The growing size of our dedicated British and Irish comic events page meant we have had to split our Exhibitions guide onto this separate feature on downthetubes. Information on exhibitions and venues is always welcome.
This feature was last updated on Monday 9th February 2026. Some of the exhibitions listed are permanent: some are temporary
As ever, information about events is welcome: here’s how to contact us. If you don’t see your exhibition added to this list, please re-send the information as it’s entirely possible, given the huge amount of email received, that we’ve missed it first time around – sorry!
• For comic-related events across the UK and Ireland, visit and bookmark this regularly updated page
• More Exhibition News on downthetubes
London
Bookery Gallerie – London
20 Church Street, London NW8 8EP | Web: bookerygallerie.com
Once a month the Bookery Gallerie hosts alternating exhibitions of London artists in a large spacious environment which lies beyond the bookshop. These sometimes include comic artists.
The British Library – London
96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB
Web: bl.uk/whats-on
Check back for comic or illustration-related exhibition information – or visit bl.uk/whats-on
The Cartoon Museum – London
63 Wells Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1A 3AE Tel: 0207 580 8155
Web: cartoonmuseum.org | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
The Future Was Then
Runs until Saturday 21st March 2026
The Cartoon Museum, 63 Wells Street, London, W1A 3AE | Web: cartoonmuseum.org
This Autumn, The Cartoon Museum looks to the future – and the past – to explore comics that went beyond the final frontier and predicted what humanity would look like in years to come.
Will the Daleks invade in the year 2150? Did the space travel of Dan Dare or the dystopia of V for Vendetta come true in the 1990s? What will our future look like?
Take a journey through time and space and answer these questions and more!
The Duke of Greenwich – London
Duke of Greenwich, 91 Colomb St, London SE10 9EZ | Web: dukeofgreenwich.com
The Duke of Greenwich pub has previously hosted exhibitions of cartoons by a huge range of creators, curated by Daily Mirror cartoonist Pete Songi, who’s also a member of the Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation.
The Embassy of Japan – London
Embassy of Japan in the UK, 101-104 Piccadilly London W1J 7JT
Web: uk.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html
Hosts the annual exhibition of winners of the Embassy’s Manga Jiman competition. 2025 exhibition ran from Friday 21st March – Friday 16th May. Walk-ins during the exhibition period are welcome. Admission is free, but showing photographic ID is necessary to gain entry to the Embassy.
Visitors to the Embassy can enjoy reading all the shortlisted entries in a special display, Manga Jiman: The Winners’ Exhibition, which features artwork from every story entered this year
The Ealing Project – London
Ealing Broadway, London W5 5JY | Web: ealingproject.co.uk
The Ealing Project – a multi-functional community space on the ground floor of Ealing Broadway centre, which has hosted comic related exhibitions, including 3 Generations, an exhibition of art that includes the work of comic creator and editor David Leach, in July 2023 (Read our related news story).
Farsight Gallery – London
Farsight Gallery, 4 Flitcroft Street, London WC2H 8DJ
Previously hosted Mick Jones Rock & Roll Public Library exhibition
For more information visit rocknrollpl.com | Mick Jones Rock & Roll Public Library Exhibitions Group | Read our news story
Gunnersby Park Museum – London
Gunnersby Park Museum, Gunnersbury Park House, Popes Lane, London W5 4NH (near Acton Town tube station) | Free, No booking required | Closed Mondays, Tuesday – Sunday: 10am – 4.30pm
Web: visitgunnersbury.org | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube
The Heath Robinson Museum – London
Pinner Memorial Park, 50 West End Lane, Pinner HA5 1AE | Web: www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org
The permanent Heath Robinson exhibition combines original artwork with books, photographs, film and digital media to tell the full story of Heath Robinson’s artistic career.
Heath Robinson’s autobiography was called My Line of Life and the permanent exhibition draws on this theme to follow his career from art school in the 1890s to his last works made during the Second World War. It describes how, having established himself as a leading illustrator at the start of the 20th century, he was forced to turn to humorous drawing to maintain his income. He pursued both forms of art for several years, but humour eventually dominated. However, throughout his life he saw himself as a serious artist and painted landscapes and imagined scenes for his own enjoyment.
