well as some recuperative poses. Inverted postures are introduced as and when the student is ready. Props (foam blocks, bricks and belts) are provided and used to make postures more accessible to students. The course is hard working physical yoga practice and usually includes a short period of relaxation at the end of the class. Generally, students progress at their own rate with support from the tutor. With regular practice, the benefits of Iyengar Yoga to body and mind are many, including increased suppleness, strength and stamina, as well as improved concentration and general well-being. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners with no previous experience and those who have some experience and wish to revisit their practice before moving on to the improvers level. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement. You must bring your own yoga mat and a blanket or extra layer of clothing to keep you warm during meditation. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Elisabeth Moreton

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A yoga practice based on classical Hatha Yoga, as developed by BKS Iyengar, with emphasis on precision and alignment in postures. What will you learn on this course? Iyengar Yoga places emphasis on precision and alignment. Basic standing, seated, and back bending postures (asanas) will be taught, as well as some recuperative poses. Inverted postures are introduced as and when the student is ready. Props (foam blocks, bricks and belts) are provided and used to make postures more accessible to students. The course is hard working physical yoga practice and usually includes a short period of relaxation at the end of the class. Generally, students progress at their own rate with support from the tutor. With regular practice, the benefits of Iyengar Yoga to body and mind are many, including increased suppleness, strength and stamina, as well as improved concentration and general well-being. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is suitable for improvers with previous experience and those wishing to deepen their practice. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement. You must bring your own yoga mat and a blanket or extra layer of clothing to keep you warm during meditation. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Elisabeth Moreton

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A yoga practice based on classical Hatha Yoga, as developed by BKS Iyengar, with emphasis on precision and alignment in postures. What will you learn on this course? Iyengar Yoga places emphasis on precision and alignment. Basic standing, seated, and back bending postures (asanas) will be taught, as well as some recuperative poses. Inverted postures are introduced as and when the student is ready. Props (foam blocks, bricks and belts) are provided and used to make postures more accessible to students. The course is hard working physical yoga practice and usually includes a short period of relaxation at the end of the class. Generally, students progress at their own rate with support from the tutor. With regular practice, the benefits of Iyengar Yoga to body and mind are many, including increased suppleness, strength and stamina, as well as improved concentration and general well-being. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to students of all levels, including beginners with no previous yoga experience, and for improvers who are wishing to deepen their practice. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement. You must bring your own yoga mat and a blanket or extra layer of clothing to keep you warm during meditation. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Hannah Cliff

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Learn how to design and make your own metal jewellery in this special course designed just for beginners.
What will you learn on this course? This course is for those interested in learning how to create beautiful metal jewellery. Throughout this short course, you will be introduced to core tools and traditional jewellery making techniques including: • Piece sawing (cutting metals) • Fold forming • Soldering • Basic Texturing Techniques • Enamelling • Polishing and Finish The course will focus on a project, make a pendant, and as your skills develop and grow you will be encouraged to design and make your own ring or bangle. This is a shorter course for those who want to try out the art of making jewellery. MAC’s purpose-built jewellery studio is a friendly place where you will meet other likeminded people and share your creative journey. MAC’s fully equipped jewellery studio has work benches, a soldering hearth and torch, enamelling kiln, polishing motor, and various hand tools which the tutor will teach you to use safely and correctly. On completing the course, you will have gained confidence in basic bench skills, developed your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, and several pieces of jewellery you have design and made to wear.

Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is a beginner level course and no prior experience is necessary.
This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram. Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact us for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Chloe Minihane Slater

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Learn how to design and make your own metal jewellery in this special course designed for those who have some experience of jewellery making.

What will you learn on this course?

This course is for those interested in learning how to create beautiful metal jewellery. Throughout this short course, you will be introduced to core tools and traditional jewellery making techniques including:

Piece sawing (cutting metals) Fold forming Soldering Basic Texturing Techniques Enamelling Polishing and Finish The course will focus on a project, make a pendant, and as your skills develop and grow you will be encouraged to design and make your own ring or bangle.

This is a shorter course for those who want to try out the art of making jewellery. MAC’s purpose-built jewellery studio is a friendly place where you will meet other likeminded people and share your creative journey.

MAC’s fully equipped jewellery studio has work benches, a soldering hearth and torch, enamelling kiln, polishing motor, and various hand tools which the tutor will teach you to use safely and correctly.

On completing the course, you will have gained confidence in basic bench skills, developed your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, and several pieces of jewellery you have design and made to wear. Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office.

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. The course is designed for improver level learners who have some experience of making jewellery or have attended a beginners level course at MAC or elsewhere.

This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs.

Do you need to bring anything?

Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session.

Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor.

You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below.

Are there any additional costs?

There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs.

Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades.

Silver by the gram.

Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee.

Please contact us for pricing information.

Who teaches this course?

Chloe Minihane Slater

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Design and make your own nature themed jewellery. Learn how to cut, heat, pattern, solder and polish metal to create unique pieces of jewellery inspired by nature. What will you learn on this course? During this course you will learn how to make your own nature inspired jewellery under the instruction of a skilled tutor. You will be introduced to a range of traditional jewellery making techniques, including: • Saw piercing • Filing • Annealing • Soldering • Polishing • Texturing You will learn how to develop a design from paper to practice, creating your jewellery based on a nature themed design. MAC’s fully equipped jewellery studio has work benches, a soldering hearth and torch, enamelling kiln, polishing motor, and various hand tools which the tutor will teach you to use safely and correctly. On completing the course, you will have gained confidence in basic bench skills, developed your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, and several pieces of jewellery you have design and made to wear. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners and improvers. You do not need to have any jewellery making experience to attend this course as full instruction is given. If you have some previous experience and would like to develop your skills, learn some new techniques and work on your own designs with the tutor’s support and guidance. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram. Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact us for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Vanessa Miller

