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. Focus on: Vermeer
    Last Few Places, ONLINE
    Course start date:  Wed 22 Mar 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Leslie Primo
    Master of stillness and light, author of only 35, maybe 36, known works, Vermeer’s art continues to fascinate. Discover his life and works in the context of the Dutch Golden Age.



    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 £55.00 Concession £45.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  2. Friday lates: poster art: print, pop and propaganda
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Fri 24 Mar 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Christopher Collier
    Get a snapshot of the eye-catching and colourful world of poster art, from Belle Époque decadence to Avant-Garde dynamism; from Art Nouveau to Atelier Populaire, and the everyday glamour of Pop.



    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
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  3. An Introduction to Psychoanalysis and Film
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 25 Mar 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Mary Wild
    A guide to contemporary films directed by women, examined through a psychoanalytic lens. An opportunity to discuss the ways in which cinema can continue to evolve to more authentically depict female desire, fears and subjectivity.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
  4. Write your screenplay: from idea to first draft
    ONLINE, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 25 Mar 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Clive Ford
    A good screenplay starts with a good story but it also needs structure, good characters and interesting twists. This is a course for writers who have an idea they think is ready to go. We’ll look at the best ways to grab the viewers’ attention from the off, and at the end of the course you’ll get a chance to pitch your ideas.



    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
  5. Focus on: iconography
    Last Few Places, ONLINE, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 26 Mar 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Leslie Primo
    Ever wondered whether there’s a hidden meaning behind paintings? Discover why there are signs and symbols in paintings and how to find and interpret their meanings in medieval and Renaissance art.



    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
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  6. London's smaller galleries: Leighton House
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Mon 27 Mar 2023

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Julie Barlow
    A Palace of Art built for the Olympian Giant of the Victorian art world but also a place to live and work. This short course provides a fascinating exploration of Leighton’s world.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
    Rating:
    96% of 100
  7. Art history taster
    Last Few Places, Evening
    Course start date:  Mon 27 Mar 2023 (and 2 other dates)

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

    Tutors:  Sarah Jaffray
    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.



    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
    Rating:
    98% of 100
  8. Friday lates: the art of the frame
    Evening, ONLINE
    Course start date:  Fri 31 Mar 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Julia Musgrave
    Every picture tells a story, but what about the frame around it? Find out how picture frames can tell us more about the artworks they surround.



    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
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  9. Masters of cinema: Agnes Varda
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 1 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Paul Sutton
    2019 was marked by the death of a true mistress of world cinema, Agne`s Varda. We will introduce you to her oeuvre, from La pointe courte (1955) to her final work, Varda par Agnes (2019), exploring her status as a ‘feminist’ icon. The digital was central to her later career, making her, perhaps, a multi-media artist rather than just a film director.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  10. Ways into playwriting: a taster
    ONLINE, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 8 Apr 2023 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Nicole Acquah
    Explore the fundamental techniques of writing for the stage in this introductory online course. Get to grips with dialogue, character, story and structure, and start work on your own play.



    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
    Rating:
    80% of 100
  11. Craft focus: grammar, syntax, and style for creative writers
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Mon 17 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  William Brady
    Great poetry and prose begin when the writer puts the right words in the right places. Learn how and why the rules and conventions of language matter in this new course, which combines creative writing with a review of essential points of grammar.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £90.00
  12. Developing your novel
    Course start date:  Mon 9 Jan 2023 (and 4 other dates)

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

    Tutors:  Jonathan Barnes
    Have you started work on your novel? This course is suitable for experienced creative writers who want to make progress with a novel draft. Learn more about the art of novel writing and move your project forward in a supportive workshop environment.
    Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £209.00 Concession £105.00
    Rating:
    91% of 100
  13. Writing an academic essay
    Evening, ONLINE
    Course start date:  Mon 17 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Sinead Keegan
    A crash course in essay writing – beginnings, middles and ends. Suitable for students on A level and access courses or undergraduates.



    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
  14. Masterclass: fiction (a one-term intensive workshop)
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Mon 17 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
    This intensive online fiction workshop is open by selective application to a maximum of ten fiction writers working at the advanced and professional levels. You will receive rigorous constructive feedback on your novel or short story as you develop it with a view to publication, and participate in detailed tutor-led discussions on advanced elements of fictional craft. The applicaton deadline for this course has now passed.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £339.00 Senior fee £339.00 Concession £339.00
    Rating:
    96% of 100
  15. Advanced autobiographical writing
    ONLINE
    Course start date:  Tue 18 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Nick Barlay
    A supportive workshop for more experienced writers of autobiography who are ready to push their practice, explore new techniques and further develop their authorial voice.



    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
    Rating:
    100% of 100

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