Cartoons, coffee and conversation: My art displayed at Membe Café for Chorlton Arts Festival 2026

I’m very happy to share that a selection of my cartoons and artworks are now being displayed at Membe Café in Alexandra Park, Manchester as part of the Chorlton Arts Festival 2026.

There’s something especially fitting about exhibiting cartoons in a café space. Cafés have always been places of conversation, observation and people-watching, which is exactly where many of my ideas begin. A passing comment, a strange modern habit, political absurdity, climate anxiety, digital dependency, or simply the humour hidden inside ordinary life.

My work combines minimalist drawing with satire, gentle humour and social commentary. Some cartoons aim to make people laugh immediately; others hopefully linger for a little longer afterwards.

As a former BBC journalist and long-time cartoonist, I’ve always believed humour can open up conversations in ways that feel accessible and human. In a world that often feels noisy and overwhelming, sometimes a simple line drawing and a thoughtful caption can create a brief pause for reflection or at the very least, a smile over coffee.

If you’re visiting Chorlton Arts Festival this year, do stop by Membe Café, have a browse, and say hello to the cartoons while enjoying one of Manchester’s lovely creative community spaces.