Licence to Offend: The cartoon present they needed to silence

Earlier this yr, a bunch of Britain’s sharpest political cartoonists discovered themselves cancelled. Their exhibition, Licence to Offend, was pulled by a nervous venue “in case it brought on offence”. The irony? Offence is the purpose. What adopted was a nationwide row over free speech, censorship, and whether or not satire has a spot in right now’s more and more cautious tradition. Headlines screamed: ‘Cartoon exhibition banned’ and ‘Free speech row erupts’. Immediately, a distinct segment artwork present had grow to be a flashpoint for artistic freedom.

Now, the present is again – with a vengeance. From 16 September till 4 October 2025, Licence to Offend takes over Colony Room Inexperienced in Soho, a daring reimagining of the legendary Colony Room Membership, as soon as the hangout of Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and London’s most infamous misfits.

Curated by artist and ex-club member Darren Coffield, the exhibition rips political cartoons from the again pages of The Guardian, The Instances, The Telegraph, Personal Eye and splashes them throughout gallery partitions. This is not well mannered commentary; it is a confrontation. A roll name of Britain’s most fearless cartoonists – from Patrick Blower and Nicola Jennings to Martin Rowson and Morten Morland – all lining as much as take photographs at energy. Each sketch unapologetic, each scribble a center finger to the institution. Politicians of each leaning are lampooned. Establishments unapologetically skewered. No topic sacred, no authority left untouched.

The selection of venue is not any accident, both. The Colony Room was as soon as dubbed “one of many seediest spots in Britain”. But it surely was additionally the beating coronary heart of bohemian London. Its partitions undoubtedly witnessed a long time of dissent, drunken arguments, and radical creativity. Now, Colony Room Inexperienced recreates that spirit: green-painted partitions, no telephones allowed, and guidelines that echo its notorious founder Muriel Belcher’s one commandment: do not be boring. It is the proper backdrop for a present that thrives on provocation.

The cancellation solely amplified the message and gave it international free promotion. In attempting to close cartoonists down, the powers that be proved precisely why they’re nonetheless wanted. As Coffield places it, Licence to Offend is not nearly artwork; it is about resistance. “Cartooning has at all times thrived on outrage, razor-sharp wit, and the liberty to chew,” he says. “This present celebrates that radical soul.” Anticipate laughter, discomfort, and a flat-out reminder of why satire nonetheless issues.