The Studio’s goal is to encourage public and artistic engagement with reportage artwork through talks, workshops, residencies, exhibitions and publications that place Topolski’s work in conversation with contemporary artists working within reportage, whilst promoting Topolski’s own legacy, impact and reputation as one of the foremost visual chroniclers of the 20th century.
The Studio also functions as a study centre, with the goal of cataloguing and digitising its large collection of graphic works by Topolski, and providing a space for contemporary artists and researchers to engage with the artist’s archive.
Until 2010, the Studio was in effect a time-capsule of Topolski’s original working environment, a working artist’s studio with all the chaos and colour that that entailed.
From 2013 through to 2019, an educational programme was run from the Studio, including a residency programme which brought together a group of young reportage artists and illustrators for a course centred on the genre.
Outputs of the programme included an annual Chronicle that featured work by participating artists covering London-based themes, and exhibitions of their work.