What makes a work of art? And who do we consider to be artists?

The Degenerates is a bold new play inspired by the extraordinary artists of the Prinzhorn Collection, whose work transformed modern art but whose lives were later erased and persecuted by the Nazi regime. Their art was weaponised by the regime and displayed in the infamous “Degenerate Art” exhibitions as evidence of supposed moral and genetic decline. Our play will reclaim that title with pride, celebrating these artists as the visionaries they truly were.

Blending history, visual art and imagination, The Degenerates brings together the lives of Emma Hauck, Katharina Detzel, Josef Forster and other remarkable artists whose creativity continues to shape the world around us in a space where time moves freely and love, loss and defiance collide..

Moving between past and present, The Degenerates explores creativity, neurodivergence, mental health and the radical act of making art. It asks urgent questions about who gets to create, whose stories survive, and what happens when we challenge the rules about who belongs.

Created with lived experience

The Degenerates is being developed side by side with artists and researchers with lived experience of mental ill health, learning disabilities and neurodivergence. These collaborations will shape every stage of the production, from the script and visual language to the questions the play asks.

The Degenerates is currently in development, led by award-winning playwright Hattie Naylor and created with and directed by Josephine Burton.
We're now growing the team behind the project. If you'd like to be part of the journey, we'd love to hear from you. info@dasharts.org.uk

Title image: Letter to my husband (detail). Emma Hauck (1878–1920)