Art history

Art History courses online and in London

Looking to build your confidence in discussing and interpreting art? Or are you interested in taking your established knowledge of art in new directions? Then come and join City Lit’s Art History learning community!

Our exceptional range of courses, both introductory and in-depth, are designed for all learning levels. Our programme approaches art history from a variety of perspectives including social and cultural context, art theory and philosophy, curation and collecting, general art appreciation and so much more.

Choosing the right class for you

Our courses are open to all. Our students come from all backgrounds and learning experiences, from the absolute beginner to those refining their knowledge and understanding. We aim to give you the confidence to engage meaningfully with art, whatever level you are working from. Our students use our courses for personal fulfilment as well as professional and educational development. Many of our students go on to advanced degree and certificate programmes and many are able to use their knowledge in art making and gallery work.

Learn from expert tutors

At City Lit we are proud of the expertise of our tutors who are all professional art historians working actively in museums, galleries, research and writing, universities and auction houses. As experts in the field, they are able to provide you with the support and guidance you need to develop your art historical knowledge. As teachers they provide student-focused education, helping students achieve their art historical goals, both the personal and the professional.

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Courses available both in-person and online

We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.

Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to. 

See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, we've got the class for you.

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  1. The US and immigration
    Course start date:  Mon 13 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Dale Mineshima-Lowe
    Join us for a short workshop exploring the issues of migration and immigration in modern American history.
    Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
  2. The US and poverty
    Course start date:  Mon 20 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Dale Mineshima-Lowe
    In this course we will examine the historical changes to poverty in the US and begin to unpick the causes and effects of poverty in one of the world’s wealthiest nations.
    Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
  3. Crime and punishment in Old London
    Course start date:  Mon 10 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Diane Burstein
    Take a guided walk through the old City and its borders taking in beheadings and brutality at the Tower, tales of cutpurses and con men, the rise of prisons and the ghastly punishments that were meted out to wrongdoers. We go on a journey to Newgate Gaol, the Bridewell Prison and the places of execution including the notorious Tyburn Tree to hear tales of brutality, escapes and the bloodthirsty crowds who watched executions. Our tour includes London’s atmospheric legal quarter taking in the Old Bailey, The Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court to discover how London’s legal system developed .



    Meet outside St Paul’s Cathedral by the Statue of Queen Anne.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
  4. Global History Friday Lates: Coffee
    Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 28 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Since the seventeenth century, coffee has had a mixed reputation. Discover how coffee has transformed from being seen as subversive and emasculating to, allegedly, replacing tea as the nation’s most popular beverage.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00
  5. Global History Friday Lates: The Medieval Spice Trade
    Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 26 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Join our Global History Friday Late session to discover how spice became the most valuable trade commodity in the pre-modern world that would ultimately lead to the discovery of America.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00
  6. Black internationalism in the heart of the Empire – History walk
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Want to learn more about the history of Black activism and anti-colonialism? Join A. S. Francis to learn more!
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
  7. The old Jewish East End
    Course start date:  Mon 6 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Diane Burstein
    Today the London Jewish community is associated with areas to the North West and North East of London but this tour explores the area where Jewish people settled from 1656 onwards. Take a guided walk through the streets of the East End to reveal old synagogue buildings, a soup kitchen , markets, shops, businesses and homes associated with London’s Jewish community. We’ll hear about some of the personalities associated with the area from philanthropists to performers.



    Meets outside Liverpool Street Station , Liverpool Street Exit outside the upper concourse of the stationby the Kindertransport Memorial next to McDonalds.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
  8. Art Deco London walk
    Course start date:  Thu 20 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Diane Burstein
    Travel back to the 1930s to explore the Art Deco style that influenced a variety of designs, from radios and cutlery to places related to travel, entertainment and commerce. In addition to looking at the architecture of the period, your guide will tell stories of life in London from the time these buildings were being erected.



    Meeting outside St James’s Park tube station (Broadway exit) and finishing at the coach station. Meeting outside St James’s Park tube station (Broadway exit) and finishing at the coach station.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
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