The Free Association is a London long-form improv school and company founded by Graham Dickson, with its first show above the De Beauvoir Arms in Haggerston on October 19, 2014. The company offers a six-level Harold-based curriculum modelled on the UCB and iO schools where Dickson trained. In October 2025 The Free Association opened its first permanent home at Arch 26, Old Union Yard Arches, Southwark.
History
Founding (October 2014)
Graham Dickson founded The Free Association to bring a UCB and iO-style long-form improv school model to the UK, a structure he found absent when studying improv in New York. The company's first show took place above the De Beauvoir Arms pub in Haggerston, East London on October 19, 2014. Early co-founders and performers at launch included Max Olesker and Ivan Gonzalez (sketch duo Max and Ivan), Nell Mooney, Jessica Ransom, Freya Parker, and Joseph Morpurgo.
De Beauvoir Arms and Lord Stanley (2015-2025)
The company ran shows and classes at the De Beauvoir Arms in Haggerston through 2025, and also expanded to the Lord Stanley pub in Camden, operating across both venues for a decade.
Curriculum
The Free Association offers a six-level curriculum centred on the Harold, Del Close's long-form structure as developed at iO and UCB. Dickson, who is also a member of Austentatious, trained at UCB New York.
Permanent Southwark Venue (October 2025)
On October 16, 2025, The Free Association opened its first permanent home at Arch 26, Old Union Yard Arches, Southwark, SE1 0LR, following the company's 10th anniversary in 2024. The venue includes a 104-seat theatre, cafe-bar, and purpose-built classroom, secured on a 10-year lease with over £20,000 raised through crowdfunding.
Artistic Identity
The Free Association is the UK's closest equivalent to a UCB or iO school, bringing Harold-based long-form improv to London since 2014 with a six-level curriculum and a permanent Southwark home from 2025.
Key Events
The Free Association Gives First Show in London
Graham Dickson founded The Free Association with its first show above the De Beauvoir Arms in Haggerston on October 19, 2014, introducing a UCB and iO-style long-form improv school model to the UK.
The Free Association Opens Permanent Southwark Venue
The Free Association opened its first permanent home at Arch 26, Old Union Yard Arches, Southwark on October 16, 2025, with a 104-seat theatre, cafe-bar, and classroom on a 10-year lease.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). The Free Association. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/companies/the-free-association
The Improv Archive. "The Free Association." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/companies/the-free-association.
The Improv Archive. "The Free Association." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/companies/the-free-association. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.