Writing Courses & Workshops Online & in London
Be inspired to write, and learn how to get published at the college where Andrea Levy, Malorie Blackman, Anna Burns, and other celebrated authors studied. Read our success stories to see what's possible for you as a writer.
Learn from published authors
Whether you're just starting out or ready to publish your first book, the benefits of our writing courses include expert tuition from a published author and feedback on your work as you develop your writing skills. There will also be opportunities to participate in group discussions and activities with fellow students.
Unheard Voices Scholarship
City Lit’s Malorie Blackman Scholarships for 'Unheard Voices' provide three annual awards to fund one year’s study within the Creative Writing department at City Lit. Learn more >
- 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 - Five Easy Steps to Taking Better Photographs on your mobile or DSLR - City Lit Silver SundayCourse start date: Sun 5 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Michael HardingAn illustrated guide to improving your photograph in easy steps.
Age UK’s Silver Sunday is a day dedicated to older people which takes place every year in October. Fun and free activities are held across the UK where older people can make new friends, visit new places, try new activities, and connect with other generations in their local communities. This year’s Silver Sunday will be taking place on Sunday 6th October, and City Lit will join in the activities by offering a diverse selection of workshops.
This taster session is aimed specifically to older people but everyone is welcome to join in, as connecting generations forms an important part of this day.Full fee £0.00 - Maths for life and work - Pathway to Entry levelCourse start date: Mon 6 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
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This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £179.00 - City Lit fine art: year 1Course start date: Mon 6 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Steven ScottYear 1 of the City Lit Fine Art (CLFA) course will enable you to develop and refine your previous experience in Fine Art in workshops exploring different approaches to drawing, painting, sculpture, print, digital media, and contextual studies, in weekly studio sessions. You will be part of a small cohort of dedicated students and will be taught by experienced and professional tutors who are all practising artists.
The Year 1 course will give you experience in combining different studio processes relevant to current art practice. It will introduce new ideas and contexts, and help you identify your own personal creative responses. Group discussions and tutorials will support the development of your thinking and help you adopt an independent and open-minded approach to making artwork. This course can be taken for personal creative development and progression on to Year 2 of the CLFA course, or to help you prepare for application to Fine Art study at HE.level.
Some basic studio materials are provided, and you will need to supplement these with specific items. - Advanced graphic designCourse start date: Mon 6 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrew McCartenThis course will help you improve your skills in graphic design and visual communications in their broadest sense, for delivery or publication in print and online, working with text, image, layout, medium and message across a range of physical and digital media and formats.
It is ideal for anyone who has already completed our City Lit graphics course, and for anyone wishing to build a more extensive and professional portfolio of graphics work, whilst developing a deeper understanding of the connection between text, image, message and media.
Confirmed industry specialist guests: Lydia Thornley, Designer, Creative Director and Reportage Illustrator and award winning film producer/director Mark Craig, maker of the film “The Last Man On The Moon”.Full fee £2,549.00 Senior fee £2,039.00 Concession £1,784.00 - Spanish 3 conversationCourse start date: Mon 12 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Roberto GallegoRevise, consolidate and improve your listening and speaking skills on this lively course, which will help you communicate more confidently in daily life situations. Ideal if you have an intermediate level of Spanish, are doing 'Spanish 3 lower', 'Spanish 3 upper' or have an equivalent level (B1 level).Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £84.00 - A history of art in 100 objectsCourse start date: Tue 7 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Sarah JaffrayWhat is art history? How can better a better understanding of the subject help us to better connect with art made by fellow humans? Explore these big questions of historical significance, socio-cultural impact and artistic process by studying a history of art in some of London’s greatest museums. - Sumerian level 2Course start date: Tue 7 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vaughan PilikianFull fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Arabic reading groupCourse start date: Tue 7 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Alaa SonjoqDo you want to start reading more fluently in Arabic while improving your knowledge of vocabulary and pronunciation? Then, come and join this friendly online reading class which focuses on practical, everyday texts. You will need to be able to read the alphabet and individual words to join this course. Suitable if you are studying at 2 lower module 1 level or above (more than 1 year of Arabic). - City Lit fine art: year 2Course start date: Tue 7 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Steven ScottYear 2 of CLFA (VM552) will enable you to consolidate and focus the various creative experiences and ideas you will have gained in Year 1, or from equivalent external courses.
This course enables you to identify, develop, produce, and exhibit a personal creative project.
You will adopt simple research methods to help you develop and produce a body of new creative work that takes an individual, self-motivated direction. The necessary self-motivated approach to your work will result in the development of a cohesive set of new artwork that should reflect your own interests. There will be group critiques, one-to-one tutorials and weekly studio production sessions that will challenge and enable you to explore and refine your creative intentions, plus seminars and presentations in which you will learn and engage with new contextual information. These are delivered by experienced, practising artist / tutors.
You should; be prepared to spend some of your own time developing your creative work, and enhancing your creative thinking by visiting exhibitions, reading, researching and planning your project.
Basic materials are included but you will need to supplement these depending on the nature of your creative work. - The City of London: the Square MileCourse start date: Wed 8 Oct 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Hazel BakerExplore the City’s development from Roman and medieval times through to the Tudors and Stuarts. This course will consist of 8 guided walks starting with Roman London.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - The Healing Power of Dionysian celebrationsCourse start date: Wed 8 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Maria ContosNietzsche in his book ‘The death of tragedy’ claims that by not experiencing Dionysian festivals in the modern world, we have lost the capacity to truly affirm life.
This session is part of the 2024 Mental Wealth Festival hosted by City Lit and partners.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £15.00 Concession £19.00 - Ruling Russia: Tsars, Revolutions, Civil War , and the Triumph of Lenin (1860-1924)Course start date: Tue 13 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Zoe QuinnThis course explores the transformative period of Russian history from 1860 to 1924, encompassing the autocratic rule of the Tsars, the revolutionary upheavals of 1905 and 1917, the chaos of the civil war, and the consolidation of the Bolshevik regime. Students will examine key events, figures, and ideologies that shaped modern Russia, delving into the complexities of political, social, and economic changes during this era.
Please note: this course includes much of the material covered in previous Russian Revolution courses at the City Lit. Moreover this course is taught at an introductory level. Tutor: Zoe Quinn.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £110.00
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