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.
Courses available both in-person and online
We offer a range of courses allowing you to choose between online and in-person learning. All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, you’ll receive the same great City Lit experience. See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online 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.
- A taste of poetry
Course start date: Fri 3 Feb 2023 (and 3 other dates)Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Tutors: Julie IrigarayThis short, fun taster course is the perfect starting point for students who are writing for the first time or new to the poetry path. Join us for thought-provoking writing exercises and poetry theory for beginners.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - The 60 minute writerCourse start date: Fri 30 Sep 2022 (and 11 other dates)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Tutors: Tasha KavanaghFit creative writing into your busy day: a relaxed, informal rolling programme for writers of all levels of experience who enjoy being thrown new ideas and experimenting with poetry and prose.
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 £50.00 - Ways into creative writing: an introductionCourse start date: Wed 21 Sep 2022 (and 11 other dates)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Tutors: Claire CollisonNot sure whether creative writing is for you? Give it a try on one of these fun and supportive short courses covering the basics of fiction and poetry. Increase your confidence and produce work through guided exercises and discussion.
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 £129.00 Concession £65.00 - Ways into creative writing: a gentle paceCourse start date: Fri 23 Sep 2022 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street (other locations are available)
Tutors: Sarah LeipcigerAre you brand new to creative writing? Do you want to build your confidence in a supportive environment alongside other beginners? This gentle short-course guides students taking their first steps on the path to becoming a creative writer.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £45.00 - Writing horror: a beginners’ guideCourse start date: Fri 21 Oct 2022 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jonathan BarnesWhere does terror begin? This fun workshop explores the core elements of the horror genre so you can walk in the footsteps of writers like Bram Stoker, Shirley Jackson and Stephen King.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - Micropoetry: small poems, big ideasCourse start date: Wed 9 Nov 2022 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online (other locations are available)
Tutors: Jennifer WongExplore the emerging art form of micropoetry in this fun but informative short course. Compose your own poetry and learn how to make every word on the page count.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £40.00 - Writing for blogs: a tasterCourse start date: Fri 18 Nov 2022 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Terry FreedmanGot a passion, a journey or an obsession to share? Blogging is the perfect medium through which to share your interests with the world. This taster course teaches the essential skills required to write blogposts that will resonate.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - Life writing: a tasterCourse start date: Fri 24 Feb 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Lucy PopescuThis inspiring workshop encourages students to explore a range of techniques and prompts in order to create vivid and engaging life writing.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00 - From Caligari to Touch of Evil: Expressionism in the CinemaCourse start date: Fri 5 May 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jon WisbeyCharacterised by chiaroscuro, or high contrast lighting, and similarly stylised narratives, the expressionist film informs German cinema of the 1920s, French poetic realism of the 1930s, and the American and European film noir of the 1940s and 1950s. This course explores a range of key examples of expressionist cinema drawn from these contexts and asks why the style continues to fascinate us.
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 - 'We're still here': new contemporary painting in the UKCourse start date: Fri 9 Jun 2023
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Chantal CondronLiving in a digital age, is contemporary painting ‘redundant'? This four week course explores how alive and kicking contemporary painting is in Britain. Discover how exciting, new UK-based artists use both experimental and traditional painting approaches to address issues of identity, history and personal experience.
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 £79.00 Concession £64.00 - How to spark your creative writingCourse start date: Fri 5 Aug 2022 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sophie McKenzieDiscover the joy of creative writing! Leave stress and worry at the door and find new ways to express your creativity on this fun, dynamic and supportive short course. Please note: this course will have a 2-hr break from 12:30-14:30.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.
Add me to waiting list