Creative classes and Craft Workshops for Summer at West Dean - photo credit Thom Atkinson

Creative classes for Summer
1 June 2025 to 31 August 2025

Elevate your creative skills this summer! West Dean offers a delightful array of creative classes and craft workshops in summer, perfect for everyone from absolute beginners to those looking to explore a new skill.

Whether you're searching for beginner creative classes to dip your toes into the world of making, or seeking inspiring summer craft workshops across London and Sussex, you'll find an enriching environment here at West Dean.

If you have specific summer months in mind, check out our variety of creative classes throughout June, July, and August.

Why not turn your course into a creative retreat? Book a beautiful period room at our Sussex campus and enjoy an art short break with friends or family. Plus, with West Dean Gardens right on your doorstep, you'll find extra inspiration in the stunning colours during your stay.

Give the gift of creativity to someone special this Summer with a Short Course gift voucher.  They can be used in full or as part-payment on all of our Short Courses and make the ideal experience gift for all ages.

Watercolour – still life

1 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Natasha Lien |
Beginners
£130

Monotype printmaking – direct drawing

2 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Caroline Wendling |
Suitable for all
£140

Introduction to garden design

3 Jun 2026 | London
Full - join waitlist
Tutor: Katie Donaldson |
Beginners
£160

Weave a small tapestry using a nail frame

4 to 7 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Justine Randall |
Suitable for all
£600

Botanical colourants from local plant pigments

4 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Lucy Mayes |
Suitable for all
£165

One day silversmithing workshop

5 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Julian Stephens |
Suitable for all
£196

Woodturning for beginners

5 to 7 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Stefano Santilli |
Beginners
£474

Creative papermaking – emboss, layer and cast

5 to 8 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Lucy Baxandall |
Suitable for all
£620

Experimental drawing, collage and painting from natural forms

5 to 8 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Joe Packer |
Beginners/Intermediate
£607

Enamelling on silver – an introduction

5 to 7 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Amanda Zoe |
Suitable for all
£459

FF&E Mastery – for Interior Designers

6 to 20 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Wendy Cooper |
Intermediate
£420

Stitched stories, drawings and marks

6 to 7 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Jessie Chorley |
Suitable for all
£270

Smartphone photography

6 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Full - join waitlist
Tutor: Roy Matthews |
Beginners/Intermediate
£191

Figure sculpture in clay

7 to 10 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Arabella Brooke |
Beginners/Intermediate
£693

Making automata

7 to 12 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Fi Henshall |
Suitable for all
£999

Silk painting with vibrant colour and pattern

8 to 9 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Hilary Simon |
Suitable for all
£335

Kantha quilting embroidery – making tactile memories

11 to 14 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Lynn Setterington |
Suitable for all
£590

Make a fused glass panel

11 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Martin Cheek |
Suitable for all
£228

Mosaics for beginners and improvers

11 to 14 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Martin Cheek |
Beginners/Intermediate
£598

Contemporary painting – abstracting the landscape

11 to 14 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Steve Humble |
Intermediate/Advanced
£590

Monotype printmaking – paper stencils

11 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Caroline Wendling |
Suitable for all
£140

Watercolour painting – dynamic dappled light

12 to 15 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Christine Forbes |
Intermediate
£596

Raku – throwing, decorating and firing

12 to 18 Jun 2026 | West Dean
1 place available
Tutor: Tim Andrews |
Intermediate/Advanced
£1,486

Textile basketry – with stitching and loops

12 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Mary Crabb |
Beginners
£135

Writing from life: autobiography, biography and creative non-fiction

12 to 14 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Hannah Vincent |
Suitable for all
£401

Photoshop Essentials for Interior Designers and Other Disciplines

13 to 14 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Federica Capitani |
Beginners/Intermediate
£275

Perspective drawing for interiors

13 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Natalie Arnold |
Beginners/Intermediate
£145

Planning and planting a scented garden

13 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Annie Guilfoyle |
Suitable for all
£192

Monotype printmaking – layers and colours

16 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Caroline Wendling |
Suitable for all
£140

Acrylic paint workshop

17 to 19 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Claire Chandler |
Suitable for all
£454

Practical gardening skills: Growing in a greenhouse

17 Jun 2026 | West Dean
2 places available
Tutor: Tom Brown |
Suitable for all
£83

Carve a greenwood pocket spoon

17 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell |
Beginners/Intermediate
£135

Vibrant machine stitched and collaged textiles

19 to 21 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Imogen Bittner |
Suitable for all
£424

Visible mending for knitted fabrics

19 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Sarah Elwick |
Beginners
£200

Simple furniture making – beginners

19 to 22 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Tom Kealy |
Beginners
£599

Throwing and turning for beginners

19 to 21 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Full - join waitlist
Tutor: Tanya Gomez |
Beginners
£431

Abstract painting – the next level

19 to 22 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Robert Sosner |
Intermediate/Advanced
£596

Blacksmithing – an introduction

20 to 21 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Andrew Smith |
Beginners
£490

Paper quilts

20 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Maria Thomas |
Suitable for all
£130

Creative Non-fiction – true stories

20 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Jacq Molloy |
Beginners/Intermediate
£125

Ceramic glazes – exploring colour

21 to 25 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Kyra Cane |
Intermediate/Advanced
£809

General silversmithing

21 to 26 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: John Norgate |
Intermediate/Advanced
£932

Botanical painting – the summer garden in ink and watercolour

21 to 23 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Sandrine Maugy |
Suitable for all
£407

Drawing in the landscape – pattern and rhythm

22 to 25 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Rosie MacCurrach |
Suitable for all
£593

Painting portraits in oils for beginners

22 to 23 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Zara Drummond |
Beginners
£325

Introduction to marbling for paper, textiles and leather book arts

23 to 26 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Rachel O'Connell |
Intermediate
£666

Monotype printmaking – chine collé and transfers

25 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Caroline Wendling |
Suitable for all
£145

Woven textiles and expressive basketry

27 to 28 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Joanne Lamb |
Beginners
£265

Writing the short story

27 Jun 2026 | London
Places available
Tutor: Jacq Molloy |
Suitable for all
£125

Introduction to portrait heads in terracotta

27 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Jon Edgar |
Beginners
£220

Life drawing – introduction

28 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Places available
Tutor: Sarka Darton |
Beginners
£225

Silver clay – inspired by nature

29 Jun 2026 | West Dean
Full - join waitlist
Tutor: Grainne Reynolds |
Beginners
£221