Visit our pop-up Abbey Art Centre, sit down, drink tea, and share ideas. This mini-exhibition recreates the iconic 1940s post-war London artists’ colony, a place of encounter and exchange where Australians, Britons and émigré and refugee artists from Europe lived and worked alongside one another and a hotbed of experimental painting, sculpture and film.

Be surrounded by archival photographs, watch a short (1 minute 40 second) British Pathé film from 1952, and share a cup of tea.

Register your interest in attending any of the listed sessions.

What to expect:

From 11:00am until 2:00pm, tea will be served in the pop-up exhibition where guests can view a short film and photographs recreating the Abbey Art Centre.

Being Human 2026

This project was produced in collaboration with the 2026 Being Human Festival. Founded in the UK as the only national festival of the humanities, Being Human is now a global celebration dedicated to demonstrating the breadth, diversity and vitality of the humanities.

View the full Festival program here.

Contact the host of Tea in an artists’ colony! The Abbey Art Centre: encounter and exchange in post-war London

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