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Learn basic jewellery making techniques including soldering, saw piercing and filing and make metal jewellery from your own designs. What will you learn on this course? Learn the skills necessary to design and make your own unique piece of jewellery. Experiment with copper, brass, gilding metal and sterling silver. You will be taught a range of traditional jewellery making techniques including: • Sawing and cutting out metals • Soldering to join metals • Polishing and buffing • Forming • Casting techniques • Vitreous enamelling • Finishing processes These techniques will be taught through a series of exercises such as: • Making a simple ring to a set design • Making a pendant to your own design • Making and enamelling a piece of jewellery to your own design The first exercise will be intensively supported but as you gain skills and confidence you will be supported to develop your own designs and encouraged to work independently.
MAC’s fully equipped jewellery studio has work benches, a soldering hearth and torch, enamelling kiln, polishing motor, and various hand tools which the tutor will teach you to use safely and correctly. On completing the course, you will have gained confidence in basic bench skills, developed your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, and several pieces of jewellery you have designed and made to wear. Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners who have no prior jewellery making experience, and to improvers who are looking to refine their skills.
This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram. Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact us for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Vanessa Miller

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Learn jewellery making techniques including sawing, forming, soldering and enamelling to create and develop your own jewellery designs.
What will you learn on this course? Learn how to design and make your own unique pieces of jewellery in copper and sterling silver. This course covers a range of traditional jewellery making skills and techniques including: • Saw piercing • Filing • Soldering • Polishing • Texturing • Forming • Enamelling As this is an improvers course, students will be encouraged to develop their own designs with guidance and support as required. MAC’s fully equipped jewellery studio has work benches, a soldering hearth and torch, enamelling kiln, polishing motor, and various hand tools which the tutor will teach you to use safely and correctly. On completing the course, you will have gained confidence in basic bench skills, developed your fine motor skills and hand eye coordination, and created several pieces of jewellery you have designed and made to wear. Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to students with some previous experience who would like to develop skills, learn some new techniques and work on their own designs with the tutor’s support and guidance. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram. Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact us for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Vanessa Miller

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A great opportunity for those with an existing knowledge of jewellery making to work independently or refine their skills with assistance from an artist tutor. What will you learn on this course? This course enables experienced jewellery makers to develop their own designs and realise them in our fully equipped studio with the support and guidance from an artist tutor. You will work on individual projects at your own pace with access to a range of professional equipment, including work benches, soldering hearth and blowtorch, enamelling kiln, etching solutions, polishing motor, and various hand tools. You will be expected to work independently, but the tutor will be available to provide one-to-one support as and when needed. This may include encouraging you to try different processes, such as granulation or casting techniques using wax, and guiding you through the specific techniques required. Improvers can expect moderate support from the tutor and guided demonstrations of specific processes. Advanced students generally seek advice on particular aspects of their design, require a refresher on a particular process, or simply want to create work in a shared studio space. On completing the course, you will have produced completed pieces of jewellery to your own design and further developed your skills and confidence in jewellery making. Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to improvers and advanced students who have jewellery making experience. Improvers may have previously attended a course at MAC or elsewhere and should be confident in a range of basic techniques such as soldering, filing and cutting. Advanced students will have a good working knowledge of jewellery construction and be confident working independently. All students should come with their own design ideas. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram. Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact us for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Nick Greenhough

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Jewellery: Open Studio JE93 A great opportunity for those with an existing knowledge of jewellery making to work independently or refine their skills with assistance from an artist tutor. What will you learn on this course? This course enables experienced jewellery makers to develop their own designs and realise them in our fully equipped studio with the support of an experienced artist tutor. You will work on individual projects at your own pace with access to a range of professional equipment, including work benches, soldering hearth and blowtorch, enamelling kiln, etching solutions, polishing motor, and various hand tools. Technical demonstrations are available upon direct request to the artist tutor. On completing the course, you will have produced completed pieces of jewellery to your own design and further developed your skills and confidence in jewellery making. Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to improver and advanced level students who have a good working knowledge of jewellery construction and are confident working independently. All students should come with their own design ideas. This is not a taught course but an opportunity to work independently with support available when needed. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram. Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact us for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Vanessa Miller

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Extend and develop your jewellery making skills while working on your own project with support from an expert tutor. What will you learn on this course? This course is designed for those with previous jewellery making experience to learn some new skills, develop their own designs, and realise them in our fully equipped jewellery studio with the support and guidance of an artist tutor. Improvers will be guided through a series of exercises that will cover a range of techniques and processes to develop existing skills. The tutor will demonstrate processes such as forming, polishing, vitreous enamelling, granulation and casting using wax. You will then have the opportunity to incorporate these processes into your own designs. You will gradually be encouraged to work independently on your own projects with tutor support and guidance given as required. Advanced students will work on individual projects at your own pace. The tutor will be on hand to support you in realising your designs should any guidance be required. You can take part in the class exercises to learn new techniques or refresh your knowledge. The fully equipped jewellery studio provides access to a range of professional equipment including work benches, a soldering hearth and blowtorch, enamelling kiln, etching solutions, polishing motor, and various and tools. On completing this course, you will have completed pieces of jewellery to your own design and further developed your skills and confidence in jewellery making. Learners who create valuable jewellery from precious metals in our Jewellery Studio will now have the opportunity to have their work hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office using the official MAC hallmark. This exciting new partnership offers MAC learners a discounted rate and opportunity to use the MAC hallmark to authenticate their finished designs, alongside access to discounted specialist courses run by the Assay Office. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to improvers and advanced students who have jewellery making experience. Improvers may have previously attended a course at MAC or elsewhere and should be confident in a range of basic techniques such as soldering, filing and cutting. Advanced students will have a good working knowledge of jewellery construction and be confident working independently. All students should come with their own design ideas. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A high level of manual dexterity and tool handling is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Students are required to wear flat closed-toe shoes, preferably trainers or boots, as this is a workshop environment with heavy tools, soldering equipment, and a kiln. Unsuitable footwear may result in the student not being able to take part in the session. Long hair must be tied back. Protective equipment will be provided with the guidance of the tutor. You will need to purchase materials for the jewellery you wish to make as below. Are there any additional costs? There are additional costs for materials such as base metals, sterling silver, solder, saw blades, and findings. These can be purchased from MAC individually or in packs. Jewellery Start Pack – 2x copper sheets, 2x brass sheets, 2x wet & dry paper, 2M copper wire, 12x saw blades. Silver by the gram. Discounted hallmarking services using the MAC official hallmark. Cost will be determined by individual items and subject to a handling fee. Please contact us for pricing information. Who teaches this course? Nick Greenhough

