Explore History, Culture & Writing
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.
- Friday lates: Paula Rego – fairy tales and forbidden thingsCourse start date: Fri 22 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Chantal CondronDiscover the work of one of Britain’s best loved artists, whose paintings of vivid interior and private drama draw on her early years growing up in Portugal under the repressive Catholic dictatorship of General Salazar.
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 history tasterCourse start date: Mon 11 Sep 2023 (and 15 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 - Comedy, crime and documentary: British cinema in the 1930sCourse start date: Sat 23 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jon WisbeyExplore British cinema of the 1930s, a decade that reflects the first instance of an industry in which film production of all kinds was able to flourish. From cheap 'quota quickies' to lavish prestige productions and genres including comedy and crime, a British national cinema began to emerge, its critical reputation bolstered by a series of striking documentaries and the Hitchcock thriller.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - City Lit evening reading groupCourse start date: Mon 25 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Claire AllenShare thoughts and ideas about what you are reading, with books chosen by the group. Please come to the first session with suggestions (contemporary fiction in paperback) and having read The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed. Monthly meetings on 25 Sept, 23 Oct, 27 Nov; 15 Jan, 19 Feb, 18 March, 29 April, 10 June, and 08 July.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00 - Developing your poetryCourse start date: Tue 26 Sep 2023 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Christina DunhillFor those familiar with the basics of poetic form, this intermediate course explores craft and content through reading exercises, writing exercises and constructive feedback. Ideal if you have already attended 'Ways into poetry'.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £110.00 - The smashing Saxons: 600-1066Course start date: Tue 26 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vanessa KingWhy did Offa build his dyke? Were the Vikings just ‘long-haired tourists who occasionally roughed up the natives’? Was Alfred really that great? These questions and more will be answered as we study the rise and fall of pre-Conquest England.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information. - Advanced fiction writing workshopCourse start date: Mon 18 Sep 2023 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah LeipcigerFor experienced writers, this supportive but rigorous workshop offers the perfect opportunity to develop your novel or short story. Receive in-depth feedback and benefit from detailed group discussions on the art of fiction.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £115.00 - Writing for televisionCourse start date: Tue 26 Sep 2023 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Clive FordDo you want to write a drama script for television? What do you write and where do you start? Through exercises and examples this course will assist you in developing your own projects.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £110.00 - Starting your novelCourse start date: Mon 18 Sep 2023 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vicky GrutGot a great idea for a novel? Jump start your project in this supportive course that covers craft basics such as character and plot. Ideal for writers of fiction with some experience who have an idea for a novel.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £110.00 - Ways into creative writingCourse start date: Tue 26 Sep 2023 (and 15 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Henry MartinWant 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.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £209.00 Concession £105.00 - Nuns, tarts, trouble and strife: medieval women (1)Course start date: Tue 26 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Vanessa KingWe will look beyond the myth of the meek fair maiden and see what life was really like for women in the middle ages. From the cradle to the grave, rich and poor.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00 - Starting your children's bookCourse start date: Tue 9 Jan 2024 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Neil ArkseyAlways wanted to write a children's book? This practical course will develop your ability to write for different age groups and genres of contemporary children's fiction.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £110.00 - Modern art: movements 1850-1900Course start date: Tue 26 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Elizabeth EyresExplore art and culture in the late 19th century, focussing on the major developments in modern art including the Pre-Raphaelites, Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and Symbolism, and their relationship to wider cultural contexts.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Writing fictionCourse start date: Mon 18 Sep 2023 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Tasha KavanaghDevelop your creative writing skills on this practical intermediate course. You'll explore the fundamentals of fiction-writing craft, such as character and structure, and unlock your imagination to produce compelling prose. Suitable for those with some creative writing experience.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £110.00 - Jane Austen: Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, PersuasionCourse start date: Wed 27 Sep 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sophie OxenhamThis online Literature course explores three novels by Jane Austen: Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. We will develop an appreciation of Austen’s narrative style and social critique through close analysis of her language, informing our reading by engaging with the literary, historical and critical contexts of these novels.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
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