We're delighted to announce that Posy Simmonds MBE will be presented with The International Award for Excellence in Comic Art for 2022 at the first COMICA event in March, at the Century Club, London.

Posy was unfortunately unable to attend our Festival last year in Bowness to receive her Award due to unexpected family circumstances.

Posy Simmonds MBE is one of our most loved newspaper cartoonists and creator of many popular children’s books and graphic novels. One of Britain’s first female cartoonists, she came to prominence when she created the Weber family in The Guardian in the late 1970s. She went on to write and illustrate further satires on the English middle classes, Gemma Bovery and Tamara Drew, both of which were adapted as feature films.

Lizzy Stewart’s debut, Alison, has been described as an exquisitely crafted coming of age story charting the progress of a woman embroiled in the glamour of the 1970s London art scene.

Join Posy in conversation with Lizzy, where they will discuss Posy’s life as an artist, writer and observer of the world, revealing aspects about her childhood, friendships and artists that most inspired her work. At the end of the evening, Posy will be presented with The International Award for Excellence in Comic Art for 2022.

Marking the 20th Anniversary of London’s long-running Comica Festival, and in association with VIP Brands Ltd and the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, The Century Club, Soho has invited some of today’s key creatives to reveal their influences, ideas, techniques and latest projects. They include includes appearances by Lucie Arnoux, Brian Bolland, Dave Gibbons, Armando Iannucci, Dave McKean, Martin Rowson, Lucy Sullivan and many more.

These conversations are accompanied by a special month-long exhibition of original cartoons by fearsome cartoonist and Festival regular, Martin Rowson, including “Naked Attraction”, paintings of various prime ministers.

Comica was co-created in 2003 by Paul Gravett and John Harris Dunning for the ICA / Institute of Contemporary Arts, London. It continues as part of the annual Observer/Faber/Comica Graphic Short Prize, founded in 2007, and as the regular Comica Social Club in London.

Comica, The London Comics Festival, at The Century Club is a VIP Brands Ltd concept and initiative, presented in association with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival.

The Century Club, with its stunning roof terrace situated in the heart of the West End, is London’s premier members club for the arts and culture. It regularly runs arts events for members. Find out more at www.centuryclub.co.uk

• Posy Simmonds MBE in conversation with Lizzy Stewart | 7.00pm Thursday, 2nd March 2022 (Doors open at 6.30pm) | The Century Club, 61-63 Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 6LQ – Book Tickets (£12) here direct from The Century Club