Unexpected Encounters: Illustration and Public Art
16 September 2026
Join us for an evening event to explore how illustration in the public realm can transform the places we live, work and visit.
Whether celebrating people, fostering shared connection or revitalising forgotten spaces, public art projects have the potential to spark moments of joy, curiosity and conversation in unique and unexpected ways. From murals to sculpture and immersive installation, the creative possibilities are vast but so too are the responsibilities that accompany these projects.
Exploring environment, audiences and impact, this conversation investigates the vital role of public art today and how illustrators can translate their work to different scales, locations and ways of interacting with audiences.
With Graphic Rewilding, a public art practice that floods grey city spaces with vast, nature-inspired artwork, MURUGIAH, a multi-disciplinary artist whose work reflects his life and identity, spanning commercial print, painting and public art, and Hannah Lim, an artist who explores how cultures intersect through objects, sculpture, and public art projects. The conversation will be chaired by Hanna Benihoud, who speaks internationally on art’s power to shape more equitable cities, and will be followed by a Q&A.
Whether you are an illustrator, designer, student, public planner or simply interested in how public art can impact the world we live, this is an unmissable event exploring the scope, responsibilities and impact of public art today.
This event is programmed as part of London Design Festival 2026 and MURUGIAH: Ever Feel Like…, on until October 3.
Hanna Benihoud is a London-born artist and architect whose studio turns city streets into canvases. From bold illustration to large-scale public murals and sculpture, she's known for a punchy, colourful visual language that jumps out against the urban grey, using playfulness to pull people into serious conversations about feminism, safety, and equity in public space.
Graphic Rewilding is a public art practice that floods grey city spaces with vast, nature-inspired artwork, founded by Lee Baker and Catherine Borowski. Their work is grounded in research into the psychological effects of natural imagery and has been commissioned to create installations from Crawley to the New York Botanical Gardens and the Start Museum in Shanghai.
Hannah Lim is an artist based in London, her work encompasses, sculpture, painting and installation artworks. Hannah is interested in exploring how cultures intersect and how these intersections historically have been reflected through the design of objects, artworks and architecture. Hannah’s work is also strongly influenced by her mixed British and Singaporean heritage.
MURUGIAH is a multi-disciplinary artist known for his kaleidoscopic sometimes macabre world. Trained in architecture, his work is fused with references to Hollywood film and Sri Lankan art and design, and spans commercial print, animation and public art. His first solo show MURUGIAH: Ever Feel Like…, is on at Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration until October 3.
Join in person at Quentin Blake Centre, or online via livestream. Please select ‘online ticket’ at checkout to join the talk remotely.
The Centre will close at 5pm, re-opening at 6pm for the evening event. The Shop will be open for the evening. The galleries will be closed.
Join us in the Cafe from 6pm when the doors open to grab a drink from our generous sponsors El Rayo Tequila. The talk will run for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, followed by a Q&A.
Tickets for the online livestream will be available up to 12pm on Wednesday 16 September.
If purchasing an online ticket, please note that you will receive a booking confirmation upon purchase. You will then receive a follow up email with a link to join the livestream by 5pm on the day of the event. The livestream will be hosted on YouTube.
Please feel free to get in touch with us at events@qbcentre.org.uk with any questions.
We want our events to be inclusive and accessible. If you have any accessibility requests or questions, please email events@qbcentre.org.uk or phone 020 4524 2657.
You can find out more about Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration’s facilities and accessibility here: