Pick Me Up graphic arts festival cancelled, Somerset House announces

Somerset House has announced it will not continue its annual graphic arts festival, Pick Me Up. The exhibition has been a showcase for established collectives and studios as well as emerging artists in the illustration and graphic design fields since 2010.

According to a statement from the show’s original curator, Somerset House has cancelled the popular event to “focus on new projects”.

Claire Catterall, director of exhibitions at the venue and original curator of Pick Me Up, said: “I am immensely proud of Pick Me Up’s seven-year run and how it became an established event in the graphic art scene’s cultural calendar. It is heartening to see how the public has become more and more engaged with illustration and graphic design, and so many wonderful festivals and events springing up around the UK since the first Pick Me Up in 2010.

“With a host of new champions for this community, we feel the time has come to focus on new projects which are equally energetic and exciting, and look forward to championing great work from new artistic communities through our public programme.

“Although we say goodbye to Pick Me Up, we remain committed to providing a platform for the graphic arts through our diverse programme of exhibitions, talks and events. We will continue to work with many of the artists and designers who we supported through Pick Me Up over the years. We have an impressive group of alumni who have gone onto great things and we will certainly keep a keen eye on what they go on to achieve in the future!”

The last Pick Me Up took place in spring 2016, with a visual identity by Hato.

The institution recently opened Somerset House Studios, its own in-house affordable workspace for creatives.