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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- London's smaller galleries: Estorick CollectionCourse start date: Tue 25 Feb 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowJoin us for an introduction to one of London's most interesting, small art collections, the Estorick Collection of modern Italian art. From the futurists to the 50s, we'll explore this distinct private collection held in a Grade II listed Georgian house,.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - London's smaller galleries: Dulwich Picture Gallery
Course start date: Tue 11 Mar 2025Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Julie BarlowDulwich Picture Gallery - a treasure trove of Old Master paintings. Learn about the history of the gallery and key works in the collection.Full fee £29.00 Senior fee £23.00 Concession £19.00 - Lunchtime lecture: Mother figure – how the cult of the Virgin Mary changed art Course start date: Tue 11 Mar 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayJoin us to understand how one woman became one of the most represented figures in human history. We examine the development of the Virgin Mary in the late medieval period and how her humanity made her central to Christian practice and expansion.
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 £7.00 - Tuesday talks: Helen Chadwick – woman in revolt Course start date: Tue 18 Mar 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Chantal CondronDiscover the work of British artist, Helen Chadwick (1953-1996) whose ground-breaking practice in sculpture, photography and installation art challenged media and public perceptions of women in society; and the female body. Exploring ideas of gender, identity and sexuality, Chadwick was significantly influential on a following generation of artists in Britain.
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 - Art history taster Course start date: Mon 24 Mar 2025 (and 4 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 - Tuesday talks: Donald Rodney and the BLK Art GroupCourse start date: Tue 1 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayAn introduction to the BLK Art Group, an artistic and cultural movement begun in 1980s Wolverhampton that inspired a generation of British artists. Get to know some of its major artists (Claudette Johnson, Keith Piper, Sonia Boyce and Donald Rodney) and how they created a new art histories for Britain and beyond. This talk corresponds to a major exhibition of Donald Rodney’s work at the Whitechapel Gallery, on until 4th of May, 2025.
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 £8.00 Concession £7.00 - Reading Plays to Change the WorldCourse start date: Tue 15 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Laura BaggaleyThis two-hour literature workshop will introduce you to scenes from dynamic modern plays that explore the challenges of our changing world. Discover how contemporary playwrights are tackling the most important themes of our time, including climate change, political turmoil and environmental crises.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Drowned Worlds: climate fiction by JG Ballard and Jessie GreengrassCourse start date: Tue 15 Apr 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lewis WardFor this in-college literature session we will compare two depictions of climate disaster written fifty years apart, JG Ballard’s The Drowned World (1962) and Jessie Greengrass’ The High House (2021). We will explore how both novels depict the encroachment of water on human civilisation and the psychology of the survivors, but with very different styles, approaches and conclusions.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00 - Lunchtime lecture: Ithell Colquhoun - mystical surrealistCourse start date: Tue 3 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayAn introduction to the art of Ithell Colquhoun from her academic days at the Slade to her mystical landscapes in Cornwall. We explore her subject matter, artistic process and her surrealist tendencies.
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 £7.00 - Tuesday talks: Painted love – homosexuality in Ancient Greek vase paintingCourse start date: Tue 10 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Simone ChisenaDiscover the ways in which homoeroticism found its way onto Ancient Greek vases and how its depiction flourished in the ancient world.
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 - Tuesday talks: Mystic modernism - modern art and spiritualityCourse start date: Tue 10 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Chantal CondronArt has long been inspired by themes, ideas and concepts of spirituality and magic. With the dawn of industry and technology in the modern age, what motivated artists to continue their pursuit of spiritual worlds? Why have these ideas remained so compelling to contemporary artists? On this engaging evening of art, magic and myth, explore work by selected artists from the early 1900s to the present day.
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 - Tuesday talks: Emily Kame Kngwarreye Course start date: Tue 1 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Arjmand AzizIn July 2025 a major solo exhibition of Emily Kam Kngwarray, considered to be one of Australia’s greatest artists, will be held at Tate Modern. This course aims to introduce British audiences to the oeuvre of this remarkable artist.
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
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