Explore Culture, History & Humanities Courses
Explore our extraordinary range of History, Culture and Writing courses and lectures. We offer both introductory and specialist in-depth courses to suit all levels of interest and experience, from ‘How to read a film’ and World literature, to Creative non-fiction writing courses and American history and Politics courses.
Our tutors are experts in their fields and experienced educators; many have published, teach in universities or share their expertise in the media. Tutors share their knowledge and passion through presentations, readings, interactive discussion and exercises, analysis, and other activities.
Many students return to take more courses, telling us they enjoy being part of our City Lit Learning community.
Our popular courses often sell out quickly, so we invite you to browse and book your place now.
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- Understanding contemporary art: ideas and origins
Course start date: Mon 14 Oct 2024Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Christopher CollierEver wondered what's going on in the mind of contemporary artists? This course explores the ideas and historical background behind some of today’s most intriguing works, from Conceptualism and Video to Body Art and Installation.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information. - Art history taster Course start date: Mon 14 Oct 2024 (and 10 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayCurious about art history? Join us for this taster session where we explore different ways into visual art and its histories from the ancient to the contemporary.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00 - The varied styles of the Italian Renaissance: through the lens of Pontormo and Masaccio Course start date: Tue 15 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Emma Rose BarberAn in-depth online discussion about two artists that represent to different styles of the Italian Renaissance, but who may have more in common than we think.
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 £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Global arts of Africa Course start date: Tue 15 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Thomas BalfeThis course introduces major forms of African art in their regional and global contexts. It studies classical traditions of carving, metal casting, architecture and textile arts as well as twentieth-century and contemporary developments, including the work of photographers and conceptual artists.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £129.00 - Tuesday talks: Lubaina Himid – longing and belonging Course start date: Tue 15 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Chantal CondronThis Tuesday afternoon art history course spotlights the work of artist Lubaina Himid, one of Britain's most thought provoking artists.
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 £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Strikes in the 21st century: relevant or a thing of the past?Course start date: Tue 15 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Caglar EzikogluExplore the role and impact of strikes in contemporary society and analyse whether they remain relevant or have become obsolete in the 21st century.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £119.00 - Indigenous Australian art: an introduction Course start date: Wed 16 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Arjmand AzizIndigenous Australian art has, in recent years, been increasingly exhibited and discussed in Britain. Yet little is known about the history and development of this art movement and the oeuvres of the artists responsible for its creation. This introductory course will provide a history of how Indigenous Australian artists have changed and challenged the course of national and international art fields in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £63.00 Concession £51.00 - Looking inside paintings Course start date: Wed 16 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Caroline RaeDiscover the secrets of the Old Masters and learn how they created their wonderful effects in this introductory course on painters and painting. We will consider the physical history and scientific examination of artworks in relation to aspects including forgeries, hidden paintings and conservation/ restoration.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £110.00 - Masters of cinema: Wes AndersonCourse start date: Thu 17 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Graham Rinaldi“I have a way of filming things and staging them and designing sets. There were times when I thought I should change my approach but in fact, this is what I like to do. It’s sort of like my handwriting as a movie director.” Explore the signature style and adventurous cinema of Wes Anderson from coming of age films through stop motion animation to comedy dramas.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £32.00 - Competitive cities in the global political economyCourse start date: Thu 17 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Caglar EzikogluExamine the dynamic relationships between cities, exploring their local uniqueness and global interconnectedness in the modern economies.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £119.00 - US Election Countdown: 3 weeks outCourse start date: Thu 17 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Mark MalcomsonAs we approach the most important US Election in modern times, we will explore what is happening nationally and also on a state-by-state basis. We will reference election history to give context to give and understanding of what is going on and hopefully give an idea of how things might evolve.
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 - Art & war Course start date: Thu 17 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresArt representing issues of war, conflict and revolution is usually either an expression of triumph or loss. But who decides? What is such art for and what can it hope to achieve? Attitudes to war have changed significantly and this course considers responses to conflict in painting, sculpture, photography, performance art and architecture spanning the globe and across different eras.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £103.00 Concession £84.00 - Literary werewolves and vampiresCourse start date: Sat 19 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Megan BeechOn this short course we will explore the way in which authors in the nineteenth century created and shaped what we write and think about vampires and werewolves today. We will read extracts from Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla alongside various short stories, penny dreadfuls, and news articles from the period.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Study day: Manet & the revolutionaries of realism Course start date: Sat 19 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rachel SandersExplore Realism in the nineteenth century, focusing on Manet as its key example, considering such issues as social and political change, formal and subject developments, theoretic interests and artistic influences.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00 - Focus on: Van Gogh Course start date: Sun 20 Oct 2024
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Julia MusgraveFamously unsuccessful in his own lifetime, Vincent van Gogh developed his unique style be engaging with his contemporaries, old masters and Japanese art. Discover van Gogh’s influences and legacy in this one-day course.
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