“Illustration changes everything. We harness its power to transform the way we express ourselves, connect with others and see the world around us.”

And now, as of 5th June 2026, tickets are on sale for The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, which celebrates art that communicates stories and ideas.

Founded by illustrator Quentin Blake, the centre is the world’s largest dedicated space for illustration, producing exhibitions and creative projects in collaboration with illustrators, collections, universities, schools, community groups and touring partners.

Back in 2023, Studio AKA Director Marcus Armitage created a 90-second short film celebrating the history and impact of illustration. Rather than focusing on specific illustrators or illustrations, Marcus wove a storyline that showcases how humans have employed illustration to communicate and shape our lives over time.

The film transports the viewer 40,000 years into the past to see how cave drawings helped early humans learn, and brings us all the way to the present with maps, street signs, packaging, and picture books. Marcus’ energetic, mixed-media film is composed of simple cutout paper shapes, creating backgrounds on which tiny characters interact with the many different forms illustration can take.

The warm and friendly style aims to give an accessible snapshot of the relevance and importance of illustration in our everyday lives and throughout history. Studio AKA is excited to welcome our new neighbours to Clerkenwell and is honoured to have collaborated with them on this project. We can’t wait to visit.

Discover more about 

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration.

“The aim was to create something fun, engaging, and informative that the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration could really use to help show how influential illustration is to our lives. It was a real revelation for me, as you realise just how surrounded we are by illustration and how we can easily take it all for granted.”

— Marcus Armitage, Animation Director, Studio AKA

“Illustration is a familiar part of our daily lives, but it can be hugely powerful too: it plays a big role in shaping our world. Marcus has demonstrated that brilliantly with a perfect balance of warmth and clarity. We’ve loved working with Studio AKA, and we can’t wait to share their film with people of all ages in the run-up to opening the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration in Clerkenwell.”

— Olivia Ahmad, Artistic Director at Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration.