Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration does
Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is a UK registered charity (no. 1095210) founded in 2002 by the illustrator Quentin Blake to create the UK's first dedicated centre for illustration. Following a first iteration as House of Illustration in King's Cross (2014-2020) and subsequent operating period focused on touring exhibitions, the organisation is opening its permanent home at New River Head, a restored 17th-century waterworks in Clerkenwell, London, on 5 June 2026, positioning itself as the world's largest dedicated space for illustration.
The Centre's core products span ticketed exhibition galleries (including the Quentin Blake Gallery drawing from a 40,000-work pledged archive), free public spaces (gardens, illustration library with 1,800+ volumes, café, shop, Quiet Space), venue hire (Boiler Room, Engine House Galleries, Creative Studios, Windmill Base), school workshops delivered by professional illustrators, community co-production projects, and a touring exhibitions programme that has reached over one million people at 60+ venues since 2015. Revenue streams include ticket sales (£15-£16.50), school workshops (£150-£575 per session), corporate venue hire (from £225/hour to £3,500+ per evening), retail, touring exhibition hire, and philanthropy via the Illustration Angels membership. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offer is content, space and educational services.
The organisation is funded through grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and Islington Borough Council, corporate supporters including Thames & Hudson, Moomin Characters and Pentagram, and individual philanthropy. It operates with ~30 staff across visitor welcome, exhibitions, participation, marketing, fundraising, finance and operations, and is governed by a board chaired by John Kampfner with trustees drawn from Stripe, Kirkland & Ellis, PwC and Condé Nast alumni.
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration
- Legal name
- Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration
- Website
- https://qbcentre.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cultural Arts Centre
- NAICS
- Museums (71211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit) (THAJADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)
Keywords
Where Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticketed special exhibitions. Standard adult tickets priced at £15 or £16.50 (inc. donation) with concessionary rates available. Income supports community arts programmes, creative workshops and outreach activities.
- Venue Hire: Hire of event spaces including the Boiler Room Cafe, Engine House Galleries, Creative Studios and Windmill Base for corporate events, receptions, conferences, dinners, and filming.
- Education Programmes: School workshops delivered at schools and at the Centre. State schools pay £400 per day for two 90-minute sessions; Centre-based sessions are £200 per 90-minute session.
- Memberships and Donations: Charitable donations and membership programme (Illustration Angels) providing ongoing support. Registered charity 1095210, dependent on philanthropy and grants.
- Retail Sales: Shop selling illustration prints, books, gifts, cards and making materials.
- Touring Exhibitions: Hire of touring exhibitions to museums, galleries, libraries and festivals internationally.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | State school workshops at school |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | State school workshops at Centre |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Independent school workshops at school |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Independent school workshops at Centre |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Daytime venue hire full day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Daytime venue hire half day |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Evening receptions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Evening dinners |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Filming and photography |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small meetings (Creative Studio) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Exhibition tickets |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is the UK's only permanent place for illustration, located at New River Head in Clerkenwell, London. It runs three ticketed exhibition galleries, free public spaces including an illustration library, gardens and displays, alongside a cafe and shop. The charity also delivers school workshops, touring exhibitions to museums and galleries, community co-production projects, and an illustrator residency programme.
Product overview
Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is a single-location arts centre and registered charity offering a unified visitor experience combining ticketed exhibition galleries with free public spaces. The portfolio includes three ticketed galleries showcasing rotating exhibitions of illustration art (including the Quentin Blake Gallery), a free-access illustration reference library, café and shop amenities, and venue hire services. Educational offerings encompass school workshops delivered by professional illustrators and community co-production projects. The Centre also operates a touring exhibitions programme and online digital collections resource. The portfolio is unified under one venue at New River Head, with all elements serving the mission to celebrate and empower illustration.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Ticketed Exhibition Galleries Three ticketed galleries showcasing changing exhibitions of original illustration from around the world, including the Quentin Blake Gallery housing works from the founder's 40,000-work archive. For general public and culture enthusiasts.
- Illustration Reference Library Free-access reference library with over 1,800 books covering animation, graphic novels, fashion illustration, children's books, and illustration history, with materials in multiple languages. For researchers, students, and visitors.
- Illustration Shop Retail shop selling illustration prints, books, gifts, cards and making materials, supporting the local creative economy. For general consumers.
- Corporate Venue Hire Hire of multiple event spaces including the Boiler Room cafe, Engine House Galleries, Creative Studios, and Windmill Base for corporate receptions, conferences, private dinners, product launches, and filming. For corporate event clients.
- School Workshops Professional illustrator-led workshops for primary and secondary schools covering character design, sequential illustration, and mood creation. Delivered at schools in Greater London and nationally, or at the Centre.
- Community Co-Production Projects Co-produced illustration projects with local communities, families, older adults, and marginalised groups exploring heritage and personal stories through creative workshops. For community groups and under-represented audiences.
- Touring Exhibitions Hire Hire of touring illustration exhibitions to museums, galleries, libraries and festivals across the UK and internationally. Since 2015, exhibitions have been seen by over one million people at 60+ venues. For museums, galleries and cultural institutions.
- Illustration Residency Programme Annual residency programme providing dedicated space for illustrators to create and display their work, with applications reopening in late 2026. For practising illustrators.
