Friday Lates: Art Laughs

Event information

• Type: Music & performance
• Date: Friday, 24 July 2026
• Tickets: Free
• Location: The National Gallery
• Address: Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN, UK
• Official page: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/events/friday-lates-art-laughs-24-07-2026

Details

About

Art Laughs brings comedy to arts and heritage spaces. This evening sees Verity Babbs and Art Laughs invite three of the UK's funniest rising stars to deliver art themed stand-up performances in front of paintings that have inspired their sets.

Join Kate Cheka, Alex Farrow and Jonathan Oldfield for their unique takes on some of our paintings made in the 20th century, by artists including Paul Cezanne and Henri Rousseau.

Verity Babbs and Art Laughs

Verity Babbs is a writer, presenter and comedian whose work focuses on making the art world more accessible and introducing fine art to new audiences. She is also an alumna of Articulation, the National Gallery’s public speaking initiative for young people designed to promote the appreciation and discussion of visual culture.

Verity conceived Art Laughs as an antidote to the often-humourless atmosphere she encountered working in the art world since graduating with a History of Art degree from the University of Oxford. The show made its Edinburgh Fringe debut in 2022 and has since been held at the National Gallery, Royal Museums Greenwich, Tate Britain, Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair, and London Art Fair.