Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2026 Full Programme Unveiled

Lakes International Festival Programme Released, Full Guest List, Comic Market Lineup Revealed

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival has published its full programme for this year’s weekend-long event in Kendal, Cumbria, 2nd to 4th October 2026, and the full lineup of guests and Comics Marketplace creators and publishers has been announced.

You can view all the events on the Festival’s website at licaf.co.uk, view the programme online here on Issuu, or download a PDF version here. The cover art is the work of American artist and guest, Bill Sienkiewicz.

As ever, there is a huge range of events to enjoy from talks and exhibitions to social gatherings, running alongside the Comics Marketplace at the Westmorland Campus on Saturday and Sunday, with a massive lineup of guests heading to the Lake District town for this annual comic gathering, its format modelled on continental festivals.

“We’re delighted to return to Kendal in 2026,” says Festival Director Julie Tait. “After all, everything started here way back in 2013. If you haven’t visited before, we think Kendal will surprise you – the streets are alive!”

Major events at this year’s annual Festival include its traditional Opening Night of Live Draws, Comic Challenges and comedy, ticketed separately from the Festival Pass, this year “Asterix vs TinTin” which again sees a battle between comic creators to prove their favourite internationally-acclaimed hero is better than the other; “An Audience with Bill Sienkiewicz”, an opportunity to find out more about the work of the amazing Marvel Comics artist; the “NCS 80th Anniversary Bash”, marking a special “birthday” for the National Cartoonists’ Society of America with an array of talent from its illustrious membership, including Bill Morrison, Luke McGarry, Gemma Correll, Jason Chatfield and Colleen Doran plus festival guests Bim, Petteri Tikkanen, Pieter de Poortere, Viz and Dagsson the “Giant Phoenix Comic Club” with two Phoenix Comic superstars, James Turner and Robert Deas – giving young audiences the opportunity to take part in LICAF’s first ever giant Phoenix Comic Club, enjoy free comics and find out more about one of the UK’s favourite weekly comics; “Frankly Speaking”, an audience with international comic artist Frank Quitely; “An Introduction to Poetry Comics” with Chrissy Williams whose book comes recommended by Alan Moore; Kate Charlesworth discusses her current work, future plans and aspirations for Scottish comics; Steve and Luke McGarry return to the Festival, dishing out their much appreciated comic mayhem; Gemma Plum, Francisco de la Mora,and Zara Slattery discuss their graphic novels exploring neurodiversity and disability, in a talk titled “Inspirational Comics on Neurodiversity & Disability”; and “Shining Through – Female Pioneers in Comics”, celebrates the unsung contributions of two cultural, pioneering women Mary Wollstonecraft and Stella Benson, with award-winning creatives Bryan and Mary Talbot, and Nina Six from Belgium.

But these are just a few of the amazing events lined up for another very packed weekend, fully devoted to the comic form! Be sure to check out the Programme – and book your tickets now!

• You can view all the events on the Festival’s website at licaf.co.uk, view the programme online here on Issuu, or download a PDF version here

• The Lakes International Comic Arts Festival (LICAF) will take place in Kendal from Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th October 2026. Tickets are on sale now

Further details on specific panel times, exhibition hours, and festival ticketing will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit licaf.co.uk

Festival Guests and Comic Market Creators and Publishers

Guests this year are, in alphabetical order: Charlie Adlard, Yomi Ayeni, Léonie Bischoff, David Blandy, Serge Bloch, Kate Charlesworth, Gemma Correll, Dagsson, Mike Derderian, Colleen Doran, Graham Dury, Louise Evans aka Feltmistress, Eve Greenwood, Emad Hajjaj, Luke Healy, ILYA, Marc Jackson, Khaled Jarada, Keli Lark, Michael Lark, David Leach, Sonia Leong, Joanna Lorho, David Lumsden, Marcos Martin, Joe McGarry, Luke McGarry, Steve McGarry, Joris Mertens, John Chalmers and Sandra Marrs (aka Metaphrog), Mobidic, Francisco de la Mora, Bill Morrison, Jacob Phillips, Sean Phillips, Nicolas Pitz, Gemma Plum, Pieter de Poortere, Quindrie Press, Frank Quitely, Bill Sienkiewicz, Jenny Robins, Nina Six, Zara Slattery, Faye Stacey, Byan Talbot, Mary Talbot, Simon Thorp, Muntsa Vicente and Chrissy Williams. 

To read the biographies and see images of work of guests go to licaf.co.uk/festival/guests(Guest list is correct at the time of this release, please see our website and social media for updates)