South Bank Centre – London
Quentin Blake: The Southbank Parade
Tuesday 17th February to Sunday 8th November 2026 | Exhibition Details here
A free exhibition of cartoonist and illustrator Sir Quentin Blake‘s memories of the 1951 Festival of Britain at London’s Southbank Centre opens next month.
The much-loved illustrator and author has turned his recollections of Festival into a new installation for you to discover across the site.
Young Victoria and Albert Museum – London
Young Victoria and Albert Museum, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9PA | Exhibition Page
Beyond the Capital…
Bovington, Dorset
The Tank Museum brings the story of tanks and their crews to life. Exhibitions sometimes include comic-related items. The Museum owns a collection of “Charley’s War” pages from Battle.
Brighton, East Sussex
Graphic Brighton hosts a number of exhibitions, during its annual event. Follow their news blog here
Chester, Cheshire
Storyhouse
Hunter Street, Chester CH1 2AR | Web: storyhouse.com
Has previously hosted comic-related exhibitions including 2024’s “Aliens, Zombies & Monsters” a show filled with vibrant life-sized colourful characters in an immersive exploration into how children’s books and characters are created… from the mind of children’s author and illustrator, Aaron Blecha.
Ditchling, East Sussex
Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft, Lodge Hill Lane, Ditchling, East Sussex, BN6 8SP.
• Exhibition details
Previously ran Bloomin’ Brilliant: The Life and Work of Raymond Briggs in 2024, an exhibition featuring never-seen-before items and artworks from one of the UK´s most beloved author illustrators in the part of East Sussex that he made his home.
Dundee, Scotland
Tower Building
University of Dundee, Nethergate Dundee DD1 4HN | Exhibitions Information
Previous exhibitions include Sydney Jordan retrospective – read our news story about the opening night and a preview of some of the art on display (If you’re a Jeff Hawke fan, check out the Jeff Hawke Fan Club here)
Bonus: Here’s a virtual tour of Ian Kennedy – Celebrating a Comics Legend, which ran in early 2023
Ian Kennedy (1932-2022) is a legend in British comics. Acclaimed and respected by fans and fellow artists, his career in comics spanned over 70 years. Ian left behind a huge legacy that will continue to inspire comics fans for generations to come. We are delighted to present this exhibition featuring a selection of original art from Ian’s studio and from the collections of DC Thomson.
• Read James Bacon’s review of this exhibition right here on downthetubes
• Watch: A guided tour by comics expert and Abertay University lecturer Phillip Vaughan showcasing highlights of the exhibition Ian Kennedy: Celebrating a Comics Legend in the Lamb Gallery, Tower Building, University of Dundee, given at a special event on 3rd March 2023 in the company of members of Ian’s family, former friends and colleagues and comics fans.
Glasgow, Scotland
The Mitchell Library, North Street, Glasgow G3 7DN has hosted comi-related exhibitions
• Official Site | Read the accessibility guide for The Mitchell Library on AccessAble | Autism-friendly guide to the Mitchell Library
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Glasgow Looking-Glass, the world’s first comic, in 2025, the Mitchell Library presented “Glasgow through the Looking-Glass” | Read our related news story
Harrogate, Yorkshire
“Vision and Labour”
18th October 2025 – 26th April 2026
The Mercer Gallery, Swan Road, Harrogate HG1 2SA | Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9.30am to 4.30pm | Free
The Mercer Art Gallery in Harrogate has teamed up with Avery Hill Publishing to create “Vision and Labour”, an exhibition showcasing some of today’s most exciting comics’ creators.
