Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is the only permanent public arts organization in the United Kingdom dedicated to illustration. Located in the Clerkenwell area of the London Borough of Islington, it operates as the world's largest space devoted entirely to the art form. Founded by the illustrator Sir Quentin Blake in 2002, the centre champions the breadth and dynamism of illustration through rotating exhibitions, a public library, and learning spaces. It occupies the historic New River Head waterworks, where restored 18th and 19th century industrial buildings now house three galleries, including one permanently dedicated to Blake's work. The centre opened at its current site on 5 June 2026, following a major capital project to transform the derelict complex into a permanent national home for illustration.

Quentin Blake established his charity in 2002 with the long term aim of creating the UK's first public space dedicated to illustration. This vision was first realized as the House of Illustration, which opened in 2014 at 2 Granary Square in the King's Cross area of the London Borough of Camden. The venue ran exhibitions, residencies, talks, and creative workshops, but the organization sought a larger permanent home. In 2019, Blake's charity purchased the derelict New River Head waterworks in Clerkenwell with the help of a donation. In July 2020, it was announced that the House of Illustration would close at Granary Square and relocate to the Islington site, subsequently adopting its current name. The relocation and restoration project, initially estimated at 8 million pounds, ultimately cost 12.5 million pounds. Funding was secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the London Borough of Islington, various trusts and foundations, and Blake's own investments. Following the completion of renovations, the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration opened to the public on 5 June 2026.

The centre does not maintain a permanent collection of its own, aside from a small handling collection. Instead, it researches, conserves, and displays illustration by collaborating with museums, archives, and personal collections across the UK and overseas. Its exhibition program showcases a diverse range of illustration, encompassing advertisements, animation, comic books, manga, children's literature, propaganda, political cartoons, scientific illustration, and fashion design. The institution works closely with Quentin Blake to share his collection, which is pledged to the centre, though his vast archive of 40,000 original drawings is stored at separate premises. In December 2023, the centre launched Collections Online, a digital resource supported by the John Ellerman Foundation to make historic illustration accessible for research and inspiration, focusing initially on UK based material from the 1900s.

The centre is situated at New River Head, a historic industrial site in Clerkenwell that served as the terminus for an artificial conduit bringing fresh water to London from Hertfordshire from 1613. The site's surviving 18th and 19th century industrial buildings, including the peculiarly shaped Dunard Engine House and a remnant windmill base, have been restored by Tim Ronalds Architects. The 12.5 million pound renovation preserved the site's industrial heritage, leaving original ironwork, altered brickwork, and cobblestone setts exposed rather than hidden, while integrating modern museum climate control and a linking extension. The windmill base, London's oldest, serves as a circular gallery for artist residencies. Surrounding the buildings, landscape designer Sue Amos created public gardens featuring plants selected to reference illustration, such as raw materials for inks, timber for charcoal, and leaves for tracing. Interpretation panels designed by Nina Chakrabarti explain the site's history of engineering and urban development, and a new public footpath connects Myddelton Passage to Amwell Street through the gardens for the first time.

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is located at 1 Myddelton Passage, EC1R 1AG, approximately a 10 minute walk from Angel tube station on the Northern line. It is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The ground floor, including the public illustration library, interactive displays, gardens, and cafe, is free to enter. The library houses over 1,000 publications, including illustrated books, graphic novels, picture books, and zines, alongside an interactive drawing wall and tactile printmaking displays. Paid ticketed exhibitions are housed in the three main galleries. Adult admission starts at 15 pounds, with concessions available, and children aged 5 to 17 are charged 6 pounds, while children 4 and under enter free. The venue offers accessibility features including a Changing Places grade toilet and British Sign Language interpretation for exhibition signs. The centre is run by Blake's charity and operates as a permanent national centre for the display and celebration of illustration.