When the Guild was founded in 1925, the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley was already underway, and members were encouraged to display work on the Faculty of Arts stand to attract wider interest. Seymour Marks, then secretary, created several small model‑theatre scenes for the stand, which drew considerable public attention. Their success prompted the Guild to mount its own exhibition later that year. This first exhibition—held from 24 to 29 August 1925 at the Faculty of Arts Gallery in Upper John Street, Golden Square—featured model theatres, sets and costume designs, was opened by G. K. Chesterton, and attracted a large audience.
Annual exhibitions followed until the mid‑1950s, with London venues including the Players Theatre in New Compton Street, the Victory Hall in Leicester Square, the Welsh Hall on Gray’s Inn Road, and the Royal Hotel in Woburn Place. A notable highlight was the 1936 exhibition at The George Inn, Southwark—then the Guild’s headquarters—held in honour of Benjamin Pollock’s 80th birthday and featuring a toy‑theatre performance of The Corsican Brothers by George Speaight. Exhibitions were also staged outside London, the first northern event taking place in Liverpool in 1949 under the organisation of Eric Bramall. One of the last major exhibitions was held in Hastings in 1966. As enthusiasm and financial support for large‑scale exhibitions declined, the Guild shifted its focus to smaller, more frequent events across the country.
