The Northern Festival of Illustration 2025

Author: Matthew Burton (Co-Director); Olivia Burton (Co-Director)

Year: 2025

Abstract

The Northern Festival of Illustration returned in 2025 with the theme ‘Stories of Home’, running from 12 September to 1 November across multiple venues in Hartlepool, including Hartlepool Art Gallery and The Northern School of Art. The festival brought together communities, illustrators, and audiences of all ages, celebrating illustration as a universal language capable of expressing identity, emotion, and cultural memory. Through a diverse programme spanning picture books, comics, animation, and digital media, the festival explored how visual storytelling shapes our understanding of place and belonging. At its core was the flagship exhibition at Hartlepool Art Gallery, presenting work by international illustrators across a range of disciplines. The festival reinforces the role of illustration in preserving and communicating the stories that define both individuals and communities.

Research Information

Type: Festival / Exhibition

Subjects: Illustration; Animation; Visual Storytelling

Keywords: Illustration festival; Stories of Home; Hartlepool; Picturebooks; Animation; Community arts

Institution: The Northern School of Art

Venue: Hartlepool Art Gallery; The Northern School of Art

Links

Official Source: https://thefestivalofillustration.com/

Additional Links: https://www.creativeboom.com/inspiration/why-hartlepool-is-becoming-the-norths-unlikeliest-creative-powerhouse/