A talk by author Andy Friend marking the publication of "Comrades in Art - Artists Against Fascism 1933-1943" which explores the rise of the Artists International Association alongside the Marx Memorial Library

In the same month that the Marx Memorial Library and Workers' School opened its doors for the first time, the Artists International Association was born not far away in Covent Garden. From autumn 1933 onwards the two organisations developed in tandem as the AIA expanded to become a major popular front organisation with a thousand members, a national programme and many international links.

In a talk marking the publication of his book and previewing Comrades in Art, a major exhibition opening at Towner Eastbourne in May 2026, Andy will be talking about the lives of the activists who built the organisation and how the AIA's fight against fascism and in defence of cultural freedom holds up a mirror to our own times.

Comrades in Art - Artists Against Fascism 1933-1943, published by Thames and Hudson, has already attracted strong reviews ('A triumph' TLS; 'Exemplary' Observer; 'Compelling' Spectator; 'Remarkable' Art Newspaper; 'Subjects simmering with energy and dedication' Literary Review).