- Illustration Collections Online Online database featuring curated stories and searchable items from UK-based illustration collections, with material from the 1900s onwards including public domain, Creative Commons licensed, and copyrighted works.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1 million people have viewed touring exhibitions since 2015
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tim Ronalds ArchitectscoreProject architects appointed through architectural competition. Specialists in arts, education and public projects with experience on listed buildings including Wilton's Music Hall and Hackney Empire
- All Things StudiocoreGallery designer (3D) creating exhibition spaces for museums and cultural institutions. Previous clients include Design Museum, British Museum, Manchester Jewish Museum
- Wolfe HallcoreGallery designer (2D) creating narrative and research-led exhibition designs. Recent work includes Wellcome Collection's Cult of Beauty and Barbican's Alice Neel exhibition
- Max FordhamcoreBuilding services engineers focusing on sustainable, low energy design. Projects include Tate Britain, Tate Modern Switch House, Courtauld Gallery
- Eckersley O'CallaghancoreStructural engineers delivering intelligent engineering solutions. Recipients of IStructE Award Winners for Construction Innovation and Queen's Award for Enterprise
- Earnscliffe AssociatescoreAccess consultancy ensuring Centre and programmes are welcoming and accessible. Clients include V&A, Design Museum, Tate
- Fraser Muggeridge StudiocoreWayfinding and graphic design. Previous clients include Jeremy Deller, Tom Odell, Matt's Gallery, Focal Point Gallery
- Core FiveminorIndependent award-winning cost consultancy supporting the capital project
- Aberdeen Art GallerycoreTouring exhibition partner hosting illustration exhibitions as part of the Centre's national touring programme
- Cambridge University LibrarycoreTouring exhibition partner hosting illustration exhibitions
- National Museum WalescoreTouring exhibition partner hosting illustration exhibitions
- The Bowes MuseumcoreTouring exhibition partner hosting illustration exhibitions
- Huis van het BoekcoreInternational touring exhibition partner in the Netherlands
- Hongik Art CentercoreInternational touring exhibition partner in South Korea
- Lily Ash SakulaminorSchool workshop facilitator delivering illustration workshops to schools
- Grace HollidayminorSchool workshop facilitator and illustrator delivering workshops
- Jhinuk SarkarminorSchool workshop facilitator and illustrator
- Julie VermeilleminorSchool workshop facilitator and illustrator
- Toya WalkerminorSchool workshop facilitator and illustrator
- Thames & HudsonminorCorporate supporter and publisher of illustration books
- Moomin CharactersminorCorporate supporter
- PentagramminorCorporate supporter and design firm
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tate Modern: Major London modern and contemporary art museum. Comparable as a large-scale ticketed gallery venue with extensive learning and community programmes, though focused on modern/contemporary fine art rather than illustration.
- Design Museum: London museum dedicated to contemporary design and architecture. Comparable as a London design/visual-arts venue with ticketed exhibitions, learning programmes, and retail; broader scope than illustration-focused Centre.
- Victoria and Albert Museum: UK's national museum of art and design with significant illustration holdings and rotating exhibitions. Comparable as a major London arts institution and exhibition venue, but vastly larger in scope, scale, and resources, with illustration as one of many collections rather than the focus.
- Royal Academy of Arts: London artist-led institution hosting major ticketed exhibitions, learning programmes, and artist development opportunities. Comparable as a London arts venue with an exhibition-led model, though operating across fine art disciplines rather than illustration.
- National Gallery: UK national art museum in Trafalgar Square housing one of the world's major fine art collections. Comparable as a major London ticketed gallery with learning programmes and retail; vastly larger and broader scope than the Centre.
Direct peers
- Serpentine Gallery: London contemporary art gallery in Kensington Gardens with ticketed exhibitions, public programmes, and venue hire. Comparable in scale and London gallery operating model, though focused on contemporary fine art rather than illustration.
- Whitechapel Gallery: East London gallery with a long-running programme of ticketed exhibitions, free public spaces, learning programmes, and venue hire. Comparable in gallery operating model and London scale, though broader contemporary art focus rather than illustration.
- Illustration Cupboard: Specialist London gallery exhibiting original illustration art. Closely comparable given its illustration-exclusive focus and London gallery model, though it operates as a commercial gallery rather than a charity and at a smaller scale than the new Centre.
- Hayward Gallery: Southbank Centre's contemporary art gallery hosting major ticketed exhibitions and learning programmes. Comparable as a London visual-arts venue with similar programming model and audience, though it operates as part of a broader cultural complex.
- Cartoon Museum: London-based museum dedicated to British cartoon, comic, and illustration art. Direct peer given the shared focus on illustration/cartoon art, similar small-museum scale, and London location, though the Cartoon Museum's collection is broader (cartoons, comics) while the Quentin Blake Centre is illustration-specific.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration social profiles
Digital presenceQuentin Blake Centre For Illustration compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration
What does Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration do?
Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration is the UK's only permanent place for illustration, located at New River Head in Clerkenwell, London. It runs three ticketed exhibition galleries, free public spaces including an illustration library, gardens and displays, alongside a cafe and shop. The charity also delivers school workshops, touring exhibitions to museums and galleries, community co-production projects, and an illustrator residency programme.
Is Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration a public or private company?
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration founded?
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration based?
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are venue Hire, education Programmes, memberships and Donations, retail Sales and touring Exhibitions.
Who are Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tate Modern, Design Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal Academy of Arts and National Gallery. Direct peers are Serpentine Gallery, Whitechapel Gallery, Illustration Cupboard, Hayward Gallery and Cartoon Museum.
Does Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration have an API?
No public API is recorded for Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration.
What industry is Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration in?
Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration's product category is Cultural Arts Centre. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJADAH, Art Galleries & Exhibition Spaces (Commercial & Nonprofit), with a secondary code of THAJACAH, Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions. Its NAICS code is 71211.