Photographer captures empty theatres for new charity series of prints

Oxford-based photographer Joanna Vestey and collaborator Tara Rowse have launched a new initiative to raise funds for venues during the lockdown.

Going into the venues themselves and portraying the empty space alongside its custodian (the person in charge of caring for the theatre during the pandemic), Vestey aims to sell her final pictures and raise funds.

The final print of each theatre's Custodian for Covid image has been produced in a limited edition of 250 at 50×60 cm available for £200, with the aim of reaching £1 million. Selling out the full editions would amount to raising over £50,000 for each theatre.

The list of venues included are Alexandra Palace Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre, Bush Theatre, Hackney Empire, Hampstead Theatre, Kiln Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, National Theatre, Richmond Theatre, Roundhouse, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Opera House, Sadlers Wells, Southwark Playhouse, The Coronet, Shakespeare's Globe, the Royal Court Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East and the Young Vic.

You can find out more about the project and see more photographs here.