Summer at City Lit

Nowadays there are so many ways to watch film - smart phones, tablets, TVs - just as there are so many different spaces in which we encounter the moving image - cinemas, galleries, our homes, to name but a few. This day-long course will broaden and deepen your critical awareness of the diverse formal and experiential possibilities of cinema, both as they have developed in the past and as they are transforming in the contemporary moment. It will do this by reflecting on two questions: ‘what is cinema?’ and ‘where is cinema?’.

What is the role of poetry ‘off the page’ in public spaces? Can a poem change the way we might re-encounter cultural history? Do statues serve as ‘informants’ from the past? We read poetry by Jackie Kay, Lemn Sissay and Dorothea Smartt commissioned for bridges, pavements, monuments, even super sewer ventilation shafts to identify the challenges, revisions and celebrations that emerge from exploring the place of poetry in public spaces.

This online course offers an introduction to the concept of the 21st century British dramatist as a social observer, enabling a deeper understanding of how playwrights can illuminate and comment on social issues. Join us to find out how playwrights Polly Stenham, Jez Butterworth and Phillip Ralph have interrogated a variety of societal ills including a miscarriage of justice, dependency issues, class and the façade of contentment amongst the upwardly mobile.

In July 2025 a major solo exhibition of Emily Kam Kngwarray, considered to be one of Australia’s greatest artists, will be held at Tate Modern. This course aims to introduce British audiences to the oeuvre of this remarkable artist.

A fun and intensive workshop all 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!

Why do we value art? For the pleasure it gives us, the emotion it expresses, its truthfulness, its form? In this introduction to the philosophy of art we will consider various approaches to these questions and others.

Working with an experienced theatre director, explore the multiple aspects of directing theatre productions, including rehearsal preparation, text analysis and research, collaborating with the design team, and techniques for getting the best performances from actors.

All 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 confidence and experience in storytelling on this intensive summer course.