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David Bowie: Icon and Individual
Online course
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Tickets available from 12.00 on Monday, 17 November 2025
Step into the new David Bowie Centre and discover the process behind the persona. Guided by curators, conservators and archivists, this course delves into David Bowie’s artistic process and creative expression with a closer look at unrealised projects, influential collaborators, and iconic costumes.
From the moment you enrol on a V&A on-demand course, you get 12 months' access to every stunning video lecture to rewatch as often as you like, plus plenty of additional learning materials, yours to keep.
Course available November 2025 - Join Waitlist and View Trailer
From the moment you enrol on a V&A on-demand course, you get 12 months' access to every stunning video lecture to rewatch as often as you like, plus plenty of additional learning materials, yours to keep.
Course available November 2025 - Join Waitlist and View Trailer
Curator, V&A East
Madeleine Haddon
Madeleine is Curator of V&A East, the newest campus of the V&A. Previously Dr. Haddon was an independent curator working between London and New York. She curated Nuestra Casa: Rediscovering the Treasures of the Hispanic Society Museum & Library at the Hispanic Society in New York and Matisse: The Red Studio at The Museum of Modern Art.
I enjoyed the variety of the course content, the historical context and showing many beautiful examples. I felt that I gained much more knowledge than I had before and was guided by experts through the course. V&A Academy learner
Course overview
Six decades of creative expression: from songwriting and recording to theatre and films.
Crafting David Bowie’s creative personas, and their enduring relevance for generations of artists.
The role of close collaborators and influences throughout his career.
His fascination with science fiction and technology’s potential to expand creativity and challenge social norms.
Unreleased projects such as The Spectator and Diamond Dogs, and how they shaped later work.
Experimentation and Bowie’s immersion in the UK’s inner-city club scene in the mid 1990s.
Reflection and insights from guest curators Nile Rodgers and The Last Dinner Party.
A closer look at examples from the David Bowie Archive and their stories.
V&A on-demand gives you instant access to beautiful courses
Our courses bring the rigour of the V&A's experts together with the flexibility to learn at a pace that suits you. The simple and intuitive platform lets you focus on the joy of learning something new, while your support powers the V&A's vital work.
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Online course: David Bowie: Icon and Individual
17 November 2025 - 12 September 2026
£45.00
Tickets not available yet
Need help enrolling? Talk to the admissions team:
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)
Related events
Header image: Aladdin Sane jacket. Designed by Freddie Burretti for David Bowie, 1973. Image: the Victoria and Albert Museum.