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. Fra Filippo Lippi and Fra Angelico – the two monastic painters
    Course start date:  Tue 9 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Emma Rose Barber
    Join us for a close reading of the works of Fra Filippo Lippi and Fra Angelico, two of 15th century Italy's most influential artists. We study their techniques, their subject matter and how they communicated narratives in painting. Explore all the wonderful tactile visual details they added to the works.



    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
  2. The Arab Spring: What happened since 2011? A taster
    Course start date:  Tue 16 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Angelos Sepos
    The 2011 Arab Spring was an unprecedented event in the history of the Arab World with much promise for the people of the region. Why has it become an Arab Winter? Join Dr. Angelos Sepos to begin to explore the issue.



    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
  3. Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00
    Rating:
    94% of 100
  4. Global History Friday Lates: The Medieval Spice Trade
    Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 26 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Vanessa King
    Join our Global History Friday Late session to discover how spice became the most valuable trade commodity in the pre-modern world that would ultimately lead to the discovery of America.



    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
  5. Black internationalism in the heart of the Empire – History walk
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Jul 2024

    Location on this date:  Off Site

    Want to learn more about the history of Black activism and anti-colonialism? Join A. S. Francis to learn more!
    Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £12.00
  6. Picture book writing: a taster
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 3 Aug 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Andrew Weale
    Would you like to write a picture book text for young children? This taster course is designed for children's writers and for illustrators wishing to write their own stories; a starter course to develop both your ideas and your technique.



    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
  7. Creative non-fiction: a taster
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 4 Sep 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Julie Garton
    Have you had experiences that will move, delight or entertain readers? This taster session in creative-non fiction explores approaches to capturing your most poignant moments and crafting them into inspiring pieces of literature.



    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:
    95% of 100
  8. Poetry: a taster
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 8 Sep 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Julie Irigaray
    This short, fun workshop is the perfect starting point for students who are writing for the first time or new to poetry. Join us for thought-provoking writing exercises and poetry theory for beginners.



    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:
    90% of 100
  9. Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  10. Cultureplex ciné-club taster
    Course start date:  Thu 12 Sep 2024 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Paul Sutton
    Come and join us for a taste of what happens at the Cultureplex Ciné-Club. For one day only, and during a compressed hour and a half, we will watch and discuss a short film replicating the structure of the upcoming Cine-Club course, where we watch and discuss full-length feature films. The Cultureplex Ciné-Club course takes its cue from the famous Parisian Ciné-club set up by the celebrated critic and writer, André Bazin, however, this incarnation of the film club will offer an opportunity not only to have a taste of what the full Cine-Club course (running throughout next year) has to offer, but it will also allow for the viewing of a short film, followed by detailed discussion and debate. The film will be introduced, placed in both its cinematic, cultural and historic context as well as being situated within the director’s body of work. In sharing our viewing in City Lit’s premier screening room, the Cultureplex, we will approximate the experience of watching film in the cinema, one that is intense and fully focussed in a way that other modes of viewing often are not. After the screening we will devote the rest of the class to a collective exploration of the film, led by the tutor, but involving everyone in a participatory discussion that will allow all to express their responses, their views, their thoughts on the film screened.
    Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £8.00 Concession £7.00
  11. Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00
    Rating:
    100% of 100
  12. Film studies taster
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 14 Sep 2024 (and 4 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Paul Sutton
    Learn how to evaluate and discuss films while enjoying a working example of a City Lit Film Studies class. In this class we will view and explore clips from a number of films, including popular remakes, enabling us to consider and compare themes and techniques from differing filmmaking countries. There will be a chance to review – in brief – film courses at City Lit (September - December 2024).



    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
  13. Literature taster
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 14 Sep 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Patricia Sweeney
    Do you want to explore how to go about understanding a poem? How to do a close reading of a work of fiction? Come and find out what makes a literature class at City Lit so special.







    The course also presents an overview of our literature offering for term one in fiction, poetry, drama and literary non-fiction (September- December 2024).
    Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £10.00
    Rating:
    90% of 100
  14. Literature taster: Nineteenth Century Novels
    Course start date:  Thu 19 Sep 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Sophie Oxenham
    Curious about studying Literature and nineteenth century novels? Join us for this taster session where we explore aspects of two nineteenth century novels – Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
    Full fee £10.00 Senior fee £10.00 Concession £7.00
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