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Working directly from a life/nude model, be guided through set exercises and experiments to explore the different techniques that may be used to interpret the human form. What will you learn on this course? This is a weekly structured course consisting of group projects. These projects will cover drawing skills, including measurement, proportion, line, tone and colour, and the use of art materials including pencils, charcoal, pastels, and paint if wanted. Each week, you will refer to an unclothed professional life model as your subject. MAC employs a range of life models and each class consists mostly of a long pose, though some shorter exercises may be included. At the start of each class, the tutor will demonstrate a basic technique and provide examples from their own work or from other artists. Working on your own drawings or paintings, the tutor will provide individual attention and guidance, encouraging you to discover your own creative direction. While most of the emphasis is on individual tuition, beginners may compare notes as part of group projects. Experienced students are welcome to work independently, with the tutor providing guidance as and when required. This course focuses on learning by art practice in an environment of respect for individual creative aspiration, combined with imparting definite knowledge. You can expect to progress with a basic understanding of drawing and the use of art materials. Gain an insight into how the human form can be a fascinating ongoing topic for artistic study in its own right. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to students of all levels, including beginners with no prior experience and improvers who are looking to refine their skills. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? The studio is equipped with easels and drawing boards. Watercolour paper is provided and basic art materials may be borrowed on the day. You may wish to bring your own sketchbook and bring additional materials to work with as the course progresses. Are there any additional costs? Any additional materials must be bought at the participant’s expense. Who teaches this course? Paul Bartlett

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Working directly from a life/nude model, learn how to use scale, proportion, and composition to draw the human form. What will you learn on this course? Learn how to represent the human form when drawing and painting. You will be introduced to a range of techniques and materials that will allow you to explore different interpretations and styles when working from a life/nude model. This course covers: • Drawing Mediums (charcoal, pencil, pastel) • Drawing Techniques (scale, proportion, light & shade effects, composition) • Colour Mixing (watercolours, acrylic paints, inks, mixed media) • How to ‘layer’ a painting • Being experimental This course uses both male and female life models. The tutor will set short poses and group tasks as you learn the various techniques and develop your skills. The tutor will also set longer poses, allowing you to experiment with what you have learned and begin to develop your own particular style or approach. The class includes group tuition and one-to-one support from the tutor. Guidance will be tailored to your level of experience to help you achieve your aims for your work. In addition to practical drawing and painting techniques, the course focuses on creative skills, artistic knowledge, and self-confidence. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to students of all levels, including beginners with no prior experience and improvers who are looking to refine their skills. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? The studio is equipped with easels and drawing boards. Watercolour paper is provided and basic art materials may be borrowed on the day. You may wish to bring your own sketchbook and bring additional materials to work with as the course progresses. Are there any additional costs? Any additional materials must be bought at the participant’s expense. Who teaches this course? Kotryna Brazynskaite

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Interested in acting and want to be on the stage? This fun course will teach you the skills needed to create and perform contemporary theatre. What will you learn on this course? This course explores contemporary approaches to creating performance. Through various theatre games and exercises, young people will develop their confidence, creativity, group work, speaking, listening, and performance and presentation skills. Each term focuses on a specific theme, and the group will create material inspired by this theme using a range of devising techniques. The students will explore aspects of acting, rhythm, movement, physical theatre, voice, improvisation, stage presence, and character development. The group will work towards creating a devised performance piece to showcase to family at the end of term. The tutor works closely with the group to choose an appropriate theme for the performance, facilitates a range of devising exercises and tasks, and teaches specific performance skills in response to the group’s ideas as they evolve. The course will help create confidence, wellbeing, social skills and resilience. All activities will be tailored to fit each student’s needs and personality. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 10 to 14 years. It is for beginner level and children don’t need any previous experience. The course is accessible for children with disabilities who can participate in theatre activities. Elements of this class may be physically demanding. Parents are not expected to accompany children on these courses. All our staff are DBS checked. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support, please contact us in advance of booking to discuss your needs. The room is wheelchair accessible. All our staff are DBS checked. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? Participants should bring bottled water and wear clothes suitable for movement work. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Ana Petrovici

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Take your acting and performance skills to the next level, in this course designed especially for budding thespians. What will you learn on this course? This course explores contemporary approaches to creating performance. Through various theatre games and exercises, young people will develop their confidence, creativity, group work, speaking, listening, and performance and presentation skills. Each term focuses on a specific theme, and the group will create material inspired by this theme using a range of devising techniques. The students will explore aspects of acting, rhythm, movement, physical theatre, voice, improvisation, stage presence, and character development. The group will work towards creating a devised performance piece to showcase to family at the end of term. The tutor works closely with the group to choose an appropriate theme for the performance, facilitates a range of devising exercises and tasks, and teaches specific performance skills in response to the group’s ideas as they evolve. The course will help create confidence, wellbeing, social skills and resilience. All activities will be tailored to fit each student’s needs and personality. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 10 to 14 years. It is for improver level and ideally your child has attended the beginner course.
The course is accessible for children with disabilities who can participate in theatre activities. Elements of this class may be physically demanding. Parents are not expected to accompany children on these courses. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support, please contact us in advance of booking to discuss your needs. The room is wheelchair accessible. All our staff are DBS checked. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? Participants should bring bottled water and wear clothes suitable for movement work. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Ana Petrovici

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Find useful information for planning your school visit to Starchitects Save Santa here [https://macbirmingham.co.uk/starchitects-save-santa-information-for-schools].

