Online Lecture Series: Athletics & Aesthetics/Sport in Art History.

Join us for an engaging six-week online lecture series that delves into the dynamic relationship between art history and sport, tracing how athletic pursuits have been represented, idealised, and critiqued through visual culture across the centuries. From Ancient Greece to the modern day, the lecture series explores how artists have captured the thrill, beauty, and cultural significance of sport - depicting everything from golf, rugby, and cycling, to global spectacles like the Olympics.

Each week features a live or pre-recorded lecture led by scholars and professionals from the School of Art History at the University of St Andrews, R&A World Golf Museum, and invited speakers. These sessions are followed by a live Q&A, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly with experts. Together, we’ll examine how visual representations of sport intersect with themes such as identity, nationalism, gender, and spectacle, using a wide range of artworks and artefacts ‘Artletics’ has never looked so artistic!

Whether you're an art enthusiast, student, sports fan, or simply curious about the crossover between visual culture and athletic expression, this lecture series is open to all - no prior knowledge of art history or sport is required.

Wednesday 4th March 2026 – Wednesday 8th April 2026. 2-3pm Lecture (UK time), 3-3:30pm audience Q&A (UK time).

You can find out more and book your place at our University Shop pages.