City Lit Art School — Art Classes in London
Explore new and exciting subjects within a range of art and design disciplines, develop your skill set, get the support required to change career or launch yourself as a freelance artist or designer. All this and more delivered through our practical and engaging art and design courses at City Lit.
Our range of part-time, weekend and evening art and design classes are taught by successful artists and practitioners to ensure you get the skills, knowledge and experience you want and deserve. From experimental painting and drawing to contemporary jewellery making, there is sure to be a course for you. Study from 1 day to 2 years, whether you are a complete beginner or a practising artist preparing for an MA. Our courses are designed with you in mind, so you get to spend more time doing what you love.
Set a new goal, start your next creative adventure with City Lit and let us support you to realise your ambitions.
We host exhibitions throughout the year at City Lit Gallery where our students showcase their amazing work.
Any questions? Contact our visual arts team on visual.arts@citylit.ac.uk
- Developing photography skills
Course start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 13 other dates)Location on this date: Kean Street Photography Studio
Tutors: Sara EpsteinAlready know the basics of photography but want to take things further? Refresh your knowledge, learn more advanced skills and develop your creative ideas, with an established professional photographer on hand for technical guidance and creative inspiration.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Advanced visual communications: social impact by visual design Course start date: Tue 24 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: George StickneyCan visual design create enough impact to change society? What effect do posters and campaigns have in changing people’s minds on various subjects? This course is for those with some experience in making graphic images who want to explore campaigning in graphic design and media.Full fee £349.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £244.00 - Etching workshop Course start date: Tue 24 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kath CastilloAn exciting introduction to the basic processes and principles of etching. Using zinc plate, create beautiful images with line, texture and tone, and experiment with printing your image in both monochrome and colour.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Contemporary art photography Course start date: Tue 21 Oct 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Holly FalconerBecome an expert in the fine art world of contemporary photography. Learn about the history, concepts and theories behind the art form, and the technology and techniques now influencing it. Develop practical skills to realise your own creative ideas, discuss your photography portfolio with others, and learn about platforms to showcase your work on the commercial fine art market.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Painting 2 Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony HullBuilding on techniques and approaches covered in the Painting 1, this course enables you to work with more depth and a stronger emphasis on experimentation. This is suitable if you already have some experience in painting.Full fee £429.00 Senior fee £343.00 Concession £279.00 - 50 drawings in a day Course start date: Tue 1 Jul 2025 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Mario Lautier VellaA high energy programme of directed and self-directed drawing projects, with rapid shifts in materials, scale, subject and focus. Strictly no discards - come ready to play, risk, invent and discuss. For those with some drawing experience.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - Flash photography with speedlight Course start date: Tue 1 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Kean Street Photography Studio
Tutors: Ed GregoryLighten things up: join this practical course to learn the basics of using portable flash (speedlights) to enhance your images. Experiment creatively indoors and outdoors with different flash techniques, with a professional photographer on hand to guide you throughout.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - Introduction to printmaking techniques Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This fast-paced course reveals some of the processes used to make fine art prints. You will try both relief and intaglio printmaking methods. This course is for beginners and those with limited experience who want to discover how printmaking techniques actually work. An ideal way to start printmaking.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Photography studio lighting Course start date: Tue 2 Dec 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ed GregoryLearn about photographic studio practice and lighting. An introduction to using studio flash, 'hot' (tungsten) and ‘cold’ (fluorescent & LED) lights to enhance your portrait and still life photography.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - Painting: acrylic techniques and mediums Course start date: Tue 8 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Amanda BrackenThe fundamentals of painting are as important for the beginner as they are for the more experienced artist. This course will be an in depth focus on brushwork, brush techniques and how to improve your mark making to develop fluency in the mediums of acrylic paint.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - Digital photography printing with Adobe Photoshop Course start date: Tue 8 Jul 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Kean Street Photography Studio
Tutors: Dominic HarrisWant to give your portfolio or exhibition prints the professional edge? This hands-on course will guide you in printing top-quality inkjet (or giclee) prints as used by fine art photographers. Get to grips with Adobe Photoshop and our top-of-the-range Epson photo printers, and experiment with different paper types and inks.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £169.00 - Drawing for beginners Course start date: Tue 8 Jul 2025 (and 7 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sam HannerExplore traditional and less traditional methods of drawing simple objects. Using structured activities, you will be introduced to key concepts such as line, tone, composition and mark making. Ideal if you have little or no drawing experience; a great way to learn the basics or prepare for longer courses.Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £139.00 - Knotting and stringing for beads and pearls Course start date: Tue 15 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Beverley SellBy exploring a range of beaded jewellery techniques you will learn how to string precious beads and how to knot between beads and pearls. You will also learn how to attach simple clasps and findings to bracelets, necklaces and earrings. - Book arts drop-in Course start date: Tue 29 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sue DoggettA one-day, tutor supported book arts workshop. This short course is ideal for students who would like some technical or conceptual advice and the space to work on a personal project. Students will work independently with one to one support.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Painting for beginners Course start date: Tue 16 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Amanda BrackenLearn and develop essential painting skills over consecutive days. Each session will focus on an aspect of painting, covering key concepts including colour, tone, composition and brushwork. Ideal if you have little or no painting experience.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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