Exploring Scotland’s Graffiti: From Street Art to Rock Art

From ancient cave paintings to modern graffiti, humans have been leaving messages on walls, rocks, and city streets for over 30,000 years. In this on-day course we’ll explore some of the marks that humans have made, how we interpret them, and what they reveal about our lives, cultures, and identities.

We’ll learn about the history of graffiti and other markings, from the earliest human expressions to the contemporary tags and symbols on our urban walls. Along the way, we’ll ask: Why do people make these marks? What do they mean? And how can we study them using tools from archaeology, art, history, and more?

Through a mix of discussion, practical activities, and outdoor learning—including a graffiti field walk in Edinburgh—you’ll gain new skills in observing, recording, and rethinking the messages hidden in our everyday surroundings.

This course will feature field trips to locations in or around Edinburgh (your teacher will confirm the itinerary in class).

Any recommended reading will be advised by the course teacher once the course is confirmed to run. You will require access to a computer or other device with internet connection.

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and have attended regularly, by the end of the course you should be able to:

• Discuss graffiti from a range of historical periods
• Analyse messages and meanings in graffiti and other marks
• Critically assess the markings and their cultural values

No experience needed. This course is for anyone interested in exploring graffiti, mark-making, messages, and meanings.

Please note, there will be a short, guided walk as part of this course.

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be aged 16+.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so that we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy.

Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services who will signpost appropriate local sources of support.

There are no specific entry requirements for this course.

You will need to have reading, listening and communication skills, including the ability to understand detailed ideas and information presented verbally and in writing. You must be comfortable learning in English if it is not your first language. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, to access the learning materials.

Booking is available until 23:59 the day before the course is due to start, unless the course is full or cancelled.