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Join the Pottery Club and explore the world of clay! Learn all about different hand-building techniques and imaginative ways to decorate your clay creations. What will you learn on this course? The pottery club is a fun and supportive environment, which will encourage children’s creativity and imagination. The course provides an exciting introduction to ceramics where children get to explore the medium of clay with a group of their peers. Children will learn different hand-building techniques such as coiling, slab building, and sculpting clay. They will then add decoration using a variety of glaze techniques. Learners will be encouraged to review and refine their work to produce finished ceramic pieces that are unique and of a high standard. The tutor will demonstrate each different technique, encouraging children to apply the techniques in the creation of their own works. Further demonstrations and one-to-one support will be given as required. Support and advice will be tailored to each child, according to their individual ability. Learners will be able to work at their own pace. A glossary of technical terms along with an overview of the taught content will be provided. In addition to practical making skills, the tutor will use visual resources to provide an understanding of both historical and contemporary ceramics works. By the end of this course, participants will have learned how to use all of the equipment in MAC’s specialist ceramic studio safely and correctly. They will have learned a range of techniques, made high quality ceramics pieces to their own design, and have the confidence to continue working in ceramics. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 6 to 11 years. It is open to all levels and no prior experience is required.
This course may be accessible for children with disabilities, manual dexterity in your hands is necessary to work with clay. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? All course materials and equipment are provided. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Andrea Clarke

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Overcome your fears and find your unique voice with our Public Speaking course. Specially tailored for individuals seeking to elevate their public speaking abilities, this course offers a supportive environment to grow personally and professionally. What will you learn on this course? We begin by creating a comfortable group dynamic, allowing you to feel at ease while learning and practising new skills. Through fun, engaging games, we'll help you break out of your shell and feel empowered. The course curriculum includes training on voice modulation, breathing techniques, and effective communication strategies, ensuring you deliver speeches and presentations with confidence, clarity, and charisma. You'll learn to captivate your audience every time you step onto the podium, transforming public speaking from a daunting task into an enjoyable experience. If you’d rather just work on your confidence and networking skills, this course is perfect for you, as it provides the tools needed to always keep a conversation going while radiating with confidence! The course ends with a public showcase performance and it's the perfect opportunity to share your journey with friends, family, and peers. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is suitable for anyone who would like to improve their confidence and develop their public speaking skills. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs.

Do you need to bring anything? Please bring water and wear comfortable clothes.

Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs.

Who teaches this course? Ana Petrovici

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Learn the techniques of copper foiled (tiffany) stained glass including glass cutting, grinding and soldering. What will you learn on this course? You will be taught all the skills to create a finished piece of stained glass including: glass cutting, grinding, foiling, taping, soldering and finishing. After completing a starter piece to learn these basic skills, you will begin to work on your own project. The tutor will teach you how to translate your ideas into stained glass designs and support you as you realise your own individual projects. You will learn how to safely use the specialist equipment and materials that’s are involved in the stained glass making process such as glass cutters, grinders, soldering irons, flux, patina and lead. By the end of this course you will have produced a starter piece and a piece of stained glass of your own design. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners. You don’t need any previous experience of stained glass as full instruction and guidance is given. Those with some experience will be able to improve their skills and develop new techniques and ideas. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities and a carer or support worker may attend. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation and needs. This course demands dexterity and strength in your hands. We recommend that you do not attend the course if you are currently pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. This is due to the toxicity of lead which may be in use in the studio. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment is provided along with materials to make your starter piece. You will need to provide your own glass, solder, and lead for your individual project where you will work up to A4 size. Are there any additional costs? Glass, solder, and copper tape for your individual project must be provided at your own expense.

Who teaches this course?

Clare Wainwright

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Learn traditional techniques of stained glass including glass cutting, grinding, leading, copper foiling, and soldering. What will you learn on this course? On this course you will learn the traditional techniques of stained glass. You will be taught all the skills to create a finished piece of stained-glass including glass cutting, grinding, leading, copper foiling, cementing and finishing. After completing a starter piece to learn these basic skills you will begin to work on your own project. The tutor will teach you how to translate your ideas into stained glass designs and support you as you realise your individual projects.
You will learn how to safely use the specialist equipment and materials that are involved in the stained-glass making process such as glass cutters, grinders, soldering irons, flux, and lead. By the end of this course you will have produced starter piece and a piece of stained glass of your own design. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to all levels from beginners to those who have some previous experience working in glass. Full instruction and guidance is given by the tutor who will tailor the class to your needs. Those with some experience will be able to improve their skills and develop new techniques and ideas. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities and a carer or support worker may attend. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation and needs. This course demands dexterity and strength in your hands. We recommend that you do not attend the course if you who are currently pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. This is due to the toxicity of lead which will be in use in the studio. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment is provided along with materials to make your starter piece. You will need to provide your own glass, solder, and lead for your individual project where you will work up to A4 size. Are there any additional costs? Glass, solder, lead, and copper tape for your individual project must be provided at your own expense.

Who teaches this course?

Vix Brown

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Learn traditional techniques of stained glass including glass cutting, grinding, leading, copper foiling, and soldering. What will you learn on this course? On this course you will learn the traditional techniques of stained glass. You will be taught all the skills to create a finished piece of stained-glass including glass cutting, grinding, leading, copper foiling, cementing and finishing. After completing a starter piece to learn these basic skills you will begin to work on your own project. The tutor will teach you how to translate your ideas into stained glass designs and support you as you realise your individual projects.
You will learn how to safely use the specialist equipment and materials that are involved in the stained-glass making process such as glass cutters, grinders, soldering irons, flux, and lead. By the end of this course you will have produced starter piece and a piece of stained glass of your own design. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to all levels from beginners to those who have some previous experience working in glass. Full instruction and guidance is given by the tutor who will tailor the class to your needs. Those with some experience will be able to improve their skills and develop new techniques and ideas. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities and a carer or support worker may attend. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation and needs. This course demands dexterity and strength in your hands. We recommend that you do not attend the course if you who are currently pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. This is due to the toxicity of lead which will be in use in the studio. Do you need to bring anything? All equipment is provided along with materials to make your starter piece. You will need to provide your own glass, solder, and lead for your individual project where you will work up to A4 size. Are there any additional costs? Glass, solder, lead, and copper tape for your individual project must be provided at your own expense.

Who teaches this course?

