La Mama celebrates its storied past with limited-edition vintage prints

La Mama Theatre is inviting Melburnians to take home a piece of Australian theatre history, releasing a striking new series of limited-edition vintage prints that honour the iconic venue’s early decades.

The collection, unveiled on November 10, brings back to life four classic posters from the 1960s and ‘70s – an era defined by creative risk-taking and the birth of Australia’s contemporary independent theatre movement.

The prints feature reproductions of original works by celebrated designers Ian McCausland, Trina Parker, Bruce Spence and Beth Parnaby. Boldly coloured, graphically adventurous and unmistakably of their time, each poster captures the grassroots artistic energy that shaped La Mama’s reputation as a home for experimental performance and emerging voices.

Beautifully reproduced on Mohawk Archival Vellum, each print is individually numbered, certified by La Mama Theatre, and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. They are available as single prints for $200 or as a complete set of four for $700, with all proceeds supporting La Mama’s ongoing work nurturing independent artists.

CEO and artistic director Caitlin Dullard said the prints offer more than nostalgia – they’re a way for supporters to play a direct role in ensuring the theatre’s future.

By purchasing one of these glorious prints, you’re not just celebrating La Mama’s history – you’re helping to shape her future,” she said.

“Australian theatre needs La Mama to continue this vital work that has long sustained and inspired the independent sector. These prints beautifully encapsulate the artist-led legacy we’re determined to carry forward.”

La Mama’s legacy is woven into Australian cultural history. The theatre has long served as a launchpad for new writing, ambitious experimentation and early-career artists. The newly released posters reflect a period when the venue became synonymous with bold storytelling and equally bold graphic design – art that embraced irreverence, political bite and a fiercely independent spirit.

The limited-edition series also honours the designers whose original works helped to hone La Mama’s identity. The reproduced prints include poster art created for some of the theatre’s earliest productions, sourced through the Australian Performing Arts Collection at Arts Centre Melbourne and The University of Melbourne Archives.

The initiative has been supported by Tanarra Social Purpose and The Phil Taylor Foundation, and permissions were granted by the original artists or their estates.

Funds raised will go directly into supporting La Mama’s ongoing programming, including new writing, workshops, performances and its crucial role in nurturing future generations of independent theatre-makers.

For those who have a long-standing connection to the Faraday St institution – or simply appreciate the history of Melbourne’s creative scene – the prints offer a rare opportunity to bring home a tangible piece of the theatre’s formative years.

Prints can be viewed and purchased at lamama.com.au •