The Comics Market takes place at Westmorland Campus Guests in Alphabetical Order, some creators co-tabling) are: 77 Publishing, B7 Comics, Mark Abnett Comics, Beastly Worlds, Clark Bint, Tim Bird, David Blandy, Corey Brotherson, Robert Brown, Cinebook, Benjamin Dickson, Bluebottle inc., Blue Fox Comics, Brodie Kidd, Bruno Catarino Comics, Lewis Campbell, Cartoonists’ Club of Great Britain, Catfood Comics, John Chalmers & Sandra Marrs (Metaphrog), Clockwork Watch, Colossive Press, Comics Cultural Impact Collective, Comics Youth CIC, Daisy Crouch (Starspilli), Darryl Cunningham, Jon Davis, Devkity, Ben Edwards, Jonathan Edwards & Felt Mistress, Eliza – The Ghost in Every Machine, Escape Studios – School of Animation, Games and VFX, Kate Evans, Tim Fish, Foxhat, From Palestine, Sarah Graley, Chris Geary, Megan Grey, Shri Gunasekara, Gutsy Zine, Willem Hampson, Sam Hart, House Of Stars, ILYA, Inky Fruit Co., Jenika Ioffreda, Karl Christian Krumpholz, Kendal College, Krakathoom, Roger Langridge, David Leach, Sonia Leong, LICAF, Daniel Locke, David Lumsden, Colin Maxwell, Peter Morey, Fran Morton, Alex Newton, Northern Wilding, Claire O’Brien, Fumio Obato, Our Super Adventure, Pearlman & Lacey, Peng and Spanners, Pigeon, Quindrie Press, Ahmed Raafat, Re-Live, Rein Lee, REVEAL! Comics Conversations, Riso des Bois (C.A.Hiley & C. Simonis), Tanya Roberts, Jenny Robins, Zara Slattery, Savannah Storm, SelfMadeHero, shanefaced, Chris Shepherd, Martin Simpson, Skhoshbell, Snake, Ben Bernard-Smith, Faye Stacey, Mark Stafford, Strawman Publishing, C A Strike, Kev F Sutherland, Bryan and Mary Talbot, Third Bear Press, Time Bomb Comics, The Unreality Store, Steve Webb, White Hart Comics, Lyndon White, and Jess Winton (Wintern)

Festival Exhibitions

SERGE BLOCH:  NOT THAT INTO COMICS
At The Brewery Arts Centre Gardens
21st September – 8th October 2026

Find out why Serge Bloch and Mathieu Diez are not that into comics! Discover the thinking behind this thought-provoking and fun installation created by two giants of the French comic scene.

LANDSCAPES OF CONTEMPORARY BELGIAN COMICS
At The Abbot Hall    
2nd October until 10th October 2026

Landscapes of Contemporary Belgian Comics is a touring exhibition showcasing the richness and diversity of today’s Belgian comics scene. Bringing together artists — living in Belgium or of Belgian origin — the exhibition reveals a field defined by creative freedom and experimentation. From adventure stories to autobiographical narratives, from works for young readers to projects engaging with social, political and ecological questions, these artists demonstrate the remarkable versatility of comics as a contemporary artistic language. Together, they offer a vibrant portrait of a generation shaping the future of Belgian comics.

IN THE LAST PASSAGE: AN EXHIBITION BY KHALED JARADA, GAZA
At Cross Lane Projects Gallery, Cross Lane, Kendal LA9 5LB1 October -14 November 2026
OPENING TIMES: 2-5 October 10.30am-4.30pm Other dates noon-5pm

In the Last Passage is a solo exhibition of works by Khaled Jarada, developed between Gaza and Paris from 2019 to 2026, reflecting the rich variety of his practice across drawing, painting, animation, installation, and comics. The exhibition brings together a selection of works from various projects dealing with recurring themes and subjects in Jarada’s practice: chronic waiting, memories, exile, and the experience of being in, but not of, a place. The exhibition takes its title from Mahmoud Darwish’s poem The Earth is Closing on Us, where the last passage emerges as the very condition of being Palestinian. “The Earth is closing on us / pushing us through the last passage / and we tear off our limbs to pass through.” It is from within this last passage that Jarada’s lines start.

DICKIE & DAGSSON: TREE OF LIFE, AN EXHIBITION OF TWO EUROPEAN MASTERS OF BLACK HUMOUR
At The Brewery Arts Centre Warehouse Café 
2 – 4 October 2026
OPENING TIMES: 2 October 4pm-10pm/ 3 & 4 October 10am-6pm (over 18s only)

 Hugleikur Dagsson (Iceland) and Pieter De Poortere (Belgium) share a sharp sense of humour, packaged in seemingly innocent drawings. Both artists reduce their style to its essence: clean lines, simple shapes, and use this minimalism to amplify the impact of their jokes.

However, behind the childlike surface lies a world of cruelty, absurdity, and taboos, which are turned upside down and mocked. Whether it is Dagsson’s sharp one-liners or De Poortere’s unfortunate character Dickie, both expose the humour in failure, misfortune, and the darker sides of life.

Their work proves that laughter can be both uncomfortable and universal, transcending boundaries with just a few pen strokes. Tree of Life by Dickie & Dagsson divides life neatly into seven chapters, from birth to the afterlife, each linked to a colour of the rainbow. But not without adding a generous dose of black.

Little LICAF Powered by The Phoenix

At Kendal Town Hall           
Little LICAF Workshops

The Phoenix workshops start at 10.30 and at 11.30am. Room 4 Comics sessions start at 1.30pm and 2.30pm but please arrive 10mins before the starting time. There are a limited number of places which will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. All workshops are free but we would appreciate a donation of £5+ per child

 These include the Giant Phoenix Comic Club (draw characters from your imagination guided by two Phoenix Comic superstars, James Turner and Robert Deas); Room 4 Comics (Marc Jackson returns to LICAF to lead a giant live draw session in which a roll-call of our fantastic international guests will draw their own well-known characters with you in an inspiring and energetic drawing jamboree) .

 Throughout each day, join artist Jenny Robins for a collage comic extravaganza (Saturday & Sunday 10.00am – 4.00pm) – with scissors and glue, anything can be a sticker, anything can be a comic!

• About the Author
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John  is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who MagazineandOverkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of  comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.

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