Student stories

Visual Arts

Susannah Goulding

Susannah spent much of her life working in the film industry. This all changed when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Unable to work in film any longer, her life changed direction. She lost her job but she was determined to not let her diagnosis control her. She enrolled in the Contemporary Practice and Developing Art Practice courses whilst undergoing treatment. This proved to a monumental step, excelling in the classes even amidst her illness.

Counselling 

Akin Omobitan

When Akin came to City Lit, he was looking for a career change-up. He thrived on the Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling: integrative pathway, absorbing and channelling the energy of his tutors and peers around him. Since gaining his qualification, Akin has gone on to set up his own private counselling practice. 

Massage Therapy

Anett Nagyapati

When Anett moved to the UK in 2012 from Hungary, she had her eyes set on Sports Massage Therapy. Progressing from level 3 all the way to level 5 at City Lit, she benefitted from the anatomical focus and practical nature of the courses. Anett has since become a self-employed massage therapist. She even competed in the UK Massage Championships 2023.

Performing Arts

Belinda Wava

The one-year Acting Diploma (Level 3) meant that Belinda could fuel her passion for acting alongside her full-time job. The professional qualification has assisted Belinda in the audition process and the contacts she made on the course helped her land her first short film and sign with an agent.

Languages

Linda Osborne

Linda has been studying with City Lit for almost three decades. Her development and commitment to courses across many departments in the college over that time meant she was nominated for an Outstanding Learner Award at the 2023 City Lit Awards. She's currently studying Chinese (Mandarin) with Ting Poon.

Visual Arts

Esme Fenwick

Esme wanted to test the water before making the leap to Fine Art from another degree; the City Lit Pre-Foundation course and Foundation Art and Design Diploma helped her do just that. Treated as an artist from the get-go, her passions were nurtured by tutors, helping her to create her portfolio and giving her much-needed confidence in her ability.

Visual Arts

Charmaine Watkiss

As a City Lit alum, completing the Foundation Diploma in Art & Design in 2015, we were delighted to speak with Charmaine to find out more about her time with us and how it has influenced her career as an artist. 

Performing Arts

Jo Smith-Sutherland

At the heart of the entertainment industry lies the power to inspire, challenge norms, and promote inclusivity. We caught up with our brilliant alumni Jo Smith-Sutherland, a talented trans actor based in the UK. 

Creative Writing 

Sandra Bee

Sandra’s life-long passion for creativity and learning led her to City Lit in 2017 where she completed her first course in early years children's writing and won a competition to have her work ‘New Girl’ published in City Lit’s Between the Lines. 

Creative Writing

Victoria Selman

Completing her studies at City Lit was the first step towards Victoria meeting her goal of becoming a published writer, seeing her follow her heart and demonstrate that it really is never too late to carve out a new path in life. 

Speech Therapy

James Davies

My time at City Lit was life-changing. I was advised by a speech therapist in the first session with her to enrol on the stammering course, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Drama 

Kirsty Yeung

What I enjoy most about coming to City Lit? The people! It is so great to be around like-minded people – we are all there because we want to be there and are working towards a common goal.

Creative Writing

Samuel Burr

I enrolled on the part-time Writing Fiction course in 2019 which was the perfect introduction to novel writing. I was a freelance TV producer at the time, so what I loved was being able to fit in my studies around my full-time job.

Drama

Eveline Reynolds-Boison

Acting means everything to me. I am now at a stage where my family commitments are beginning to change and I feel ready and hope to build a positive acting career. I am always looking for new courses to help me develop my acting skills as well as my professionalism and City Lit has helped with that. 

Drama 

Aiden Champion 

As an artist I think City Lit is a very safe place. But importantly it’s also a place that really pushes you.  The facilities are great, the staff are incredible; all the city lit drama department are incredibly supportive. 

Creative Writing

Wendy Allen

After being made redundant, Wendy discovered her passion for poetry after taking up courses at City Lit. She is now studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Oxford Brookes University.

Visual arts

Angela Tulloch

Bursary recipient Angela Tulloch said; 'City Lit has been and still is a life saver, it is a powerful positive transformation place. This opportunity has allowed my soul to sing because I am actually doing what makes me free and happy'. 

Ceramics

Lucille Lewin

Lucille Lewin discovered her passion for ceramics on the City Lit Diploma course following her hugely successful career in fashion and retailing (selling the Whistles business in 2002).

Creative Writing

Pieter Dewulf

Pieter DeWulf attended several creative writing courses at City Lit. In 2021, he was the winner of the Evening Standard Stories Competition. 

Deaf Education

Ilyaas Cader

llyaas travelled from Sri Lanka, surviving an incredible journey across Europe, to join his brother in London. He went on to study English at City Lit and now works as a Senior Deaf Children’s Mental Health Worker.

Hearing that the City Lit celebrates its centenary in 2019 put me in mind that I have been attending classes there on and off for over 50 years, half of its existence! Mainly in the music department.'

Lipreading

Cathy 

Lipreading classes saved my life! It gave me the confidence to join in social settings again and also massively helped rebuild my relationships with my family and get back to work.