Later life can take us in all sorts of directions. For some people, retirement might look much as they imagined. For others, it could open the door to something completely new.
That sense of possibility sits at the heart of PensionBee’s Born to Retire campaign. It’s also why PensionBee is sponsoring ‘Born To’, a new feature exhibition at this year’s British Art Fair.
Running from 24 to 27 September 2026 at London’s Saatchi Gallery, ‘Born To’ celebrates creativity later in life, showing that new creative opportunities can appear at any stage.
What is the ‘Born To’ exhibition?
Art Historian and Curator, Jo McLaughlin curated ‘Born To’ - an exhibition featuring five artists aged 50 and over, who all came to their creative practice later in life. Whether after raising a family, following a career in another field, or simply when time allowed. ‘Born To’ offers a timely reminder that being an emerging artist doesn’t have to mean being fresh out of art school.
It fits perfectly with British Art Fair which celebrates Modern and Contemporary British art, bringing together specialist galleries and established names as well as newer artists.
Brooke Day, Head of Brand and Communications at PensionBee, explains: “Born to Retire challenges the idea that retirement is an ending. It’s about having the freedom to decide what comes next, whether that’s learning something new or pursuing a long-held passion.”
To find the artists, PensionBee, British Art Fair and Jo held an open call for anyone aged 50 and over who had lived, worked or studied in the UK.
From over 500 entries, Jo selected Mixed Media Artists; Kas Williams, Richard Wilshire and Mike Kelly, Painter; Annie Luke Turner and Ceramicist; Myrna Mitchell.
Their work spans different materials, styles and experiences. Some have moved into art as a second career, while others have been developing their work for years.
Together, they show that creative recognition can come at many stages of life.
Their work will appear alongside pieces by established British artists. These include Maggi Hambling, presented by Christopher Kingzett, and Dia al-Azzawi, presented by Richard Saltoun Gallery.
Why is PensionBee focusing on creativity later in life?
There’s no set age for discovering what you love doing.
Some people find their passion early. Others spend years working, raising a family or focusing on other parts of life before they have the time or space to explore something creative.
What starts as an interest can sometimes lead somewhere unexpected.
The five ‘Born To’ artists reflect those different journeys. What they have in common is that they kept creating.
That connects closely with the idea behind PensionBee’s Born to Retire campaign. Retirement could leave room for interests and directions you hadn’t considered before.
‘Born To’ takes that idea a step further by putting real creative stories at the centre of one of the UK’s best-known art fairs.
“That same spirit runs through ‘Born To’. The artists show there’s no single version of life after work, and no age limit on starting something new.”
How does Born To connect with Born to Retire?
PensionBee created Born to Retire with Wildish & Co. The campaign uses a reworked version of Steppenwolf’s Born to Be Wild.
Retirement doesn’t only have to be about what you stop doing. It can also be about what you start.
That could mean travelling by campervan, performing on stage or picking up a paintbrush.
‘Born To’ brings that idea into the art world.
The five artists haven’t reached the same point at the same age. Their experiences are different, and so is their work. Together, they show that creative ambition doesn’t have an expiry date.
For PensionBee, that makes ‘Born To’ more than an exhibition. It’s also a way to bring the Born to Retire idea to life through people who are already showing what can happen when you keep exploring new possibilities.
Where could later life take you?
None of us knows exactly what retirement will look like. And that can be part of the excitement.
‘Born To’ is a reminder that there’s no deadline for doing something you care about. New interests, experiences and achievements can happen at any stage of life.
Planning for retirement can help you feel more confident about the future, with more freedom to explore new opportunities as they come.
You can see the ‘Born To’ exhibition from 24 to 27 September 2026 at British Art Fair in London’s Saatchi Gallery. Book tickets.
Period | Market Event | FTSE World TR GBP (%) | 4Plus Plan (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
4Plus Plan’s inception – 6 Sept 2013 | QE Tapering, China Interbank Crisis and its aftermath | -5.44 | -2.41 |
3 Oct 2014 – 15 May 2015 | Oil price drop, Eurozone deflation fears & Greek election outcome | -5.87 | -1.77 |
7 Jan 2016 – 14 Mar 2016 | China’s currency policy turmoil, collapse in oil prices and weak US activity | -7.26 | -1.54 |
15 June 2016 – 30 June 2016 | BREXIT referendum | -2.05 | -1.07 |
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