The Many Actors Make Art (MAMA) Exhibition Returns to Brixton

The Many Actors Make Art (MAMA) exhibition returns for its third time at Downstairs at The Department Store in Brixton, offering a platform for theatre actors and creatives to showcase their talents beyond the stage through visual art. This unique exhibition will run for just three evenings from 8 - 10 July and is in support of The Theatre Artists Fund. The MAMA exhibition celebrates the visual artwork of actors and creatives from the theatre world, showcasing the hidden talents of performers beyond the stage.

Founded by actors Nancy Carroll (Olivier-award winner for After The Dance, Murder in Provence, Stephen, The Crown, Father Brown) and Christopher Villiers (Emmerdale, Bloody Sunday, Slow Horses, The Crown), MAMA was born from their friendship during the filming of Magic Mike’s Last Dance in 2022. While working together on set, they bonded over a shared love of painting – an artistic outlet that many in the theatre industry embraced during the COVID pandemic. Their shared passion sparked the idea for MAMA: a platform for those who also create visual art to come together and exhibit their work.

Co-Founders Christopher Villiers and Nancy Carroll today said “This is a joyous show that celebrates creativity for the creativity’s sake, and the spectrum of skill across our whole community. The gamut of craft and expression is jaw dropping, in this light welcoming space. It is a must see event!”

Tickets are free and available via this link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mama-art-show-tickets-1404898050889?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Now in its third year, the exhibition features returning artists Tristan Brooke, Anna Calder-Marshall, Nancy Carroll, Noel Coward, Jason Eclair, Miles Evans, Nicholas Farrell, James Fleet, Clive Francis, Mark Gatiss, Peter Hannah, Richard Hansell Knott, James Hayes, Anastasia Hille, Amy Hope, Phoebe Horn, Rebecca Lacey, Georgia Landers, John Lithgow, Abigail McKern, Jason Merrells, Phoebe Newlan, Emily Pithon, Tish Potter, Amanda Root, Cameron Slater, Suzan Sylvester, Christopher Villiers, Robert Whitelock, Rufus Wright.

 
New artists joining this year include Hana Al-Sayed, Francesca Brazzo, Aya Cash, Joe Edgar, Rosalind Ford, Molly Gaisford, Stella Gonet, Ruby Law, Tobias Menzies, James Murray, Chris Naylor, Tom Neenan, Mark Francome Painter, Anna-Louise Plowman, Joseph Prowen, Timothy Spall, Chiara Stephenson, Triana Terry, Sophie Thompson, Lizzie Winkler and Naomi Wirthner.
 
In addition, there will be a Lucky Dip. For a £20 donation, punters will receive a sealed envelope containing a surprise postcard sized piece of art made by one of the artists.

A portion of all sales from the exhibition will support The Theatre Artists Fund. Established by Sam Mendes and led by the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre, the Fund provides emergency financial assistance to theatre freelancers across the UK affected by the Covid pandemic. Their Creative Workforce Pilot Program running between 2022 and 2026, is supporting twenty mid-career professionals with two-year, full-time contracts with 15 venues across the UK.