Culture and Creativity
Inspire, Enrich, Create
Enabling local communities to access and participate in a variety of quality and diverse arts and cultural experiences through local libraries.
Digital events and activities
Visit our digital events programme to see what’s on at Worcestershire Libraries. Access Poetry readings, author talks and other online cultural events.
Follow Worcestershire Libraries on Facebook (opens in a new window) to keep up to date with the launch of new cultural and creative services.
Enrol on a creative course
A range of adult and family learning courses are now being delivered online. Indulge your creativity and join courses such as ‘Watercolour Painting’, ‘Why not Draw?’, ‘Jewellery Making’ and ‘Acoustic Guitar for beginners’. The creative courses are available to book online (opens in a new window)
Watch free cultural events courtesy of the Living Knowledge Network
Worcestershire Libraries have been streaming live cultural events within library buildings across the county since September 2019. With widespread closure of public libraries to help prevent the spread of Covid-19, the Living Knowledge Network have now curated an archive programme of their past events for people to watch online.
The archive programme launched on Friday 5th June 2020 and new events are added each week; promising to be varied in content to appeal to a wide cross-section of audiences.
In the future, customers will be able to view live streaming events again within library buildings. Until then, the archive programme will provide an interim culture fix!
Go to the Living Knowledge Network (opens in a new window)
Connect Bubbles
Worcestershire Libraries are hosting a series of free online Bubbles providing opportunities for residents to meet safely online with like-minded people and have some fun during lockdown and beyond.
Join us online via Zoom where our knowledgeable and friendly library staff will be on hand as you connect with others to explore a wide range of activities from knitting to poetry and from art to crime novels or photography. Here’s a list of just some of our Bubbles to choose from:
- board games bubble
- crime book bubble
- photography bubble
- woolly bubble
- cultural exchange bubble
- art bubble
- poetry bubble
- children’s book bubble
- plus more
Why not give one (or more) of them a try! Please visit the Worcestershire Libraries Eventbrite page to check dates, times and availability for all our Bubbles.
Do you have a passion? Local history, gardening, paper crafts or vegan cooking? We welcome suggestions from anyone interested in setting up or being supported to set up their own library Bubble on different topics; please just get in touch via email librariesHQ@worcestershire.gov.uk
If you’re using Zoom for the first time why not book a free 1-1 session with one of our Digital Champions and learn the basics of how to set up your own Zoom account and then confidently use Zoom to chat to family and friends online. You will need a device (phone, tablet or laptop) and an internet connection. Book a place here: Worcestershire Libraries - Zoom 1-1 sessions (opens in a new window)
Young Poet Laureate 2020
Every year, one young person from Worcestershire is given the title Worcestershire's Young Poet Laureate. In this role, our Young Poet Laureate champions poetry as an art form with the aim of encouraging and inspiring other young people to write and perform poetry.
They are also mentored by a professional poet and given coaching on writing and performance.
Ellie Dart from Kidderminster has been crowned Young Poet Laureate 2020. Watch the winning poetry performances from all age groups (opens in a new window)
Additional resources available online
Partners
- Severn Arts (opens in a new window) – Worcestershire’s Arts partnership who deliver the Council’s Support for the Arts programme
- Museums Worcestershire (opens in a new window) - Stay connected with your local heritage. Museums Worcestershire are bringing their collections to you in an exciting programme of activities, videos and interactive fun. #MuseumFromHome means that even during these strange times, everyone can access culture online. Click through to explore craft activities, digital exhibitions, and curator tours!
Culture Zone
- BBC Culture in Quarantine (opens in a new window) - A dedicated programme of content direct to people’s homes via various BBC channels..
- Europeana (opens in a new window) - online resource working with European archives, libraries and museums to share cultural heritage, Europeana Collections provides access to over 50 million digitised items including books, music, artwork and more.
- Museum Tours (opens in a new window) - A collection of virtual museum tours from around the world.
- Royal Academy of Arts (opens in a new window) - video tours, interviews, exhibition highlights, revisit popular events and creative inspiration. Watch, Make, Read.
- The Space (opens in a new window) – Culture to your couch - arts you can experience at home from The Space.
Music
- Berliner Philharmoniker (opens in a new window) - Access to over 600 orchestral concerts
- British Library Sounds (opens in a new window) - Explore recordings of music, spoken word and human and natural environments.
- Metropolitan Opera (opens in a new window): Daily streaming of previous opera performances
- Royal Opera House (opens in a new window): a programme of free, online content.
- The Shows Must Go On (opens in a new window): a full-length musical streaming every Friday at 7pm.
- The Sofa Singers (opens in a new window): free, weekly online singing sessions.
Art
- Canopy Creative Network (opens in a new window): Remote still-life drawing sessions for all ages.
- The National Gallery (opens in a new window) – Step inside the National Gallery via their You Tube channel
- Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (opens in a new window) - For enlivening conversations with artists from around the world
- Louvre (opens in a new window) – Take a virtual tour of the gallery and zoom in closely on famous artworks
Writing
- BBC Writers Room – InterConnected (opens in a new window): Your opportunity to write a short script with the chance to have it produced by the BBC
Kids Zone
- Canopy Creative Network (opens in a new window) - Remote still-life drawing sessions for all ages.
- Kids Art Projects (opens in a new window) - Simple projects with objects that can be found around the home.
- Rob Biddulph (opens in a new window) - Online drawing sessions #DrawWithRob
- We talk Makaton (opens in a new window) - Weekly Makaton signing choir sessions
- Hoglets (opens in a new window) - Free online story and drama classes