House of Illustration facts for kids
House of Illustration is a public arts organisation dedicated to illustration, founded by Sir Quentin Blake and based in London, England. From 2014 to 2020, it was located at 2 Granary Square in the London Borough of Camden, but the site is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In August 2020 it was announced that the House of Illustration will relocate to the 18th century Engine House at New River Head in the Clerkenwell area of London, with the intention of opening in the autumn of 2022. The new site will be named the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, and will be home to exhibition galleries, education studios, events spaces and a shop and cafe. It was also announced that the Granary Square site will not reopen, although work will continue offsite through a series of education and events programmes and touring exhibitions.
Previous exhibitions displayed the art of illustration in many forms, including advertisements, animation, comic books and manga, children's literature and picture books, political cartoons, scientific illustrations and fashion design. Artists featured in exhibitions include established and upcoming artists, including Quentin Blake, E.H. Shepard, Lauren Child, Paula Rego, Hattie Stewart and David Lemm. One exhibition featured over 120 original illustrations that appeared in Ladybird Books titles, in celebration of the publisher's 100th anniversary.
The gallery's former building was designed by Lewis Cubitt in 1850 and was part of the King's Cross Goods Yard. The building is part of the King's Cross Central project, and has been restored, standing alongside Central Saint Martins in the neighbouring Granary Building.
