History, culture & writing

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.

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, we've got the class for you. See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

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  1. The 60 minute writer
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 10 Jan 2023 (and 7 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online (other locations are available)

    Tutors:  Tasha Kavanagh
    Fit 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
    Rating:
    96% of 100
  2. Writing fantasy stories
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Wed 19 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Mary Victoria
    Build fantastical worlds, fill them with compelling characters and learn how to structure innovative plotlines in this perfect introduction for those with a passion for fantasy.



    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
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  3. Writing a memoir (continuation)
    Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 13 Jan 2023 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street (other locations are available)

    Tutors:  Julie Garton
    Some moments in our lives are so powerful they beg to be shared with the world. This continuation course guides students in developing a memoir project that will resonate and inspire.
    Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £65.00
    Rating:
    88% of 100
  4. London's hidden art and architecture, part II
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Wed 19 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Julie Barlow
    Uncover a whole new side of London, from Roman times to the present day through a series of walks and visits to art galleries and historic sites.
    Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00
    Rating:
    90% of 100
  5. Picture book writing: advanced
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Wed 11 Jan 2023 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Clare Helen Welsh
    Would you like to workshop, edit and polish your picture book texts for young children? This course is designed for advanced picture book writers wishing to hone their skills and improve their own stories.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £80.00
    Rating:
    90% of 100
  6. Writing for children: workshop
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 19 Apr 2023 (and 3 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street (other locations are available)

    Tutors:  Josh Lacey
    For experienced children's writers, this ongoing workshop offers an opportunity to develop your work-in-progress with constructive feedback from tutor and classmates.
    Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £219.00 Concession £110.00
    Rating:
    98% of 100
  7. Hidden Treasures: rediscovered classics
    Course start date:  Wed 26 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Aamer Hussein
    Join us to read and discuss freshly translated or newly rediscovered gems of international writing from the second half of the 20th century, including ‘After Midnight’ by Irmgard Keun (1937, Germany) and ‘All our Yesterdays' by Natalia Ginzburg (1952, Italy).
    Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  8. Village London
    Course start date:  Wed 26 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Paul Sinclair
    London is made up of a series of villages, each with its own individual characteristics. Explore Shoreditch, Mayfair, Bermondsey, Notting Hill, Clerkenwell, Islington, Harrow on the Hill and Wapping,in 8 guided walks.



    First meeting place:meet at Shoreditch High Street station.
    Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £85.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  9. Makers not muses: Claude Cahun, Eileen Agar and Isabel Rawsthorne
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 26 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Chantal Condron
    Explore the work of three radical artists whose work and practice defied convention in modern art from the 1920s to 1960s. Discover how each artist challenged and transcended society’s expectations of being a ‘muse’ by living freely and making art in a variety of media, from painting and sculpture to collage, photography and performance.
    Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £45.00
    Rating:
    90% of 100
  10. William Cowper's The Task: 'The growing seeds of wisdom'
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Wed 26 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Peter Brennan
    William Cowper’s THE TASK (1785) is the great forgotten epic of English poetry. A blank verse meditative poem, it was immediately immensely popular. Both Wordsworth and Jane Austen refer to Cowper approvingly, while Coleridge plagiarised The Task in ‘Frost at Midnight’. Cowper offers both trenchant and subtle reflections on worldly success as against inward authenticity and integrity, while evoking the healing powers of nature and pleading for kindness towards all creatures.



    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 £175.00 Concession £142.00
  11. Exploring European cinema
    Evening, ONLINE
    Course start date:  Wed 26 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Jon Wisbey
    This class introduces you to a range of themes and issues in European cinema, including art cinema, national cinema, movements, 'moments' and new waves, authorship, popular cinema and genre, along with key developments in European film history from the silent era to the present day, key films, directors and the canon of European cinema, and a range of critical accounts of European cinema.



    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
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  12. Islamic art in 25 objects
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Wed 26 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Anita Chowdry
    Discover important objects of Islamic Art dating across a more than a millennium in London galleries. We will study world-famous objects, discover lesser known gems, study their context and understand how they relate to one another and the wider world.
    Full fee £109.00 Senior fee £87.00 Concession £71.00
  13. Stories of London
    Course start date:  Wed 3 May 2023

    Location on this date:  Blended (learn both online and in-person)

    Tutors:  Eleanor Jackson
    Explore London’s rich history in a series of guided walks. Each week we examine a different neighbourhood & era from the capital’s past. We look at its people, both rich and poor, & the events that shaped the city.



    Initial lecture via Zoom followed by 6 guided walks.



    This course will be delivered online and in person. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
    Rating:
    94% of 100
  14. Writing for magazines
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Wed 3 May 2023 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Susan Grossman
    Get inspired to write on this practical course for freelance journalists and bloggers. Learn to carry out research, interview people, pitch and publish stories, and build your presence on social media.



    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
    Rating:
    98% of 100
  15. Archaeology of London
    Course start date:  Mon 9 Jan 2023 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Jill Hummerstone
    Explore the archaeology and history of London through its cultural monuments, topography and material remains to more fully appreciate the rich archaeological evidence of the capital.



    Tutor: Jill Hummerstone. Tutor :Jill Hummerstone.
    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £130.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100

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