Somerset House's Learning and Participation programme connects our cultural programme, history and resident creative community to a diverse audience of over 6,000 every year.
We offer a wide-range of events and projects for different audiences including families, community groups, students and young people that draw on the rich cultural content and creative talent available at Somerset House.
Somerset House is a popular space for families, especially with the fountains in the summer months. We host a series of events based around families creating together, much of it free. Our monthly free family drop-in workshops run by illustrators, artists, educators and makers look at the current themes or exhibitions being explored in our cultural programme, in a way accessible to a range of ages. We offer the opportunity to learn new creative techniques, pose different questions and explore new themes together.
We also run frequent events exclusively for young people, from analytical workshops exploring contemporary themes to skills based workshops and practical sessions. Our young people’s programme aims to provide an affordable rewarding experience for both those pursuing studies and careers in the creative industry and those with less formally developed interests. We work closely with external organisations, in house tenants and increasingly the artist community as part of Somerset House Studios to build a unique programme shaped by our collaborators and those who participate.
Our Creative Careers and Skills Programme has two main strands. The Creative Careers Academy is set to offer work placement for young people aged 18 – 25 across Somerset House resident organisation. We also offer open skills events where participants can engage and gain tangible skills which strengthens their foundation skills.
The Creative Job Studio is a partnership between Somerset House Trust and the Creative Society. This is a series of networking and artistic events for young people. We aim to have a safe space of creativity here at Somerset house.
Somerset House offer schools, colleges and universities sustained learning programmes, workshops, site visits, talks and events, catering to a variety of audiences, age groups and interests. With a specialism in Art & Design, our cross-curricular activities focus on developing creative skills.
The majority of our exhibitions are suitable for all ages and for our larger scale exhibitions we offer free educational tours.
Learning Group Visits
Somerset House classifies an educational group as a school, college or university group visiting with 10 or more students, led by a member of staff. All school group visits must be pre-booked.
We work closely with a number of groups, charities and organisations on projects that open up our building and cultural programme to new audiences including those less familiar with cultural venues. We run exhibition tours and bespoke workshops aiming to inspire personal development through making, creating and discussion. By exploring our cultural programme and offering a look behind the scenes we try to expand the conversation around art and broader culture as well as presenting the variety of creative and career opportunities within the arts.
We are always looking to meet new people and find fresh ways to engage, if you would like to arrange a visit or would like more information please email us at learningbookings@somersethouse.org.uk
