Art History: Art, Revolution and the Making of Cities

This event will be bookable on Monday 3 August 2026.

Cities can provide the ideal environment for turning points in history, and art can provide the ideal perspective on events in history – we’ll talk about both in this informal series of talks.

This series of five talks will focus on cities at turning points in history – how revolution, defeat in war, political assassinations can all provide the context for huge changes in politics, art, culture and society. The impact of great events such as the French Revolution and Germany’s defeat in World War One will allow us to examine how artists portrayed these upheavals. Was art itself transformed by these crises?

The talks are informal and will encourage discussion, debate and questions. The main aim is to provide some basic insight into cities at times of great change. Cities provide a focal point for an understanding of issues affecting whole countries. Events in those cities were hugely consequential. How did artists portray these events; how was their art affected by major political changes?

This can’t be a comprehensive survey – much will have to be left out, but we hope to cover main themes, providing historical context and examination and analysis of art and artists associated with those themes.

Book each session individually, or book all 5 at the same and save 10% (automatically deducted at checkout).

About the tutors:

Tutors Trevor Allen and Sally Gower are both retired school teachers. Trevor taught History and Sally taught Art and Art History at Leicester Grammar School. They have extensive experience of the subjects having taught A Level to many students over many years. They may be retired but still have terrific enthusiasm for their subjects and have not stopped learning more and wanting to share their enthusiasm with others.

Sally has used her retirement to travel a lot more, always to places where there is art to be seen, and Trevor has spent much time learning more about local history and leading guided walks in and around Leicester.

Further information:

Participants must be aged 18+. No prior knowledge of art history or study experience is required, just an interest in finding out more about art history.

If the course/workshop you’d like to book is sold out, we do operate a waiting list – simply contact our box office team on 0116 252 2455 / arts-centre@le.ac.uk and ask to be added to the waiting list. We’ll then contact you if a place becomes available, with absolutely no obligation to accept it if you’ve made other plans!

Please ensure that you read and agree to our updated Terms & Conditions before booking as courses/workshops are non-refundable if cancelled within 21 days of the start date for any reason.

We aim to make all our sessions as accessible as possible and carers/PAs are very welcome – just remember to book their free place when you book your session. If you’d like to talk to us in advance of booking or attending your sessions to discuss your access needs, our Box Office team is here to help! Email arts-centre@le.ac.uk, pop in or call 0116 252 2455, open 7 days a week.

We have four blue badge parking spaces outside Attenborough Arts Centre, plus double yellow line roadside parking very close to the building for blue badge holders for up to three hours if our parking spaces are occupied.

Free parking for all customers is available after 5pm on weekdays and all day at weekends in the University of Leicester car park next door to Attenborough Arts Centre on Lancaster Road. The closest public car park for parking at all other times is Victoria Park, 5-10 minutes walk from us.