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The Libarts London Certificate
Starting in 2013, The LibArts London Certificate is a passionate collision of art, literature, philosophy, photography, history and film that reflects the academic vision and personal zeal of each of the lecturers who collaborate on the course. Instead of focusing on specific subject areas, we look at a single theme from the perspective of different subjects, practices and activities, using the city as our primary resource.
The course will run for eight weeks in total: a two-week online introduction is followed by six weeks of full-time study in London where students will attend lectures and discussions and engage in numerous projects which will get them out into the city to meet its people, dig through its archives, question it, record it and investigate its cultural riches.
The theme we will be studying in 2013 is freedom. Dr Harry Hattingh, co-founder and academic director of LibArts London says that today’s school leavers grew up in the ten years in which the western world became convinced that one should always choose safety over liberty, whatever the consequences of that dictum. “Once you keep quiet about freedom, you are soon forced to keep quiet about pretty much everything else as well. So that is where we choose to start our adventure.”
The Lecturers and Students
Lecturers include actor and academic Ian Flintoff, poet and Mind Book of the Year winner John O'Donoghue, Gavin & Stacy actor Leila Borris, photographer Laura Liverani, writer Benjamin Woolley, and a dozen more. Students will receive an academic reference and certificate and will leave the course with a well-structured portfolio of evidence. All of these will contribute positively to their CVs and university applications. Although the course is open to anyone, we initially thought it would primarily be of interest to gap year students, but applicants to date also include current students taking a summer break and even a lecturer on sabbatical.
What makes us Special?
Apart from our unique thematic approach to developing courses, students will benefit from the beginning of the new liberal arts revolution in the UK. Using London's rich cultural and historical life as toolbox and backdrop, the LibArts London Certificate is a course with few equals. Students will not simply be introduced to the tourist's perspective of London, but will get to know it intimately as they become adventurers, explorers, detectives and historians navigating the inner and outer city.
Christine Olivier, co-founder of LibArts London, says that the course brings something new and exciting to London. “We believe the liberal arts, coupled with the creative, interdisciplinary and fun approach we employ throughout the course, will provide students with a unique experience that will open the world to them in all its beauty, horror and complexity. The most important thing, perhaps, is that we do not simply appoint lecturers for a set curriculum. We engage them in an online group discussion and only those with a passion for what they do and an interest in the connections between subject areas are asked to join us in developing the final curriculum. We’d like to give lecturers an opportunity to re-claim the liberty to teach interesting and difficult things that will open the mind and we have been absolutely overwhelmed by the enthusiastic way in which prospective lecturers have been engaging in the online discussions.”
A final novelty is the intensive way in which the city will be used as part of the course. The practical projects (of which the course has many) will invite students to engage with the city in ways that most other courses could just dream of. Bonita Alice, artist and lecturer says,“I love London and so do most of the other lecturers I've spoken to. London is more than just the backdrop of the course. It is both mirror and laboratory of ideas, new and historical.”
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info[.]libartslondon.co.uk 
