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 long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.

Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to. 

See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

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.

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  1. Ways into creative writing: intensive
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 15 May 2024 (and 9 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Eleanor Penny
    Not 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 £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £70.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  2. Terrific Tudors: Act Three: Social life
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 15 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Explore the everyday life of men and women during the closing years of the Tudors as revealed in the works of local historians and other contemporary material.



    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
  3. Spinoza and Leibniz: making sense of the world
    Course start date:  Wed 15 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Spinoza and Leibniz both looked to human reason to make sense of the world, but we will see that they gave strikingly different accounts of the existence of our world, and the purpose of human life.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
  4. Ways into advanced literature: disruptors, transgressors and storytellers
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 22 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Patricia Sweeney
    Explore the rewards of close reading analysis, focusing on fiction, drama and the literary essay. Read, analyse and debate works from the mid-twentieth century that challenged the status quo and entered into the debates of the time. Includes 'A Single Man' by Christopher Isherwood, 'A Delicate Balance' by Edward Albee and 'Slouching Towards Bethlehem' by Joan Didion.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
  5. Lunchtime lecture: Reading Old Master Drawings - an art historical insight
    Course start date:  Wed 22 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Sarah Jaffray
    What is drawing and what is its unique place in the history of art? Come to understand this special medium through an exploration of some of the greatest draughtspeople in Western European art.



    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
  6. Reading Shakespeare: a director's perspective - Twelfth Night and Two Gentlemen of Verona
    Course start date:  Wed 22 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Laura Baggaley
    Take a fresh look at Shakespeare, exploring selected plays in the company of an experienced theatre director. With performance in mind, we will examine the language of The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Twelfth Night,



    and discuss how Shakespeare’s use of verse evolves over the course of his career.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
  7. Contemporary women's fiction
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 22 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Fiona McCulloch
    Discuss a selection of novels written by women in contemporary British society. Focusing on the 21st century, we consider the concerns of fiction in grappling with representing the now. We will make links between literary texts and social context to consider how fiction might be influenced by and influencing the real world beyond its covers. Texts include Bernardine Evaristo's Mr. Loverman (2013), Jenni Fagan's The Panopticon (2013) and Ali Smith's Hotel World (2002).



    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 £116.00
  8. Cities of Gold: Pre-Columbian Civilizations of North and Central America (2),
    Course start date:  Wed 29 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Max Carocci
    Join Dr. Carocci to explore the little known history of pre-Columbian civilizations North of Mexico and their links to Aztec and other Mexican cultures.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
  9. Reading images: exploring film studies
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 29 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Cristina Massaccesi
    This comprehensive introductory course provides an overview of the main historical, technical and theoretical aspects of filmmaking and film analysis. In its exploration of aspects of film theory as it relates to film aesthetics and film history, the course develops certain ideas with rigour and depth.
    Full fee £99.00 Senior fee £99.00 Concession £64.00
  10. Magic in the ancient world
    Course start date:  Wed 29 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Ann Jeffers
    How do you define magic and divination? Why has the Western world traditionally viewed magic as opposed to religion and science? These and other issues will be discussed in this thought-provoking course.



    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
  11. Ways into creative writing: a gentle pace
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 29 May 2024 (and 4 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Henry Martin
    Are 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.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £70.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  12. The African diaspora in Europe: Migration, community and resistance
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 29 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Ingrid Aguiar Schlindwein
    This course explores African migration to Europe, community formation, and resistance, providing insights into the diverse experiences of the African diaspora in Europe since colonial times.



    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
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