Banned in May, now back with a vengeance — Licence to Offend, the controversial exhibition of political cartoons that made international headlines when it was cancelled earlier this year, will finally go on show in London.
The exhibition will be hosted at the Colony Room Green, a bold recreation of the infamous Soho drinking club that, since 1948, was a haven for maverick artists and cultural provocateurs.
Licence to Offendis an outrageously unapologetic exhibitionthat yanks political cartooning out of the newspapers and splashes it across the gallery wall with a smirk. This is satire off the leash — bold, brash, and delightfully disrespectful.
The exhibition was cancelled earlier this year, due to fears from the venue, making headlines in the press and triggering a national free speech row. Now, it makes its explosive London debut at Colony Room Green from 16 September – 4 October 2025.
Step into a world where no subject is sacred, no authority untouchable. This is sharp-edged dissent from a formidable roster of the UK’s most fearless political cartoonists — whose work has graced the pages of The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph, Private Eye, and beyond.
License To Offend celebrates the artistry, sharp wit, and bold perspectives that have long entertained and provoked public opinion. This collection of works invites us to experience the powerful impact of editorial cartooning in its most unfiltered form — beyond the confines of the printed press.
This is a rare glimpse into the radical soul of cartooning — a medium that has always thrived on outrage, resistance, and razor-sharp wit. Here, it’s not just commentary — it’s confrontation.
Come see what they tried to silence.
Clockwise – Patrick Blower ‘A Licence to Offend’, Ingram Pinn ‘Trade Wars’, Clive Goddard – ‘Netanyahu’, Morten Morland, ‘Verbal Gymnastics’
Licence to Offend is at Colony Room Green, 16 September – 4 October.
The featured cartoonists include:
Christian Adams, Patrick Blower, Chris Cray, J. G. Fox, Clive Goddard, Nicola Jennings, Stanley McMurtry, Morten Morland, Rob Murray, Ingram Pinn, Jonathan Pugh, Mark Reeve, Martin Rowson, David Simonds, John Springs, and Guy Venables.