Vix Brown

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Learn the basics of Tai Chi and increase your flexibility and suppleness while experiencing meditation in movement. What will you learn on this course? Tai Chi is a Chinese exercise system and martial art. It has been called meditation in movement, and people come to Tai Chi for a variety of reasons including relaxation and to improve balance and health. There are different styles of Tai Chi. On this course, you will learn the Chen Man-Ch’ing form, a sequence of 37 moves, which was adapted from the Yang Form of 108 moves, in order to meet the needs of people in the West who had less time to commit to practice. It is very soft and less overtly martial than other styles. You will be introduced to basic Tai Chi stances and exercises and learn how to practice these using safe and effective posture and technique in a relaxed manner. Most classes will start with loosening exercises and will finish with some Chi Gung breathing exercises. You may also do some individual and partnered exercises including Tai Chi walking and push hands. Tai Chi has a number of health benefits including improved: • Flexibility • Posture • Co-ordination • Stamina and cardiovascular health • Balance • Blood pressure levels • Body awareness • Use of intrinsic strength On completion of this course, participants will have learnt the first third of the Chen Man=Ch’ing form. The remaining two thirds of the form are taught in the Improvers class. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+. It is suitable for beginners; no prior experience is necessary.
This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Phil Shelton

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Tai Chi Improvers WB03 Deepen your practice and understanding of Tai Chi with internal exercises to develop concentration and focus in this course designed for improvers. What will you learn on this course? Tai Chi is a Chinese exercise system and martial art. It has been called meditation in movement, and people come to Tai Chi for a variety of reasons including relaxation and to improve balance and health. There are different styles of Tai Chi. On this course, you will learn the Chen Man-Ch’ing form, a sequence of 37 moves, which was adapted from the Yang Form of 108 moves, in order to meet the needs of people in the West who had less time to commit to practice. It is very soft and less overtly martial than other styles. You will continue to learn Tai Chi stances and exercises and the tutor will guide you on how to practice these using safe and effective posture and technique in a relaxed manner. Most classes will start with loosening exercises and will finish with some Chi Gung breathing exercises. You may also do some individual and partnered exercises including Tai Chi walking and push hands. As an improver, you will use your developing knowledge and feedback from the tutor to ensure correct alignment in your stances. You will learn about external aspects of movement, position, angle, posture and timing. The tutor will introduce the concept of internal disciple and teach you how to apply concentration and focus to the Tai Chi exercises. Tai Chi has a number of health benefits including improved: • Flexibility • Posture • Co-ordination • Stamina and cardiovascular health • Balance • Blood pressure levels • Body awareness • Use of intrinsic strength On completion of this course, participants will have learnt the last two thirds of the Chen Man-Ch’ing form (the first third is taught in the beginners class). Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+. It is suitable for improvers; you may have completed the Tai Chi Beginners course at MAC or attended a similar level course elsewhere.
This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Phil Shelton

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Enthusiastic about film? Watch and discuss different films and build your film appreciation tool kit with a film expert each week. What will you learn on this course? This course will help you to improve your general understanding of film, with reference to specific topics. You will learn various approaches to critically analysing film by considering areas including cinematic style, genre conventions and the historical development of national film industries. Each term, the course is themed around a particular area of film history. Possible themes include Film Noir, British Cinema and Film Stardom. Most sessions involve a tutor-led presentation and the screening of relevant film excerpts. On occasion, an entire film may be shown, as appropriate. Student activities include discussing films as a group, as well as taking part in quizzes and presentations. Although this is not an academic course, it is influenced by the tutor’s experience, which includes publishing scholarly work about film and teaching Film Studies at university level. The course will include one free ticket to MAC’s cinema. In addition, each course participant will be able to buy cinema tickets at MAC for £5 each during the course term. Please note that this offer only applies to green tier seating and does not automatically include special events such as Q&As. On completing this course, you will be able to discuss your opinions about specific films in a number of ways. You will be able to talk about the significance of key aspects of selected films and relate this back to a wider context, such as the importance of a given film in terms of its placement within a particular genre. More broadly, you will be able to identify a wide range of areas of interest relating to film and express your views on these areas to the rest of the group. In short, you will finish the course with a deeper understanding of film history and film culture. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to learners of all levels, and aimed at those with an interest in film and going to the cinema. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. A support worker or carer may attend to assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? All course material is provided. You may want to bring a notebook and pen. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Carl Sweeney

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Adrian Utley is probably best known as one of the key members of platinum-selling band Portishead, and the creative genius behind their distinctive sound.

His musical pedigree also includes partnerships with a wide range of diverse artists including Terry Riley, Jeff Beck, Marianne Faithfull, Patti Smith and Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory, with whom he composed a new soundtrack for silent film 'The Passion of Joan of Arc’.

Throughout his eclectic musical career he has maintained a passion for jazz and improvised music, recently recording with US trumpet legend Eddie Henderson.

Seb Rochford came to prominence as the leader of experimental jazz originators ‘Polar Bear’ but has gone on to collaborate with Herbie Hancock, Damon Albarn, Brian Eno and David Byrne, amongst many others. He has recently released a ‘A Short Diary’ on ECM Records, a duo album with Kit Downes.

Bassist Arnie Somogyi is well-known to UK jazz audiences as the band leader of innovative sextet ‘Ambulance’ and Anglo-Hungarian 10-piece ‘Improvokation’. He has also worked with a wide range of leading international jazz artists including Eddie Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson and Steve Grossman.

Expect an improvised soundscape that references minimalist serialist composers and art house film scoring.

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Discover a wide range of techniques for textile printing such as lino, block and screen print, mono printing, heat transfer printing, and collograph learn some handy design skills to pattern your fabric. What will you learn on this course? Explore surface print processes. Learn simple pattern repeating methods to add style and complexity to your surface patterning and create a final project of your choice with your printed fabric. The course will cover: • Lino, block, mud resist, flour paste resist, collograph, screen print, mono print, and heat pressed printing • Printing with Procion dyes thickened with Manutuex • Printing with heat-fixable screen print inks • Making and using permanent and impermanent stencils and masks • Using drawing fluid and screen filler • How to make a simple repeat pattern • Collaging, painting and printing with Disperse heat-reactive dyes • Print finishing techniques – curling, foil treatments and stitch options • Use of the sewing machine to make a product As the course progresses you are encouraged to work on your own project and interests, applying new taught techniques each week. You will experience a variety of approaches to screen printing using permanent and impermanent techniques, and make fabric samples which will inform your project as you develop your knowledge and experience. The tutor will use a mix of group demonstrations, individual support, and examples from her own print design practice to guide you through the process, explaining the materials and teaching the techniques. You will receive individual support on your designs as required. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to all levels, including beginner, improver, and experience students. It is suitable for people who are completely new to textiles, and for those who want to extend and refine their techniques. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? You should begin collecting a portfolio of patterns on paper or fabric for reference use and imagery which inspires and interests you. You should wear old clothes and bring an apron to work in. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Claire Leggett

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Explore surface decoration in textiles with a particular focus on metals and how to incorporate this in your work. Each term you will start your design work by experimenting with mark making taking inspiration from different objects and by making several samples using different textile techniques you will progress to create a final piece. What will you learn on this course? This course offers a practical introduction to textile surface decoration by exploring how to incorporate metal in your work.

