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Screenshot of Invitation for the cancelled exhibition
An exhibition of satirical cartoons titled "Licence to Offend," featuring works by some of the UK’s most prominent political cartoonists, including Morten Morland, was cancelled by the TownSq gallery in Kingston upon Thames, London, just hours before its private opening. The exhibition included satirical portraits of figures such as Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg, all previously published in major British newspapers.
The gallery cited concerns that the exhibition’s content might be offensive and fears over potential reactions that could threaten staff safety. TownSq emphasized their desire to maintain a "politically neutral environment" and stated that the controversy surrounding the exhibition underscored the need for such neutrality. This led to their decision to cancel the show despite the artworks already being publicly known.
Morten Morland, one of the featured cartoonists, expressed strong frustration with the cancellation, calling it "idiotic" and highlighting that denying freedom of expression is a political choice. Morland is a Norwegian political cartoonist originally from Tromøya near Arendal (as Mimeta), Norway, who has lived in London since 2000 and has been a regular cartoonist for The Times since 2002.
Efforts are underway by the organizers, Whitelight Projects, to find an alternative venue so the exhibition can still be shown.
TownSq gallery in Kingston-upon-Thames cancelled the "Licence to Offend" exhibition hours before its scheduled opening, citing concerns about potential offence and staff safety127. The venue stated it aimed to maintain a "politically neutral environment"
Key details:
Works featured: Included cartoons by Morland, Guardian’s Martin Rowson, Daily Mail’s Mac and Jonathan Pugh, and others, all previously published in major UK newspapers135.
Venue’s reasoning: TownSq claimed the exhibition’s "fervour and discord" justified cancellation to protect staff and avoid political alignment27.
Backlash: Cartoonists and free speech advocates condemned the move as censorship, arguing satire’s role in democracy requires tolerating discomfort468.
Current status: Organizers are seeking a new venue, with multiple offers under consideration28.
The incident highlights tensions between institutional risk aversion and artistic freedom, particularly for satirical works already deemed acceptable for mass publication57.
Citations:https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/cartoon-exhibition-cancelled-after-art-deemed-too-political/https://aseannow.com/topic/1359521-satirical-art-silenced-%E2%80%98licence-to-offend%E2%80%99-exhibition-cancelled-over-fear-of-offence/https://downthetubes.net/cartoonists-furious-after-licence-to-offend-cancelled-for-potential-offence/https://freespeechunion.org/free-speech-row-after-venue-scraps-exhibition-of-fleet-street-cartoonists/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/04/30/telegraph-cartoon-exhibition-cancelled-fears-complaints/https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2025/04/29/licence-to-offend-show-cancelled-cartoons-too-offensive/https://www.gbnews.com/news/exhibition-political-cartoonists-cancelled-fears-display-offencehttps://freespeechunion.org/cancelled-cartoon-exhibition-to-relaunch-at-new-venue-in-weeks/
