TAP: Town Hall Art Programme

Gatherings is an exhibition showcasing a selection of historical archive posters that capture community events held both within the Town Hall and across the borough.

Each poster on display offers a glimpse into Lambeth’s history, celebrating how this vibrant borough has brought its community together. From civic milestones to joyful gatherings, the exhibition provides a window into the moments that have shaped Lambeth’s unique character.

The exhibition invites audiences to reminisce about these past events and reimagine Lambeth Town Hall’s civic role as a space for the community to continue to come together.

We commissioned Alvin Kofi to create a portrait in Summer 2023, to coincide with Windrush 75 events. This was followed by a mentoring programme for school students from The Elm Green School led by Kofi. Concluding with an exhibition of Kofi’s and the students’ work that explored the experience of the Windrush generation, through the eyes of a younger generation.  

The portraits on display were created by young artists – Caitlin, Chaya, Kelicia, Lamirah, and Rebeccah.  

Exhibition of photographs by Lamarr Golding, taken from Brixton Rooftops, and stand-out shots of free running on the Southbank Centre. Golding is an urban explorer who sets out with a camera to capture images that present familiar sites from his fresh perspective. 

As a young Lambeth resident, he already made his mark as a photographer for Stormzy at Glastonbury with photos published in GQ, The Independent, Timeout, North Face, and Red Bull 

Marina Vitaglione produced a series of cyanotype prints, that are a powerful exposé of the pollution particles in the air around us. After sourcing particles with the London Air Quality Network, from the Environmental Research Group at Imperial College, Vitaglone created images that foreground the challenge of achieving clearer air in our cities.  

The exhibition coincided with the launch of the Council’s Climate Action Plan in 2022 and at the private view of the exhibition Prof. Frank Kelly, Director of the Environmental Research Group addressed attendees.  

In partnership with Photofusion, four Lambeth artists: Mohammed Ainan, Ellie Laycock, Dee Ramadan, and Angus Steward received their first public art commission and created work that captured the quiet heroism demonstrated in Lambeth’s communities at the onset of the Covid pandemic. Taking this as a starting point, the commemorative portraits of council leaders were created in 1903 by Richard Lang Sims (a local photographer who became Mayor). Spectemur Agendo (The Council’s motto) explores contemporary leadership in the borough.  

The exhibition ran from June to December 2021, the portraits were accompanied by a written response from author Irfan Master.  

An artist residency and exhibition by Linnett Kamala in response to the activism of Olive Morris, from September 2019 to May 2021.  

The work featured in the exhibition grew from conversations held between Kamala and visitors to the Town hall including Olive Morris’s family, Lee Lawrence (son of Cherry Groce), Lilian Baylis School year 9 students, and Black Thrive Mental Health group. As well as work displayed in the corridor approaching the exhibition by year 12 students from The Norwood School produced during a workshop. Kamla also travelled to Jamicia to work with students at Success Primary and Junior School, sharing Olive Morris’ legacy.  

The exhibition was also made interactive and featured on Google Arts & Culture  

An exhibition in the community room to coincide with Windrush celebrations in the summer of 2019, featuring photographs by Harry Jacobs and a presentation of materials from Lambeth Archives documenting 350 years of Black people in Lambeth.  

A selection of works by Jon Daniel, one of the most prominent black creatives of the late century was exhibited in the Townhall foyer. As a boundary breaker and inspiration to many younger artists, Daniel’s work was presented in partnership with 198 Contemporary Arts & Learning.  

The work displayed included Daniel’s Afro supa Heroes collection, examples of his iconographic poster art and celebratory album art.