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. Craft focus: grammar, syntax and style for creative writers - a taster
    ONLINE, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 23 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 £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £35.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  2. Writing inspiration jam
    ONLINE, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 30 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Sue Healy
    This fun, inspiring day workshop explores the many sources of inspiration available to writers in their everyday lives.



    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 £19.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  3. Masters of Cinema: Clint Eastwood - Directing the West
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 7 May 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Graham Rinaldi
    “The Western brought me a certain notoriety” – Clint Eastwood the last of the Western Film Directors. This course will look at Eastwood’s body of work set in the American Wild West from High Plains Drifter to Cry Macho. We will explore his themes, storytelling, influences and techniques in creating a truly American art form.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
  4. The art of writing the personal essay
    ONLINE, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 21 May 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Follow in the footsteps of Dorothy Parker, George Orwell and Zadie Smith with this taster course on the personal essay, a continuously thriving genre of autobiographical 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
    Rating:
    70% of 100
  5. Keats and Eternity
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 21 May 2023

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Laurie Smith
    In the house where many of them were written, we will explore why Keats’s poems are regarded as exceptionally beautiful. How did he achieve this? We will see that it wasn’t luck or simply inspiration, but the result of choices which reflect important aspects of Keats’ personality. Includes ‘Ode to a Nightingale’, Ode to a Grecian Urn’ and ‘To Autumn’.
    Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00
  6. Study day: Degas, drawing the modern
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 21 May 2023

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Sarah Jaffray
    Explore Degas’s extraordinary legacy as ‘one of the founders of Impressionism’. His dynamic paintings and sketches of everyday life and activities, and his bold colour experiments will be examined throughout this informative weekend art history course.
    Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00
  7. Writing flash fiction: a taster
    ONLINE, Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 23 Jul 2023

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Maria Thomas
    A sideways glance: succinct, powerful. This short workshop on the essential components of flash fiction will teach you to tell a complete story in very few words. 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
  8. Between two bars: Art and architecture of Fleet Street
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 2 Apr 2023

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Tutors:  Marilyn Greene
    In 1878 the symbolic entrance to the City of London from Westminster, Temple Bar was taken down to allow greater traffic flow into the City. It was replaced by the Temple Bar Monument, a more subtle marker into the City. In this walk we trace the history of Fleet Street and some of the outlying courts and streets and discuss the institutions and professions that the street is symnominous with. We shall take a survey of the architecture and monuments of this conservation area. The walk ends at the entrance of Paternoster Square, where in 2004 the former, restored Temple Bar was re installed as its gateway.







    Meeting point - Bell Yard by telephone boxes, outside the Royal Courts of Justice junction with the Strand and Fleet Street; Ends Paternoster Square, City of London.
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
    Rating:
    93% of 100

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