Explore Culture, History & Humanities Courses

Share thoughts and ideas about what you are reading, with books chosen by the group. Please come to the first session with suggestions (contemporary literary fiction in paperback) and having read 'The Wren, The Wren' by Anne Enright. Monthly meetings take place on 20 Sept, 18 Oct, 29 Nov; 17 Jan, 21 Feb, 21 March, 02 May, 30 May and 27 June.

Discover the work of selected British artists whose innovative practice shaped the development of modern art in Britain from the 1950s to the 1970s. Explore how and why the ideas and themes behind their work continue to be relevant to today’s audiences.

The voyages of William Wallis and those that followed brought back images and people that fascinated Europeans. This lecture explores the art and lives impacted by the age of British colonisation. From Captain Cook to Dido Belle, we think about how colonial ideas like ‘the noble savage’, paradise and the myth of civilisation were reinforced in painted images. This event is part of Art History Festival 2024 organised by the Association for Art History.

The 1950s was the beginning of the end for the Hollywood studio era, a golden age in place since the 1920s. The fifties are more difficult to pin down than the 1930/40s due to explosive diversity in both subject matter and cinematic technology, the profound influence of WWII, the development of European neorealism and the first signs of the French New Wave. An emphasis on teen culture emerged, represented by the brief career of James Dean. Film stars became anti-heroes. The moguls who founded Hollywood began to disappear. The studio business model was doomed. Hollywood reacted both defensively and creatively, going for broke—and producing some of the finest and most enduring films in its history, films that transformed the culture, from Sunset Blvd. (1950) to Some Like It Hot (1959)—both by Billy Wilder. From The Asphalt Jungle (1950) to The Misfits (1961)— Marilyn Monroe’s first and final films, both directed by John Huston. From Here To Eternity (1953 Fred Zinnemann) to A Place in the Sun (1951 George Stevens, part of his American trilogy). Fifties’ films reflected a darkening America. (See related courses on Fifties Musicals, Melodrama and Film Noir).

Explore the history and legacy of Akhenaten.

Want to have a go at creative writing in a supportive environment? Join one of these introductory courses. Guided exercises will give you the tools to explore language creatively and find your own writing voice.

Curious 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.