Harrogate's Mercer Art Gallery is shining a spotlight on the world of contemporary comics this autumn with a new exhibition.
Vision & Labour: Making Comics – The Art of Avery Hill Publishing is running from 18th October to 26th April 2026.
The exhibition, created in partnership with independent publisher Avery Hill Publishing, brings together original artwork from sixteen acclaimed comics creators, including Kristyna Baczynski, Tim Bird, Katriona Chapman, Tom Humberstone, Charlot Kristensen, B. Mure, Owen D. Pomery, Claire Scully, J. Webster Sharp, Rachael Smith, Lizzy Stewart, Lucy Sullivan, Zoe Thorogood, Donya Todd, Tillie Walden and George Wylesol.
Timed to coincide with Harrogate’s annual Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival, the exhibition offers a glimpse into the creative process behind some of the most distinctive voices in modern comics.
It showcases both the art and the effort involved—from intricate ink drawings to striking digital designs—and includes video footage of artists at work, life-sized recreations of book covers and an interactive game by artist and designer George Wylesol.
The exhibition design and infographics have been created by comics artist Kristyna Baczynski, mapping the journey from an artist’s first idea to the finished book.
Karen Southworth, Exhibitions Curator at the Mercer, said:
“Through working with Thought Bubble and Avery Hill Publishing, we’ve come to appreciate that comics and graphic novels are a valuable, but often overlooked, part of our literary culture.
"We know this exhibition will inspire fans of comic art but we hope it will open lots more people’s eyes to discover this vibrant and accessible art form.”
Founded in London, Avery Hill Publishing has been an influential presence in the UK’s indie comics scene for more than a decade.
Co-founder Ricky Miller said:
“This exhibition is an exciting way for us to extend our remit of helping new creators into comics and a great chance for us to look back on what we’ve created over the years. Somehow we’ve achieved this despite having no publishing experience, juggling demanding day jobs and major life-changes, in what was supposed to be a fun side-project that accidentally got out of control.”
The exhibition has been developed in partnership with Thought Bubble, the UK’s largest comic art festival, which returns to Harrogate in November.
Thought Bubble’s Martha Julian said:
“To see the work of these incredible creators in one place should be grasped with both hands! Avery Hill Publishing have been a stalwart of the indie comics community for well over a decade, and we couldn’t be prouder to be including this celebratory exhibition as part of this year’s Thought Bubble Festival.”
Vision & Labour: Making Comics – The Art of Avery Hill Publishing runs at the Mercer Art Gallery, Harrogate, from 18th October to 26th April 2026.
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