Created in partnership with the Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival, the exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse into the work of leading comic artists, and an important snapshot of the UK comics landscape over the past decade.
features art by Kristyna Baczynski, who also created the exhibition poster, Tim Bird, Katriona Chapman, Tom Humberstone, Charlot Kristensen, B.Mure, Owen D. Pomery, Claire Scully, J. Webster Sharp, Rachel Smith (her work featured outlining the creation of art for Who Killed Nessie?, working with writer Paul,Cornell), Lizzy Stewart, Lucy Sullivan, Zoe Thorogood, Donya Todd, Tillie Walden and George Wylesol.
Kristyna Bacynski and Katriona Chapman have also delved into Harrogate’s art collection to select an exciting mix of images that resonate with their own work as graphic novelists and comic creators.
In “The Stories Pictures Tell”, running concurrently with “Vision and Labour”, discover paintings with a compelling narrative, fascinating characters, and that enticing sense of “…what might happen next?”
Their selection ranges from story-filled Victorian paintings by W.P. Frith and Frank Holl, to the intriguing work of the acclaimed contemporary artist Caroline Walker.
Herne Bay, Kent
Herne Bay Festival-related exhibitions
The Seaside Museum, 12 William Street, Herne Bay | Web: theseasidemuseumhernebay.org
Follow the Festival on Facebook | Instagram | X
Stay tuned for Herne Bay Festival-related exhibitions in 2026 at Beach Creative, Beach House, Beach Street, Herne Bay
Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire
Brew Cafe
76 Bond Street, Hull, HU1 3EN | Web: www.brewhull.co.uk
Has previously hosted art by local independent comic creators
Kendal, Cumbria
• Lakes International Comic Art Festival – Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th October 2026
The annual Lakes International Comic Art Festival, back in Kendal in 2026, usually features tie-in exhibitions during its annual event
King’s Norton, West Midlands
The Navigation is located at 1, Wharf Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3LS | JD Wetherspoon Web Page | TripAdvisor Reviews
Not an exhibition as such, but if you’re in King’s Norton, The Navigation pub has a tribute to comic artist Reg Bunn, longtime artist on “The Spider” in the weekly British comic Lion, on its walls. Reg lived in King’s Norton. Read our news story
• Reg Bunn-related items on downthetubes
Liverpool
The Beatles in Comics
The Liverpool Beatles Museum is at 23 Mathew Street, Liverpool L2 6RE | Web: liverpoolbeatlesmuseum.com | Facebook | Twitter
The Beatles in Comics permanent exhibition features over 100 examples of the band from newspaper cartoons, strips and comic books from 1963 to the present day.
The exhibition is open to the general public and well worth the trek to the third floor of this most authentic and delightful of museums to all things Fab.
Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland
The Lillie Art Gallery – Station Road, Milngavie, G62 8BZ
Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00 – 5.00pm. Admission is free | For more venue information, call 0141 956 5536 or visit edlc.co.uk/venues/lillie-art-gallery
• Follow the Council on Facebook | Instagram | X | Follow the Trust on X @EDLC_Culture or like the page at facebook.com/EDLCCulture
Previously ran ‘Comics Stripped’, an exhibition exploring how comics are created. Oor Wullie, Judge Dredd and Rupert the Bear were at the ‘art’ of this free exhibition which focused on comic strips and creators in Scotland | Read our related new story
Mount Fitchet, Essex
The House on the Hill Toy Museum
Castle Visitor Centre, Lower Street, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex CM24 8SP
Web: stanstedtoymuseum.com
Housed in the grounds of Mount Fitchet Castle, near Stansted Airport, the The House on the Hill Toy Museum has some phenomenal displays of toys spanning many eras and genres, with good examples of children’s comics and annuals. The 1960s Gerry Anderson inspired display had some collectable comics and books. Well worth a visit if you’re in the area. (With thanks to Phil Shrimpton)
Northampton, Northamptonshire
The Panel Gallery
3 Abington Square, Northampton NN1 4AE | Opening hours Tuesday to Saturday 11.00am – 4.00pm) | Free | Web: thepanelgallery.com
Steve Dillon Revisited
Runs until 28th February 2026, Panel Gallery, 3 Abington Square, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN14AE Free | Official Site | Steve Dillon Exhibition on Facebook
Northampton’s The Panel Gallery is hosting a marvellous Steve Dillon exhibition, featuring new pieces, in addition to artworks by the late 2000AD and Preacher artist they previously exhibited.
