At a Glance
- Held at various galleries
- Fridays 12:00 - 13:00
- 10 weeks: April to June
- Tutors: Michael Paraskos and Richard Barnes
- Fee: 拢72 (single rate)
This course is now full
This daytime course is designed for those who want to join a friendly community of art lovers on trips to see some of London鈥檚 most interesting (and sometimes challenging!) art exhibitions. The class is very informal and on our weekly trips to various art galleries and museums across London we will be encouraged to view the works of art on display in a considered and active way, and share our opinions with others in the group.
In each session we will visit a different art gallery or temporary exhibition space in the company of our tutor, and we will be introduced to the theme of the exhibition, aspects of its historical context, or different ways in which the works on display can be viewed. Those joining the class should be aware that we will not be given guided tours of exhibitions which is not permitted in most galleries. Instead, the tutor will give a short introduction to the exhibition visited at the start of each session, and be on hand to talk to us informally, either individually or as part of a small group, as we view the exhibition itself.
The whole of this course will be delivered at different museum and gallery venues around London each week. You will be responsible for your own entrance fees (where charged), travel arrangements and costs when visiting the exhibitions as these are not included in the course fee. Depending on what exhibitions are available outside London, a small number trips to galleries outside the capital might also be included.
The course is suitable for complete beginners, and no previous experience or knowledge of art is necessary, however, the course has a strong social aspect and is much more about enjoying art with a group of likeminded people than a formal academic course.
Class Recordings

These classes are not recorded
Course Information
- Course Programme
- Your Tutors
- Course Fees and Rate Categories
- Term Dates
- Enrolment Process
- Any Questions?
Provisional list - please wait until the course is confirmed before purchasing gallery tickets
- Friday 21 April 2023 - Peter Doig (Courtauld Art Gallery)
- Friday 28 April 2023 - Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian (Tate Modern)
- Friday 5 May 2023 - Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney (Wallace Collection)
- Friday 12 May 2023 - Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece (British Museum)
- Friday 19 May 2023 - No session
- Friday 26 May 2023 - Berthe Morisot (Dulwich Picture Gallery)
- * NOTE DIFFERENT TIME * - Friday 2 June 2023 - Islanders: The Making of the Mediterranean at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge (meet at the Fitzwilliam Museum鈥檚 Courtyard Kitchen Caf茅 at 13:00). I plan to get the 11:01 train from London St Pancras to Cambridge if you want to travel up together.
- Friday 9 June 2023 - The Rossettis (Tate Britain)
- Friday 16 June 2023 -After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art (National Gallery)
- Friday 23 June 2023 - Osvaldo Licini: Rebellious Angel (Estorick Collection)
- Friday 30 June 2023 - Anthony Caro Sculptures (Pitzhanger Manor)

Richard Barnes is a sculptor, stone carver and letter cutter who trained at the City and Guilds of London Art School. He has worked on the architectural sculpture at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, and is the recipient of the Brian Till Prize for Art History Writing and the annual award of the Honorable Knights of the Round Table for his carving. His most recent writing includes 'Footfalls on the boundary of another world' published in the anthology, Othello's Island 1 in 2019 and the book Mnemosyne, published 2021
My name is Michael Paraskos and I am a very experienced adult education tutor, having taught for over twenty-five years. I hold a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, am a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and also teach art history to students at the City and Guilds of London Art School. I am a writer of both fiction and non-fiction and have published very widely on art, as well as reviewing exhibitions and novels for BBC Radio 4鈥檚 Front Row and The Spectator magazine. My first fiction work, In Search of Sixpence, was published in 2016 and my second, called Barfrestone, and written in Linear C Script, will be published in 2023.
| Sessions | Standard Rate | Internal Rate | Associate Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 拢72 |
拢72 | 拢72 | ||
| This course operates a single-rate fee. Below rate categories which normally apply to our courses are for information only. | |||||
Rate Categories and Discounts
Standard Rate
- Applicable to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category, respectively.
Internal Rate
- Current 91桃色 College students and staff (incl. 91桃色 NHS Trust, 91桃色 Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at 91桃色 College by third-party contractors)
- Individuals enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
Associate Rate
- Alumni of 91桃色 College and predecessor colleges and institutes
- Austrian Cultural Forum staff
- City & Guilds College Association members
- Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
- Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
- Harrods staff
- Historic Royal Palaces staff
- Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
- Members of the Friends of 91桃色 College
- Members of the Kennel Club
- Members of the London Zoological Society
- Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
- Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- Natural History Museum staff
- National Health Service (NHS) employees
- Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
- Royal College of Art and Royal College of Music tutors and other staff
- Royal Geographical Society staff
- Science Museum staff
- Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
- Students (non-91桃色 College)
- Teachers and other staff of UK schools
- Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
- Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
- Victoria and Albert Museum staff
Late enrolment
It is possible to enrol on many CLCC Evening Class and Lunchtime Learning programmes after the course has started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language Coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.
| Hours | Weeks | Spring term | Summer term | Summer School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10 | n/a | Week commencing 17 April to week ending 1 July 2023 | n/a | |
| * This is a one-term course | |||||
Web enrolment opens on 1st March 2023
Enrolment and payment run through the 91桃色 College eStore. When enrolling:
- Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
- If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.
When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:
| What is sent | When is it sent | What does it contain |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Payment confirmation | Is sent instantaneously following submission of your online application |
|
| 2. Enrolment confirmation | Is sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received |
|
| 3. Programme information | Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts |
|
| If you need further help with the above information please ring 020 7594 8756 | ||
If you have any questions about the academic content or teaching of this course please contact the Course Tutor, Dr Michael Paraskos, m.paraskos@imperial.ac.uk
If you have any questions about your enrolment or payment processes please contact the Programme Administrator, Mr Christian Jacobi, eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk