Step into a vibrant world of creativity with our summer showcase at 198 Contemporary Arts & Learning, a joint exhibition in collaboration with our partners Photofusion. The Nature of Change exhibition is split across both venues and 198 Contemporary Arts & Learning is thrilled to present a curated collection of artworks by the talented individuals who have journeyed through our Lambeth Adult Learning STEP-UP programme.
Collating a broad spectrum of work from our Film & video, Art & Design, LGBTQ+ photography and SEND Art courses, the exhibition embodies the diverse talents sparked, nurtured and flourishing within our local Lambeth community and beyond.

Since 2019, the Lambeth Adult Learning programme has empowered over 300 learners to explore and excel in various creative disciplines. Each ten-week course, run three times a year in each location, features practical workshops and mentoring, which help participants to develop new skills, connect with peers, and introduces them to industry professionals in preparation for a career in the arts. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, our commitment to fostering artistic growth has only strengthened, culminating in this celebratory showcase of all our past participants' achievements.  

Join us as we shine a spotlight on the creative journeys of our alumni, whose contributions enrich and inspire. Through their lens, crafts, collages, sculpture and expressions, they invite you to witness the power of creativity to transcend boundaries and ignite imagination.  

Our artistic programme supports the practice and development of Afro-diasporic, global south and otherwise marginalised artists. Our newly renovated, RIBA award-winning building boasts three beautiful galleries on the ground floor, where we curate exhibitions in-house and host an associate programme of guest projects. Currently, the in-house programme is curated by the artistic and curatorial duo Languid Hands.

Over the 35-year history of the organisation, 198’s artistic programme has exhibited artists such as Keith Piper, Eddie Chambers, Pearl Alcock, Niel Kenlock, Denzil Forrester, Larry Achiampong, Hassan Aliyu, Faisal Abdu’Allah, Rita Keegan, and Poly Styrene among others. It has also included shows curated by Marlene Smith, Barby Asante, Eva Langret, Mattie Loyce and many more.