You will be encouraged to participate in the planning and suggest techniques to incorporate into your learning experience. To experiment and produce work in keeping with the theme of the term, taking architecture as a primary source of inspiration.

Demonstrations will be provided together with handouts in many techniques including working with metal sheets, foiling, wire, fusible fibres, embossing, hand and machine embroidery.

You will have the opportunity to develop your work to make items (of simple construction) for example a book cover, pictures, jewellery, a wall hanging.

Textile techniques will include -

• Hand embroidery • Machine stitching and free motion embroidery • Rust dyeing • Markel oil sticks • Foiling • Applique. • How to incorporate metal in your work.

You will make references to traditional and contemporary artists who have used similar sources of inspiration. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to all levels, including beginner, improver, and experience students. It is suitable for people who are completely new to textiles, and for those who want to extend and refine their techniques. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Bring along any pre-loved fabric you would like to use in your pieces. You should wear old clothes and bring an apron to work in. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Helen Lane

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Town Hall Gospel Choir, Birmingham Celebrating 15 years of exciting Gospel vibes on the arts and education scene in The Midlands, Town Hall Gospel Choir bring four high spirited shows to the MAC. THGC will present powerful contemporary gospel songs always with a twist, along with a touch of Soul and even a cappella singing. Your festive season will definitely be joyous with a Gospel flavour ringing throughout a number of Christmas carols and songs.

Town Hall Gospel Choir was formally established in 2008, with Colin Anderson as Musical Director. Our mission is to uplift, inspire and empower the lives of our families and community by framing gospel power, passion and joy in art and musicianship, whilst bringing about hope, healing and inclusion.

2018 saw our 10th Anniversary Concert in the Town Hall, celebrating a decade of performance at varied events: from hospices to weddings, churches to international festivals, shopping malls to train stations. We shared the stage in grand scale productions, with national and international stars, and won the coveted inaugural title of Songs of Praise Gospel Choir of the Year in 2013, and GXMMA Gospel Choir of the Year in 2014.

Recent highlights have included performing at the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games, in "Jean Harlow the musical" at the Crescent Theatre, at the 3rd Milton Keynes Community Choir Festival, in Windrush 75 Carnival at the National Memorial Arboretum and in Community Spirit at Symphony Hall. Our new residency on selected Sundays at Bank Restaurant, Brindley Place, has kicked up a storm and is a roaring success.

We are very excited to be doing four concerts at The MAC for this our 15th Anniversary celebration. Come and join the chorus!

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Discover watercolour painting as a practice for creative exploration. Give yourself permission to play, experiment and enjoy the unexpected whilst learning the various techniques required to create watercolour paintings.. What will you learn on this course? Learn about materials and experiment with techniques to produce exciting watercolours. You’ll discover techniques and inspirations to develop greater creativity and artistic confidence. The course will cover a range of topics including: • Watercolour techniques wet on wet and wet on dy • Creative brush mark-making • Spattering and masking • Combining watercolour with other media • Creating texture • Working with colour • Creating a sense of three dimensionality • Sources of inspiration While teaching practical drawing and painting techniques, the course will focus on experimentation and inspiration. The emphasis is on building up a working knowledge of watercolour techniques. The class will be taught through tutor demonstrations, exercises and discussion. As the course progresses and your confidence builds, individual projects will develop and you will be encouraged to work independently with one-to-one support from the tutor. Guidance will be tailored to your level of experience to help you achieve your personal aims. On completion of this course, students will have produced a range of experiments or paintings and the beginnings of an artist’s portfolio. You will have gained new skills and confidence in watercolour painting. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+. It is suitable for beginners who have no experience in watercolours and want to learn all the basics, and for improvers who are looking to develop and refine their skills. This course is accessible for people with disabilities. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Basic art materials are provided but you may wish to bring your own specific materials and resources as the course develops. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. All additional materials must be provided at the participant’s expense. Who teaches this course? Mike Martin

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Calling all creative kids! If you love making art and being crafty, if you want to learn about drama and put on a show all while having fun, then this is the course for you! What will you learn on this course? This course is designed to ensure that children learn lots of new art, craft, and drama skills, all while having lots of fun and making new friends. Each week, participants will learn about different arts and crafts such as how to make puppets and bring them to life, and will discover how to devise a performance and make costumes and a stage set. Every session will begin with fun drama exercises and a warmup. Weather permitting, some sessions may take place in MAC’s pocket garden or around Cannon Hill Park to allow the children to get out, enjoy the fresh air, and be inspired by nature! The course will help create confidence, wellbeing, social skills and resilience. All activities will be tailored to fit each child’s needs and personality. At the end of the term, the group will put together a performance for family to showcase everything they have created and discovered during the course. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 6 to 12 years. It is open to all ability levels and children don’t need any previous experience. The course is accessible for children of all abilities. Parents are not expected to accompany children on these courses. All our staff are DBS checked. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a companion ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? Participants should bring bottled water and wear clothes suitable for movement work. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Ana Petrovici

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Learn how to successfully throw asymmetric forms such as oblong shapes using a pottery wheel. What will you learn on this course? On this course, the tutor will demonstrate the key stages of wheel throwing, enabling you to create pieces with great satisfaction. You will focus on the art of making non-symmetrical ceramic shapes using a pottery wheel. You will be taught how to make oblongs, squares, and other asymmetrical shapes and sculptural forms while discovering the technique of turning. These shapes and forms can then be used to create bowls, other kitchen or table ware, and decorative items including vases and ceramic sculptures. The tutor will encourage you to develop your skills and through repetition, build your confidence. You will be encouraged to be selective about work that is retained for firing so that you deepen your understanding of the art of wheelwork. The tutor will guide you through making both functional and non-functional items. Once pieces are complete, you will be introduced to the art of surface decoration with the use of various glaze colours. All completed items will be fired in the kiln. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is aimed at beginners who have no previous wheel throwing experience, and full guidance will be given at all stages. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. Good manual dexterity and some physical strength and fitness is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Serge Sanghera