Steve Dillon Revisited features art from 2000AD, Preacher, Punisher, Hellblazer amongst other work available to view for the duration of the free exhibition, which runs through February 2026.
With new pieces added, there’s something new for all those that were able to attend the first exhibit. For those of you that will be visiting the Panel Gallery for the first time, you’ll be able to enjoy work by Steve from his early year right through to his later work.
The Panel Gallery is the first art gallery in the UK to specialise in original comic art. Showcasing comic art from Marvel, DC Comics, 2000AD and many more publishers.
Opening to the public in 2021, Jeff Chahal, the owner and curator of the gallery, has always felt that comic art doesn’t receive the respect that it should, which ultimately lead to the idea of starting Panel Gallery so that comic artwork might at last be showcased in a fitting environment.
Having worked in comic retail for 20 years, and with a background of running the hugely respected NICE Comic Con in Bedford, Jeff applies the same criteria to both his comic convention and the new Panel Gallery. For him, it is essential that the focus of both are on the art itself and also on all those that are involved in the creative process of producing comic books.
Rugby, Warwickshire
Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Little Elborow Street, Rugby, Warwickshire CV21 3BZ | Telephone 01788 533201 | Web: ragm.co.uk/kapow
Hosted Kapow – The Art of Making Comics and Film in 2023 featuring a wide range of comic art, including work by Frank Bellamy, Ben Oliver, Frank Quitely and many others.
• Read James Bacon’s review of KAPOW
Ryde. Isle of Wight
Comic Cutz: The Art of Barrie Michell
Thursday 5th – 28th February 2026 | Monkton Arts 11 East Street, Ryde PO33 1JP | Exhibition Page
Comic Cutz: The Art of Barrie Michell will feature a range of his art from various comics across the decades.
“I’m hoping we can display my work chronologically, from Bunty in 1961 and finishing with Wendy in 2011,” Barrie tells downthetubes, “both published by DC Thomson; and as many as we can get in the middle!”
Southport, Lancashire
The Atkinson
Lord Street, Southport PR8 1DB and online at theatkinson.co.uk | Facebook | Instagram | X
Free Entry | Monday – Saturday. 10am – 4pm | Closed Sundays & Bank Holidays.
Plan your visit here
Hosts a permanent “Dan Dare” exhibition in honour of creator Frank Hampson, who lived and worked with his team in Southport when the Eagle comic launched.
Previously hosted Bill Tidy: “Is there any news of the iceberg?” in 2024, a tribute to the late cartoonist, TV personality and author Bill Tidy MBE who lived for many happy years in Southport.
Whitehaven, Cumbria
Comics: The Famous & Forgotten
17th January – 15th March 2026, The Beacon Museum, West Strand, Whitehaven, Cumbria CA28 7LY | Opening Times: Tuesday – Saturday | 10.00am – 4.30pm | Sunday | 11.00am – 4.00pm
Web: thebeacon-whitehaven.co.uk
COMICS: The Famous & Forgotten tells the story of comic art in Britain – from the famous to the forgotten. Discover the birth of the comic strip, travel through the anarchic worlds of Beano, Viz and 2000AD, meet iconic superheroes, and learn how legendary artists such as David Lloyd and Bryan Talbot cemented Britain’s legacy as a powerhouse in the world of comics.
How did comic strips first get popular in Victorian Britain? What’s the story behind Dennis the Menace? Who was the first British superhero?
Expand your horizons and hear the untold stories of comic art – girls’ comics, underground zine movements and the young artists of today. Experience the humour, adventure and wonder in each square panel, and even get inspired to pick up a pencil yourself.
This exhibition reveals some of the most iconic, nostalgic and surprising artworks from The Cartoon Museum’s collection. The Cartoon Museum is the only museum in Britain committed to the collection, preservation and display of comic and cartoon history.
