LADA supports contemporary culture’s most radical artists, practices and ideas.

As a Centre for Live Art, all our specialised resources, opportunities, projects and events are driven by our unwavering commitment to experimentation and risk, to the sustainability of our planet, and to difference and diversity in all its forms. 

We believe in Live Art as a means to challenge the status quo and initiate meaningful social change.

About LADA
A collage comprised of three images. On the left is a portrait of Isaiah Lopaz. On the top right hand side is a collage image in cool tones by artist Madinnah Farhannah Thompson. On the bottom right hand side is an image of artist Miranda Whall crawling on the ground with a tree on her back Isaiah Lopaz, Madinah-Farhannah-Thompson and Miranda Whall. Images Courtesy of the artists

Study Room

The LADA team are set to reopen our Study Room from the 27 June 2023.  Thank you for your understanding over the time the room has been closed, we are looking forward to seeing you at the space soon!

All the information on how our new system works is available on our Visit the Study Room page.

Visit the Study Room
An image of The Garrett Centre. The Garrett Centre. Image by Adrian Dutton.

Upcoming Events

We present regular public talks, screenings and events online, at The Garrett Centre and elsewhere. All our events are free to attend.

LADA Screens: Maxima Smith

22 Mar 2024

An in-person screening of ‘Crying with my Family’ by Maxima Smith.  

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LADA Screens: Maxima Smith – Online Screening

23 Mar 2024 - 20 Apr 2024

An online screening of ‘Crying with my Family‘ by Maxima Smith.

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Latest Activity at LADA

Taroni-Cividin: Performance, Video, Expanded Cinema (1977-1984) – Book Launch

20 Apr 2023

An in-person gathering at LADA  celebrating the launch of Taroni-Cividin: Performance, Video, Expanded Cinema (1977-1984)

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Intersect: Kelvin Atmadibrata in conversation with selina bonelli

29 Mar 2023

An in-person gathering at LADA  featuring Kelvin Atmadibrata in conversation with selina bonelli. This event is part of LADA’s Intersect series and is curated by performancespace.

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Intersect: An oracular practice sharing by SERAFINE1369 and Daniella Valz Gen

03 Mar 2023

An in-person gathering at LADA  featuring Jamila Johnson-Small in conversation with Daniela Valz Gen. This event is part of LADA’s Intersect series and is curated by performancespace.

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Intersect with: Jelili Atiku

18 Sep 2022

An in-person gathering at Lewisham Art House, featuring the artist Jelili Atiku. This event is part of LADA’s Intersect series, and the 2022 Deptford X Festival.

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What can LADA do for you?

Whether you are an artist, curator, writer, producer, student, educator, researcher or activist, we are here to help you understand, appreciate, dig into, and take inspiration from a huge breadth of Live Art and performance practices – contemporary and historic. 

How we work
Travis Alabanza on stage Travis Alabanza. Image by Manual Vason

Current Opportunities

LADA provides professional development opportunities for artists, arts workers, and academics at all stages of their careers.

Desk Scheme – Call for Proposals

We are re-launching our subsidised Desk Scheme for artists, producers, curators, researchers and writers

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Resources

We provide free-to-access resources for artists, students and professionals. This includes Live Online, our video platform, research facilities, information, downloadable documents, and programming packages. 

With Artsadmin, we have compiled a series of links and resources for artists, which we think are useful to artists working in Live Art and contemporary performance in the UK. These FAQs, links and lists of organisations and venues are intended as a starting point for your research and project development.

Individual sitting at a table in front of full bookshelves in the study room LADA Study Room, Bethnal Green

The Study Room

Our Study Room in Bethnal Green, London contains over 8,000 items, including out-of-print books and rare performance documentation.

You can book your visit today, and search our full Study Room catalogue online.

Visit the Study Room

Online Resources

We offer online resources including:

  • Study Room catalogue
  • Video channels
  • Free downloads
  • Study Room guides
  • Project websites
Browse Resources

Recent Projects

Curatorial projects and programmes featuring ground-breaking artists and developing new contexts, dialogues, and audiences. 

Ongoing

Reimagining Care

LADA’s latest project Reimagining Care focuses on contemporary discourses about care and care practices, exploring how they can contribute to transforming the art sector.

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Reimagining Care: 200 Questions About Care by Rubiane Maia

Rubiane Maia’s 200 Questions about Care were developed out of her research as part of the six-month residency Reimagining Care.

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More Projects

Donate to LADA

Donations help make influential artists’ development initiatives like DIY possible, support new publications and projects by extraordinary artists, and help us buy essential books and DVDs for our Study Room.

Donate
Scottee in a sequined turqouise shirt holding up three green cards in front of their face Scottee image by Holly Revell

LADA Publishing

LADA is a publisher. The books, films and artists’ editions published and co-published by LADA feature some of the most provocative ideas and practitioners working in Live Art, and pioneering research by thinkers in the field.  

As well as partnering with major publishers on key titles, we publish our own books and editioned artworks and collaborate with artists working on independent publications.

See our Titles
The cover of the Live Art Almanac Volume 5 The Live Art Almanac Volume 5

Unbound - Online Shop

Unbound, is the world’s only online shop dedicated to Live Art related materials, and features the unusual and independent alongside major critical works. Our carefully-curated selection includes books from major publishers, hard-to-find artists’ editions, and a full range of LADA publications. 

As a not-for-profit initiative, buying from Unbound directly benefits the UK’s Live Art infrastructure, with many of our supported artists counting it as a direct funding stream.

Find out more
A group of Study Room users look at a table full of books in LADA's Study Room.