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Learn the basic technique of throwing and turning forms on the potter’s wheel, an ancient tool which has been used to create objects of great beauty and practically. What will you learn on this course? The craft of ‘throwing’ pottery on a potter’s wheel originated at least five thousand years ago in the Middle East, and is still used to create pottery around the world today. On this course, you will discover this ancient skill, and learn the basic techniques of throwing and turning forms on the potter’s wheel, along with finishing techniques in decorating and glazing. The skills involved in throwing require some physical strength and fitness, but also some determination and self-confidence as initial stages of throwing and turning can be challenging. This course is perfect for those with an enthusiasm for design, aesthetic awareness, and the production of useful items. You will explore a variety of styles of work from historical and contemporary examples. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners and improvers. You don’t need any previous clay work experience as full instruction and guidance is given. This course is ideal for those looking to try throwing pots on the potter’s wheel for the first time or improvers wishing to refine their skills and make new pieces of work. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. Good manual dexterity and some physical strength and fitness is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Ronnie Diggins

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Learn the basic technique of throwing and turning forms on the potter’s wheel, an ancient tool which has been used to create objects of great beauty and practically. What will you learn on this course? The craft of ‘throwing’ pottery on a potter’s wheel originated at least five thousand years ago in the Middle East, and is still used to create pottery around the world today. On this course, you will discover this ancient skill, and learn the basic techniques of throwing and turning forms on the potter’s wheel, along with finishing techniques in decorating and glazing. The skills involved in throwing require some physical strength and fitness, but also some determination and self-confidence as initial stages of throwing and turning can be challenging. This course is perfect for those with an enthusiasm for design, aesthetic awareness, and the production of useful items. You will explore a variety of styles of work from historical and contemporary examples. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is open to beginners and improvers. You don’t need any previous clay work experience as full instruction and guidance is given. This course is ideal for those looking to try throwing pots on the potter’s wheel for the first time or improvers wishing to refine their skills and make new pieces of work. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. Good manual dexterity and some physical strength and fitness is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Mike Martin

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Whether this is your first time working with a pottery wheel or you wish to improve your wheelwork skills in this mix level course designed to build your skills and enhance your efficiency when creating thrown ceramics. What will you learn on this course? On this course the tutor will work with you to enhance your skills in thrown ceramics, and help you to improve your efficiency, consistency and accuracy when working with a wheel. You will also have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of wheelwork forms. The tutor will encourage you to develop your skills and through repetition build your confidence, encouraging you to be selective about work that is retained for firing, so that you deepen your understanding of the art of wheelwork. The tutor will encourage you to produce functional and non-functional items after completing a piece you can apply surface decoration with the use of various glaze colours which will then go on to be fired in the kiln. Who is this course for? The course is aimed at beginners and improvers level aged 18+ years. This course offers that opportunity for beginners and competent wheelwork ceramicist, having completed a beginner course and are looking to develop your skills.

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Whether this is your first time working with a pottery wheel or you wish to improve your wheelwork skills in this mix level course designed to build your skills and enhance your efficiency when creating thrown ceramics. What will you learn on this course? On this course the tutor will work with you to enhance your skills in thrown ceramics, and help you to improve your efficiency, consistency and accuracy when working with a wheel. You will also have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of wheelwork forms. The tutor will encourage you to develop your skills and through repetition build your confidence, encouraging you to be selective about work that is retained for firing, so that you deepen your understanding of the art of wheelwork. The tutor will encourage you to produce functional and non-functional items after completing a piece you can apply surface decoration with the use of various glaze colours which will then go on to be fired in the kiln. Who is this course for? The course is aimed at beginners and improvers level aged 18+ years. This course offers that opportunity for beginners and competent wheelwork ceramicist, having completed a beginner course and are looking to develop your skills.

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Learn a series of basic techniques in the art of wheel throwing including clay preparation to creating cylinders and bowls, then progress to other forms followed by glazing and firing your work. What will you learn on this course? On this course, the tutor will demonstrate the key stages of wheel throwing, enabling you to create pieces with great satisfaction. You will begin by focusing on two main forms: the cylinder and the bowl. You will then be able to build on this to create other shapes and forms. You will also learn the technique of turning. The tutor will encourage you to develop your skills and through repetition, build your confidence. You will be encouraged to be selective about work that is retained for firing so that you deepen your understanding of the art of wheelwork. The tutor will guide you through making both functional and non-functional items. Once pieces are complete, you will be introduced to the art of surface decoration with the use of various glaze colours. All completed items will be fired in the kiln. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is aimed at beginners who have no previous wheel throwing experience, and full guidance will be given at all stages. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. Good manual dexterity and some physical strength and fitness is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Serge Sanghera

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Learn a series of basic techniques in the art of wheel throwing including clay preparation to creating cylinders and bowls, then progress to other forms followed by glazing and firing your work. What will you learn on this course? On this course, the tutor will demonstrate the key stages of wheel throwing, enabling you to create pieces with great satisfaction. You will begin by focusing on two main forms: the cylinder and the bowl. You will then be able to build on this to create other shapes and forms. You will also learn the technique of turning. The tutor will encourage you to develop your skills and through repetition, build your confidence. You will be encouraged to be selective about work that is retained for firing so that you deepen your understanding of the art of wheelwork. The tutor will guide you through making both functional and non-functional items. Once pieces are complete, you will be introduced to the art of surface decoration with the use of various glaze colours. All completed items will be fired in the kiln. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is aimed at beginners who have no previous wheel throwing experience, and full guidance will be given at all stages. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. Good manual dexterity and some physical strength and fitness is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Serge Sanghera