Woodstock, Oxfordshire
Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum
Park Street, Woodstock, OX20 1SN | Registered Charity No. 1145408 | Web: sofo.org.uk | Facebook | Instagram | X
Temporary and permanent exhibitions often with strong illustration themes.
Touring Comic Exhibitions
Enter The Mulberry Tree and Fly Free
If you are interested in hosting this unique exhibition, please contact the Lakes International Comic Art Festival
Enter the Mulberry Tree and Fly Free: Palestinian Comics Revealed offers a unique glimpse into the world of Palestinian comic art, featuring the works of twelve incredible artists who explore personal identity, geopolitics and the nuances of everyday life in Palestine.
Make Mine Manga
If you are interested in hosting this unique exhibition, please contact the Lakes International Comic Art Festival
Make Mine Manga, a free, touring exhibition for anyone curious about manga, as well as the avid fan.
The exhibition explores the origins of manga in Japan, the creative techniques behind the art and the wonder of Manga-Anime. It features artwork from incredible creators from Japan and UK manga creators.
Manga have become a pop-culture phenomenon in the UK and, if you’ve been into any branch of Waterstones, or your local comic shop, you probably already know more and more people are reading them; and six of the top ten bestselling graphic novelists in Britain are by Japanese manga authors.
In this exhibition, visitors will be able explore how these comics evolved first in Japan and how their brilliant creators continue to expand the medium, and discover today’s generation of award-winning British talents making manga their own way into a truly global language.
The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is an annual comic art Festival and advocate for comic art. Established in 2013, the not-for-profit festival takes place annually over a weekend in the Autumn, originally in Kendal, and, since last year, in multiple venues in Bowness-on-Windermere.
The exhibition has been specially created by Paul Gravett, comic publisher, fan and author of Manga: 60 Years of Japanese Comics, and has been led by Bolton Library Services, on behalf of a consortium of libraries in the North West. It’s been funded by Arts Council England under its Project Grants scheme and the Lakes International Comic Art Festival is one of the delivery partners.
Make Mine Manga was originally part of Manchester City of Literature’s Festival of Libraries, a county-wide celebration of Greater Manchester’s 133 libraries from 7 – 11th June 2023.
First touring in 2023 the Make Mine Manga exhibition and associated workshops, funded by Art Council England, was led by Bolton Library and Museum Services running in several North West libraries, including Barrow-in-Furness Central Library and Manchester Central Library and produced in partnership with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival and Manchester City of Literature.
The exhibition was curated by Paul Gravett (author of, among other titles, Mangasia: The Definitive Guide to Asian Comics) and designed by Steve Kerner of Curious Road and the project owes its existence to many artists and publishers for their support to make it exhibition possible: Junko Mizuno, Jiro Taniguchi, Eldo Yoshimizu, Takayo Akiyama, Fumio Obata, Kiriko Kubo, Ilya, Yukiko Kai, Hatsu Haru, Hideko Mizuno, Eiko Hanamura, Ueda Toshiko, Matsumoto Katsuji, Kyoto International Manga Museum, Titan, Fanfare and Aquira.
In addition, Ed Hillyer (aka ILYA) designed signature idents for the project, used within the basic exhibition materials, largely existing images culled from his MANGA DRAWING KIT: Techniques, Tools And Projects for Mastering the Art of Manga (2006, AmazonUK Affiliate Link)), which has also been published as MANGA ART: Toutes les techniques pour maîtriser l’art du manga (in France), and MANGA ZEICHNEN: Das komplette Set für Einsteiger (Germany) – and from a much earlier exhibit he curated for Whitechapel Ideas Store in 2010 – MANGA UK! MANGA JIMAN! (which means ‘having pride in Manga’).
LAKES INTERNATIONAL COMIC ART FESTIVAL: ONLINE MAKE MINE MANGA RESOURCES
• How to draw manga with Inko
• How to draw manga with Chie
• Manga colouring
Web Links…
• More Exhibition News on downthetubes
• For comic-related events across the UK and Ireland, visit and bookmark this regularly updated page
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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