Lord's 'woke' row erupts as members complain about Syrian and Palestinian refugee artwork exhibition

Jack Otway
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:26:53 +0000

A display of artwork by Syrian and Palestinian refugees at Lord's Pavilion has sparked criticism from some Marylebone Cricket Club members.

The exhibition, visible during the season's opening fixture between Middlesex and Gloucestershire over Easter, prompted former Telegraph cricket correspondent Michael Henderson to pin a letter to the Pavilion noticeboard.

"Members may have noted the daubs upstairs and the club's endorsement of 'creativity' and 'solidarity'," Henderson wrote.

"'Solidarity' with whom? The human race, perhaps. We can all agree on that. But this 'exhibition' is nudging us towards another view; a partial one. This is meant to be a cricket club."

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Henderson, a longstanding MCC member and author, dismissed the paintings and questioned the club's messaging around the display.

His concerns were echoed by other members who spoke to the Mail. One described the exhibition as an attempt to "project a progressive image of the club".

Another member characterised it simply as "woke".

The temporary display, which went up last month and runs until the end of April, features paintings created by Syrian and Palestinian refugee students alongside pieces from established artists.

The Lord's Pavilion traditionally houses numerous artworks, including celebrated portraits of legendary cricketers from the sport's history.

The exhibition is connected to the Alsama Project, an initiative established by the MCC Foundation in 2021.

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This charitable programme funds cricket hubs for young Syrian refugees living in Lebanon, specifically in the Bekaa Valley and Shatila refugee camps.

Children participating in the scheme play cricket for six hours weekly throughout the year.

The MCC Foundation operates as the club's charitable division, running projects both internationally and within the United Kingdom.

According to the Telegraph, the current display serves to highlight this refugee support work, bringing together artwork from the young people benefiting from the programme with contributions from professional artists.

Emma John, who chairs the MCC's heritage and collections committee, joined the club in 2018.

A journalist with extensive experience writing for The Guardian and other publications, she previously stated her intention to "fight to influence the MCC's culture from the inside".

Relations between the club's leadership and its membership have historically been fraught, though they have reportedly improved in recent times.

In 2022, then-chairman Bruce Carnegie-Brown caused offence during the AGM when a hot microphone captured him saying members were "taking an age to empty their colostomy bags". Former President Sir Stephen Fry subsequently remarked that the club "stinks" of privilege.