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. Irish history and identity 5: American and European Influences in the Modern Era
    Course start date:  Thu 25 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Colm Hickey
    Although inextricably linked to Britain, Ireland’s history, identity, and nationhood has equally been shaped by its relationship with Europe. This course traces Ireland’s the influence of European and American



    politics.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £97.00
  2. The merry monarch: Charles II & the Restoration era
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Thu 25 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Ellen Carpenter
    Join us for a six-week course to explore politics, society, religion and culture during the Stuart Restoration era, with reference to the reign of the ‘Merry Monarch’ Charles II (1660 – 1685) and the succession crisis that followed his death in 1685.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
  3. Humanity and agriculture - the Neolithic revolution
    Course start date:  Thu 25 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Simone Chisena
    Discover how, from the depths of prehistory, our species turned from nomadic hunter gatherers to stable, town-dwelling farmers across the Mediterranean and Europe.



    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
  4. Visionary experiments: American art of the 1940s and 50s
    Course start date:  Fri 26 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Sarah Jaffray
    Explore American art during and just after World War II. From abstraction expressionism to social justice in photography and printmaking see how the US's unique context created the foundation for experimental and transgressive art.
    Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00
  5. Ancient Greek drama: an introduction
    Last Few Places
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Maria Contos
    Have a taste of exploring the ancient Athenian stage, and how they still speak to us about the challenges we face today.
    Full fee £109.00 Senior fee £87.00 Concession £71.00
  6. The occult on screen
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Gillian McIver
    Surprisingly, not every film that features the occult is a horror film. Certainly, many of them are; we will consider classics such as Haxan from 1922, Rosemary’s Baby, The Craft, Angel Heart, The Witch and Hereditary. Other films, such as Kenneth Anger's Lucifer Rising and A Dark Song, attempt to treat the occult seriously as secret or hidden knowledge. We'll examine the cultural backdrop of occult films and questions of representation, gender relations, and spirituality.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
  7. Homes, houses and art in Europe: 1900-1960
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Emma Rose Barber
    Knock on the door of artists’ houses and studios from 1900-1960 to experience exciting and visually dazzling spaces created over the course of their careers. At a time when artists were beginning to forge their own brave new visual worlds, this course considers what the homes might tell us about the artists and how they wanted their homes to be seen. This is the second part of a series on Homes and Houses; it can also be taken without having done the previous course.
    Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00
  8. British literature of the 1980s: the Granta generation
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 30 Apr 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Lewis Ward
    Who were considered the ‘Best of Young British Novelists’ in 1983, and what became of them? What do their styles and topics reveal about the decade, looking back from 40 years on? Read extracts by all twenty writers plus novels by Pat Barker, Graham Swift and Julian Barnes.
    Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £97.00
  9. Modern France: from the Paris Commune to the Vichy Regime
    Course start date:  Thu 2 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Sebastien Ardouin
    After uncertain beginnings, the Third republic managed to survive numerous crises until the defeat of 1940 sealed its fate. Re(discover) this exciting period, its actors and how their policies shaped modern France.



    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 £119.00 Concession £97.00
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  10. Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £77.00
  11. Twenty-first Century Folklore: myth and magic in the global world
    Evening
    Course start date:  Thu 2 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Katie Goss
    This online course focuses on innovative short fiction from around the globe which reworks folkloric traditions to grapple with conditions of twenty-first century life. As well as engaging with the unique folkloric influences each text draws on, we’ll consider the complexities of the present that they are addressed to – and how the rising popularity of ghost stories, fairy tales, dark fables and surreal myths suggests a renewed fascination with the intrigues of the mysterious, monstrous and inexplicable.



    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
  12. Introduction to Charles Booths’ London
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 7 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Sarah Wise
    During this six-week course, we will explore aspects of Charles Booth’s landmark survey ‘Life & Labour of the People in London’, published in 17 volumes between 1889 and 1903.



    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
    Rating:
    97% of 100
  13. Sweet Thames, run softly: a cultural exploration
    Evening
    Course start date:  Wed 8 May 2024

    Location on this date:  Online

    Tutors:  Eleanor Jackson
    The Thames runs like a silver thread through London’s history. It has been a muse & inspiration for centuries. This course examines its impact on our city, how it’s enriched & influenced our lives, both upstream & down.



    This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
    Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £77.00
    Rating:
    95% of 100
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