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Discover the art of wheel throwing and hand building to create tableware while learning a series of techniques including clay preparation, creating cylinders and bowls, and glazing and firing your work. What will you learn on this course? On this course, the tutor will demonstrate the key stages of wheel throwing, enabling you to create pieces with great satisfaction. You will begin by focussing on two main forms: the cylinder and the bowl. Other forms can then be created from these, including a cup and saucer.
These shapes and forms can then be used to create bowls, other kitchen or table ware, and decorative items including vases and ceramic sculptures. You’ll be encouraged to create a connected collection of work with a unique mark or identity that functions as attractive tableware. The tutor will encourage you to develop your skills and through repetition, build your confidence. You will be encouraged to be selective about work that is retained for firing so that you deepen your understanding of the art of wheelwork. The tutor will guide you through making functional tableware. Once pieces are complete, you will be introduced to the art of surface decoration with the use of various glaze colours. All completed items will be fired in the kiln. Who is this course for? This course is for adults aged 18+ years. It is aimed at beginners who have no previous wheel throwing experience, and full guidance will be given at all stages. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. Good manual dexterity and some physical strength and fitness is required. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. Do you need to bring anything? Short sleeves, old trousers, and an apron are recommended as working with clay can get messy, but it should wash off easily. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. The course price includes all materials and firing of your work. Please note that there will be a clay and firing charge for any oversized work, please discuss with the tutor. Who teaches this course? Serge Sanghera

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An advanced course for students with several years’ experience wishing to refine and deepen their practice. What will you learn on this course? Yang Tai Chi is a smooth, gentle exercise coordinating calm breathing movements and inner concentration. This is a low impact, mind-body series of movements from traditional Chinese arts to aid the balance of health and to support longevity. Learn relaxation techniques to keep fit and improve your wellbeing, including Qigong exercises that combine breathing with movements. You will practice the Yang 42 step Tai Chi form, a sequence of movements originating from the Yang family style. The tutor demonstrates and explains the movements to the class, as well as teaching safe and effective posture and technique in a relaxed manner. Tai Chi has a number of health benefits including improved: • Flexibility • Posture • Co-ordination • Stamina and cardiovascular health • Balance • Blood pressure levels • Body awareness • Use of intrinsic strength On completion of this course, you will have an acute understanding of the Yang 42 step form and will be able to continue your practice independently. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+. This course is specifically tailored for advanced students who have Tai Chi experience taught by Yanyan Yang and are looking to continue and deepen their practice. You must have completed the Yang Tai Chi Improvers course at MAC, or have attended similar level class with tutor Yanyan Yang elsewhere. If you have been studying Yang Tai Chi elsewhere with a different tutor you will need to start on the beginner level class. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement and flat shoes. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Yanyan Yang

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This ancient Chinese art combines movement, breath and concentration to improve your health and help you live longer. This class is for new students and those with little experience. What will you learn on this course? Yang Tai Chi is a smooth, gentle exercise coordinating calm breathing movements and inner concentration. This is a low impact, mind-body series of movements from traditional Chinese arts to aid the balance of health and to support longevity. Learn relaxation techniques to keep fit and improve your wellbeing, including Qigong exercises that combine breathing with movements. You will practice the Yang 24 step Tai Chi form, a sequence of movements originating from the Yang family style. The tutor demonstrates and explains the movements to the class, as well as teaching safe and effective posture and technique in a relaxed manner. Tai Chi has a number of health benefits including improved: • Flexibility • Posture • Co-ordination • Stamina and cardiovascular health • Balance • Blood pressure levels • Body awareness • Use of intrinsic strength On completion of this course, you will have a basic understanding of the Yang 24 step form and be able to continue your practice independently. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+. It is suitable for beginners with no prior experience, or for those who have not practiced Tai Chi for a number of years and want to be reintroduced.
This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement and flat shoes. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Yanyan Yang

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An improvers course for students with some experience wishing to learn the Yang 24 step form and deepen their practice. What will you learn on this course? Yang Tai Chi is a smooth, gentle exercise coordinating calm breathing movements and inner concentration. This is a low impact, mind-body series of movements from traditional Chinese arts to aid the balance of health and to support longevity. Learn relaxation techniques to keep fit and improve your wellbeing, including Qigong exercises that combine breathing with movements. You will practice the Yang 24 step Tai Chi form, a sequence of movements originating from the Yang family style. The tutor demonstrates and explains the movements to the class, as well as teaching safe and effective posture and technique in a relaxed manner. Tai Chi has a number of health benefits including improved: • Flexibility • Posture • Co-ordination • Stamina and cardiovascular health • Balance • Blood pressure levels • Body awareness • Use of intrinsic strength On completion of this course, you will have an understanding of the Yang 24 step form and be able to continue your practice independently. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for adults aged 18+. It is suitable for improvers, you must have completed the Yang Tai Chi Beginners course at MAC for a minimum of 3 years or studied with the tutor Yanyan Yang on a similar level course elsewhere. If you have been studying Yang Tai Chi elsewhere with a different tutor you will need to start on the beginner level class. This course may be accessible for people with disabilities. The room is wheelchair accessible. A support worker or carer may assist; carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending to provide support. Please contact us to discuss your specific accessibility needs. You should avoid having a meal during the 2 hours before the class. All students should inform the tutor of any ongoing health problems. Do you need to bring anything? Please wear comfortable clothes that allow free movement and flat shoes. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs. Who teaches this course? Yanyan Yang

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Do you have a passion for film, drama, and digital media? Join the Young Filmmakers Club to develop new skills in filmmaking and acting for screen to pursue your own exciting, creative ideas. What will you learn on this course? This course will give you an insight into the process, techniques and skills involved in making a film. Each term the content and structure of the course is decided by the group, which sees students generating ideas together and collaboratively working to produce a film. During the course, you will have the chance to work as a writer, actor, director, and crew member, which enables you to learn and experience a range of filmmaking skills. The tutor will guide the group through the entire process, from the initial generation of ideas to shooting and editing. There will be a special screening of the work produced on the course for invited family and friends. Who is this course for? This course is suitable for children aged 11-18 years. It is open to all ability levels. The course may be accessible for people with disabilities who can participate in theatre activities. Parents are not expected to accompany children on these courses. All our staff are DBS checked. We provide a learning support worker and a parent or carer may assist their child if required. Carers must book a complimentary ticket if attending a course to provide support. The room is wheelchair accessible. Age ranges are set carefully to take into account key age developments, materials being used and course stimulus. It is very important that age ranges are not too large or across key stages and therefore need to be adhered to. Do you need to bring anything? Please bring a memory stick so that you can take your work home. Are there any additional costs? There are no additional costs for this course. Who teaches this course? Reel Access (Martin McNally)

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