The theatre industry is mobilising again for the Gaza Formula Fund, with a major online auction of original props, set designs, and costumes.
The scale of the theatre industry’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is being brought into sharp focus with the launch of the second Stage Designers and Artists Auction for Gaza Babies.
Following last year’s inaugural event, which raised over £32,000, this year’s iteration has expanded significantly. More than 150 leading stage designers and artists have donated original works.
The auction, running online from October 26 to November 9, offers a rare opportunity to acquire pieces directly associated with some of the most prominent productions in recent memory.
The beneficiary is the Gaza Formula Fund, a UK-registered charity (1137443) established in 2025 by London-based stage designer Georgia Lowe and Gaza-based father Izziddeen. Operating as a project within the Small Steps Project, the fund provides emergency aid, including infant formula, nappies, clean water, and fresh food, to families facing severe shortages in Gaza.
The Lots
The catalogue is vast and varied, encompassing original artwork, costume designs, photography, prints, sketches, puppets, props, and ceramics.
Izziddeen said: “Borders and vast distances separate us, but shared feelings and humanitarian motives unite us. This auction is a remarkable act of solidarity for the children of Gaza, who desperately need food and the most basic necessities.”
The list of productions represented reads like a history of modern commercial theatre. Items from Billy Elliot, Oliver!, The Hunger Games, Cyrano de Bergerac, Titanique, Hamlet: Hail to the Thief, Monty Python’s Spamalot, War Horse, and Lily Allen’s West End Girl are all featured.
The roster of contributing creatives is equally formidable. Christine Jones, Rufus Norris, Tim Hatley, Lesa Amoore, Rae Smith, Ian MacNeil, Grace Smart, John Keane, Rosanna Vize, Jasleen Kaur, Anthony Ward, Miriam Buether, Mark Thompson, Vicki Mortimer, Anna Fleischle, and Lez Brotherston have all donated. Crucially, for collectors, each piece is signed by the contributing designer or artist.
The Urgent Need
The funds raised will go directly to supporting the Gaza Formula Fund’s work on the ground.
“Borders and vast distances separate us, but shared feelings and humanitarian motives unite us,” said Izziddeen, co-founder of the fund. “This auction is a remarkable act of solidarity for the children of Gaza, who desperately need food and the most basic necessities.”
Georgia Lowe, the auction’s organiser, echoed this sentiment. “I am deeply moved and proud of the theatre and arts community for coming together for a second year, united in solidarity and generosity to provide for Gaza’s youngest and most vulnerable,” she said. “The talent represented in this auction is astounding and I look forward to giving the public access to a huge variety of unique works that are rarely accessible to them.”
Featured Image: Clockwise from Top Left: Wizard of Oz – Mark Thompson, Lost at Sea… Lost Seas – Declan Buckley, Oliver! – Lez Brotherston, Now You Don’t – John Keane
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