Performing Arts Courses & Classes in London and Online
City Lit offers performing arts courses in the heart of Covent Garden in Central London during the evening, daytime and at weekends. Explore our range of subjects including acting, (including accredited acting courses), dance, radio and screen, and voice, speech and communication as well as a full range of music courses, such as piano, singing, strings and wind instruments to jazz and pop, music technology, music theory and history
Our courses are labelled clearly for beginners or those with previous experience and you can speak to a specialist advisor to help you choose the right level. If you would you like some help or advice:
For music courses email music@citylit.ac.uk. You can also view our music auditions and advice page.
For drama, dance and speech courses email drama@citylit.ac.uk
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- Using your voice for audio books and talking newspapersCourse start date: Mon 12 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David ThorpeWould you like to narrate audio books? Are you interested in community work such as talking newspapers for the blind? Explore vocal skills and techniques required in these areas and identify what style works for you. This course will be delivered in the college.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £104.00 - Acting: scenework
Course start date: Thu 22 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Laura BaggaleyContinue your development as you explore a range of acting exercises that will illuminate and bring to life a variety of scripts and scenes. Consolidate skills and techniques, and deepen your understanding in a safe and supportive atmosphere. We will focus on ensemble and group scenes this term.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £139.00 - Improve your speaking voiceCourse start date: Thu 15 May 2025 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lloyd WyldeCome and improve your vocal skills through voice production and speech exercises. Learn about self presentation, develop spontaneity and gain greater confidence in your communication skills. This is a practical course based in the college.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £104.00 - Acting for radio: Theatre CompanyCourse start date: Fri 31 Oct 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David GoodersonBecome part of a radio repertory company and take part in creating and recording for broadcast a performance of scenes from Arthur Wing Pinero's The Magistrate. For those with previous experience in acting and radio, either through courses or industry. Please click on Start Your Interview to apply; the Drama Department will contact you to progress your application.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £160.00 - Sampling, beat-making and synth programming Course start date: Tue 24 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Max La VillaLearn to create your own more original tracks by recording and manipulating samples, beats and synth sounds to individualise your sound.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £179.00 - Narration for podcast and documentaryCourse start date: Thu 26 Jun 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David SpencerA fun and intensive course about the incredible world of narration. This enormous and lucrative area of the voiceover world includes podcasts, e-learning, documentaries, audio books, medical/technical narration, explainer videos and more. You’ll learn how to deliver great reads from the inside out. It’s not just about the sound of your voice! The course will be delivered in the media studio.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £160.00 - Screen acting: improversCourse start date: Mon 30 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary GrantBuild your confidence and strengthen your camera technique in this improvers class. Work towards creating more truthful screen performances.Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £299.00 Concession £209.00 - Combining voice and PilatesCourse start date: Sat 12 Jul 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kate MontagueThis innovative and one-off workshop shows you how to integrate modified Pilates movements with voice training as a holistic approach to voice, starting at breath release and progressing into phonation and resonance. Through this combination you may begin to find a link between body and voice through the core muscles of support. A fun but intensive Saturday workshop in the college.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £55.00 - Screen acting: advancedCourse start date: Wed 30 Apr 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gary GrantThis is a practical and intensive screen acting course, designed for students to learn how to create characters and be at their best when working within difficult and pressurised circumstances. Ideal for those who have previously studied screen acting and are planning to make the leap into finding work. Also for those who have already broken into the industry but want to make sure they’re at their best when on set.Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £299.00 Concession £209.00 - Storytelling for business and pleasure 1Course start date: Tue 29 Apr 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ariella EshedAll cultures respect the world of Story. The ability to tell Stories, in a variety of settings, is a skill that has seen a strong resurgence both in the workplace and in contemporary performance. Gain greater confidence in your communication skills and apply this to your wider experience. This course will be delivered in the college.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £229.00 Concession £160.00 - Voice masterclass: the Patsy Rodenburg methodCourse start date: Thu 2 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lloyd WyldeExtended by popular demand into twice its original length, we will explore through practical exercises the basic methodology of the leading voice practitioner Patsy Rodenburg in these two three-hour workshops delivered in the college. - Character voices for animation, stage and screenCourse start date: Fri 3 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: David ThorpeCharacter voices aren’t just for cartoons. Learn the tools and techniques you need to create new and unique character voices or to accurately imitate a historical or contemporary voice for animation, stage and screen. This intensive course will be delivered in the media studio. - World music: rhythm driven tunes from Brazil, Cuba, Ghana and SenegalCourse start date: Sun 5 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sarha MooreCome to play tunes from several traditions and two continents, working with complex rhythms in related and contrasting ways. There is a musical narrative that begins in Africa, travels to the Caribbean and South America, then back to Africa, carrying musical styles and rhythmic patterns. We will explore samples of this rhythmic timeline.
Piano places are limited to two so please check with the department prior to enrolling if you want to play piano on this course.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £104.00 - Transcribe jazz solosCourse start date: Sun 12 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tim RichardsA study and sharing group for experienced jazz players with a good working knowledge of harmony and experience of improvising. We will focus on in-depth listening and transcription of recorded examples by jazz musicians. Sessions will include demonstration and performance opportunities. The class meets at college once a month. Course dates: 12 October, 9 November, 7 December, 18 January, 15 February, 15 March.Full fee £269.00 Senior fee £269.00 Concession £188.00 - City Lit Theatre CompanyCourse start date: Mon 27 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: James Jarrett
A wonderful opportunity to be part of a theatre company working alongside an experienced professional director and a team of techical theatre students to stage a play from scratch in six weeks. Use your previous practical training in acting in the context of the performance of a full production in the John Lyons Theatre at City Lit, giving four public performances.
Please make sure you read the details below which gives days and times of rehearsals and performance week.
This term, the play is Hamlet, directed by James Jarrett.
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